Week 6

Gosh, we are chomping through the weeks!!
Spring is on our doorstep.
I am really impressed with the way that everyone is reading, keep up the great work, it signals that we are ready to begin a new leg on our journey.

This week our focus will turn to writing, we are all learning how to take risks when we write.  Writing does not have to be perfect, words don't need to be spelled correctly at this stage, approximations and single letters that represent the beginning sound of a word are to be praised. Reading and Writing go hand in hand, it is our job to show how the two are linked and to be the source of enthusiasm and  praise for any attempt at writing.



I once taught a child who was struggling to find the confidence to write. One day, completely out of the blue, he decided he was going to make his mum a card for her birthday.  He worked so hard on the card, found the word "mum" on his word wall and sheepishly gave it to her when the bell went at 3 o'clock. This was the first time he had ever put pencil to paper independently, yes the card opened the wrong way, most of the words were illegible and not written in straight lines, in fact the only things you could make out was the word "mum" and a big heart.  He looked at his mum expectantly as she turned the piece of paper over in her hands and said "What's this say?"  "I can't read this."
It broke my heart to see the look on his face and it took a long time to help get his confidence back to try that hard again.
  

Here are some tips for helping your child with writing, please take the time to have a read and maybe give one a go, if you are not already

1. Read from a variety of sources. Reading and writing are linked – success in one supports success in the other. Read stories, newspapers, advertisements, instructions, etc. to your child every day and then discuss what you have read.
2. Encourage your child to write. Children love to make their own birthday cards, write thank you notes, make place cards for the table, or send an email to a friend. Save old cards from birthdays and holidays to recycle for homemade cards. Whenever possible, let your child see you writing – grocery lists, instructions on the family whiteboard, emails, etc. – and get them to help.
3. Writing can be done anywhere. Have lots of magnetic letters or words on the fridge. Get a box of chalk and write your names on the driveway or sidewalk. Get a white board – it can be used again and again.
4. Play writing games. Make a game of letter finding. Show them how to form a letter and then go letter hunting in your house or in a book – count the number of "Ds" on a page. Find a picture they like and have them write words or a sentence about it.
5. Help children build their vocabulary. Try rhyming games starting with one word such as "mat". Say and write down all the words that rhyme, like "cat", "hat", "fat" and "splat". You'll be surprised how fast their word list grows.
6. Explore the meaning of words. Create a word book at home and have your child add words as they're learned. Have them note the words they use the most and talk about why.
7. Write to each other. Write notes to your child and leave them in interesting places, like the lunch box. Ask them to write a reply or come up with something new. If they have their own email, email each other. Have kids email jokes to family and friends.
8. Don't limit what you write with or what you write on. The sky's the limit – pudding, sticks or fingers in mud, earth, snow and sand, sparklers, steamed up windows and mirrors, and bubble soap markers for some sudsy learning.
9. Writing comes in all shapes and sizes. Point out different ways writing is used – letters, signs, advertisements, instructions – and explain why they are different. Also point out different ways letters are created – printed, cursive (written) and fancy variations. Let them be inspired to create their own letter art.
10. Start writing at an early age. Children often learn to write before they can read. Encourage this by showing them how to print their name or the names of friends and other family members. Buy them notebooks with lines so they can learn to make their letters correctly or a practice book with letters they can trace.

Thanks for reading.  Have a great week.

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