How can we improve the writing skills of Students?

First and foremost, reading widely and for pleasure is a true testament to how well a person will write. As we know, children learn through immitstion. Not just because they are told to do or not to do something. If they can see adult and role model’s behaviors they are more likely to copy them.

But not every child likes to read. It’s often seen or used as a form of punishment, and why would they want to read a book when they can pick up an electronic device and entertain themselves for hours?

Well if you want your child to develop their writing skills - to make them more employable, to support them in expressing themselves and to increase their chances of success - them read on.

There is a really excellent trend on Instagram #readinginspiration... where parents in their children in the positive action of picking up a book. Have you ever caught your child reading and praised them for it? Celebrated it? Joined them in it?

Here the mother writes “books are the answer.” And she could not be more right.

“The more we read, the more we know” said Dr Seuss. The more words we read, and grow to understand and then use as part of our own vocabulary, in writing and talking, the more impressive we will be. I love the thesaurus app/website and use it all the time as a way of developing my vocabulary. And I would advocate this to everyone looking to develop and expand as a person.

There are lots of online resources that are free for teachers and parents and children to access.  I was particularly impressed by this recent report from Jeanetta Jones Miller. I saw it on LinkedIn, advertised by the NCTE.  She reviews the “benefits of a standards- based, student-centered approach to assessment.” As an experienced teacher she appreciated that the introduction of a new grading system could be both demoralizing to students and confusing for all. It’s a great article. To summarize, the key findings of her investigation were that students needed to be trained to read their own work and others work with a ‘markers eye’. That is, they need to understand the criteria by which success is judged and them be able to review their own work from an ‘outsiders perspective’ in order to identify where and how they can improve. They become active readers! They ‘play teacher’, in effect, before they submit their work to the teacher.

As someone who taught predominantly top set students for several years successfully, I would say that this is one of the key ways that a student goes from a B/C grade students to  an A/A* grade student.

Drafting and redrafting, as we know as adults, is key to identifying ways of making something  or can be. As someone who has run a marathon, I know that the only way I prepared myself for it was to practice running over and over again,  gradually increasing the distance and the challenge. For writing and reading for students it is exactly the same method of learning, development and ultimately progress. The level of challenge can be determined by the student, giving them autonomy and responsibility for their progress.

If youre looking for ways to support your child on this journey either get in touch at achievewithenglish@gmail.com or explore for yourself the lesson ideas and resources online, such as: http://readwritethink.org/