How to Help a Young Child Begin to Write

Children love to draw on everything - including your bright, white walls. So harness their talents and teach them the ABCs of writing. These guidelines follow the recommendations of the America Reads Challenge.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pencils
• Construction Paper
• Markers
• Pencils
• Pens
• Sidewalk Chalks
• Staplers
• Pencils
• Pens
• Markers

1. Find creative ways to teach writing. Let your child write letters with chalk on the sidewalk or paint letters onto walls with water.

2. Invite your child to write a story on paper, even if he just scribbles or uses fanciful spelling. Have him "read" the story back to you.

3. Ask your child to draw a picture, make up a story about it and narrate the story. Record the story exactly as the child recites it, then read it back to him, showing the connection between written and spoken words.

4. Help your child make a book by folding paper in half and stapling the pages together at the fold. Have the child fill the book with his own writing and illustrations.

5. Encourage your child to recognize letters by making alphabet cards. Cut pictures out of magazines and place them on cards with the appropriate letters.

6. Let your child see how you use writing. Show the child a list you've written and ask him to write his own, even if he uses scribbles or fanciful spelling. "Read" the child's list out loud.

on 11/22/2005 There are several good books on the market, but I recommend "How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons." It took me less than 4 months to teach my children to read and write on a first grade level and they were only four years old.

on 11/22/2005 Use a highlighter and write a short word 3 times in a row on primary ruled paper. Show the child how to sit and hold a pencil correctly. Then, hold the child's hand and say as you trace the letters of the 1st word with him/her: "The capital C starts on the headline and goes all the way down to the footline. The "a" starts on the belt line and goes down to the footline. The "t" starts above the belt line and goes all the way to the footline, and you put a line through it right here. Now you do it." You may also reinforce reading skills by adding,"What word is this? Sound it out...c..a..t.. cat, that's right cat. Good job!" Once you progress from words to sentences, a good sentence to use to practice all the letters is, "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog."