Teaching & Learning

Writing

It was wonderful to see so many fabulous displays of student writing at our Writers' Festival. It is another opportunity to invite families and friends in to celebrate the fabulous learning that happens at MRPS. Every student put in a huge effort to produce their piece and should be extremely proud of their writing.

What can you do at home to encourage writers?

At the junior end of the school, it could be writing a letter, making a card, shopping list (if that is your preferred way to shop). Encourage younger writers to draw what they want to write about first. It is a great prompt for their ideas as well as practising developing fine motor skills. At this age, it is about having the confidence to have a go, holding a writing implement, writing the sounds you hear for words that you don't know how to spell and reading back your writing to others. From here, children can write unfamiliar words thinking about what they already know. Having different writing materials available can also encourage writers.

Older children start to understand about the structure of different text types, using more sophisticated language ('show, don't tell' - imply what is happening rather than tell) as well as developing more stamina to write longer pieces. Children still need to handwrite but can also use digital means to communicate their ideas. They might keep a diary/journal, draw cartoons, write poetry or lyrics, write emails.

Fellowes and Oakley (2014) argue that the texts children create “should be for purposes relevant to their lives and interests” (p. 377). This is true for all writers. Sharing reading can also be a great way to discover interesting words that could be used in writing, noticing spelling patterns and the meaning of words.

Above all, enjoy and celebrate your child's writing in whatever form it takes!

Pat Withell

Learning Specialist - Teaching and Learning