Teaching writing can inspire fear in many homeschooling parents. Those who struggle with writing may wonder how they can possibly teach their children. Even for those of us who are good at writing, it can be hard to know where to start to help children express themselves on paper (or a word processing program). It can be even more challenging for students with special needs, such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and dysgraphia, which can make organizing thoughts and turning them into written words a seemingly insurmountable hurdle.
Writing Curricula
Fortunately, there are many quality writing curricula available for homeschoolers. I’ve personally used the programs from the Institute for Excellence in Writing (with some adaptations) when I’ve taught writing to middle school students at our homeschooling co-op. It is a very structured program that appeals to students who appreciate having rules to follow when writing. Other options include Homeschool Connections, which offers the online Aquinas Writing Advantage Program for middle and high school students, and the writing programs offered through The Well-Trained Mind. Almost all open-and-go curricula include a writing component within the language arts curriculum. Those who follow a Charlotte Mason-style curriculum may rely on dictation and written narrations for writing practice.
Supporting Your Child’s Writing Efforts
Regardless of whether you are using a writing curriculum or nurturing your child’s writing on your own, you will want to support and encourage your child’s writing efforts. Julie Bogart of the Brave Writer program recently wrote Help! My Kid Hates Writing: How to Turn Struggling Students into Brave Writers to help parents in this task.
She points out that writing is challenging because it incorporates three separate skills: reading, transcription, and composition. A competent writer needs to be able to spell and use punctuation properly as well as read what they are writing. They need to have the physical skill to handwrite, keyboard, or use speech-to-text software to get their words on paper. And they need to be able to organize their thoughts to have them make sense to someone reading them.
Developing writers may need support in one or more of these areas. It is often better to separate grammar and spelling lessons from writing lessons. As they internalize spelling and grammar rules, those will naturally be reflected in their writing.
When focusing on writing, simply concentrate on getting ideas down on paper. For younger children and those still mastering the mechanics of physical writing or keyboarding, that may mean that the parent acts as a scribe for the child, writing down what the child wants to say. This demonstrates to the child that their words have value, that what they have to say is worth writing down and preserving. We should encourage their efforts and be quick to point out what we like about their writing. Ask questions to elicit additional information that could be added to the work.
One suggestion Bogart makes is to make a copy of the original piece, whether handwritten or on a computer, so the original remains, and then make edits on that copy. Children should be involved as much as possible in correcting their own papers, focusing on the grammar rules that they know. For example, you may wish to have a child look at all ending sentence punctuation or check to make sure every sentence begins with a capital letter.
Offer Topics that Interest the Child
One of the quickest ways to have a reluctant writer is to make them write about topics they don’t have any interest in. As homeschoolers, we have the ability to customize our child’s education. We can have children write about something they are excited about, whether that be a book they have read, instructions on how to do something, a video game they like to play, etc. They can write stories or poems about people or things they care about. Even in high school, where reports may be needed in history or science, students can choose the topic so that there will be less resistance in writing about it. You can also have children use writing in meaningful ways, such as writing a letter or email to a friend or relative. If you are stumped for ideas for writing, there are many age-appropriate prompts available online.
Helping Students with Special Needs
While technology can be a mixed blessing, it is a huge help for students who struggle with writing due to special needs. Tools such as spellcheck and Grammarly can alleviate the stress of trying to spell everything correctly and remembering where every punctuation mark goes. Speech-to-text can be very helpful, although that is also a skill to be learned. In some cases, especially with younger children, it can add to their frustration. In those situations, it may be better to write down what they want to write or to type for them.
Celebrate Success
Writing is an important skill and one that is not easily mastered. As your child grows, their writing will continue to develop. Every sentence written is a step in that development. Celebrate their efforts and continue to encourage them to write.
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