Let’s Talk
A monthly column for parents and educators.
Encouraging the Write Stuff
Summary: Writing is a threshold skill for hiring and promotion. How can you help your child become a proficient writer? Providing the supplies, and modeling the behavior is just the start.
When it comes to the three R’s, writing often ranks behind reading and arithmetic in the amount of time and energy devoted to the subject. Yet, becoming a strong writer is of critical importance in preparing for both college and the workplace. In fact, in a survey of 120 major American corporations, writing was identified as a “threshold skill” for hiring and promotion among salaried employees. A survey of Boeing Aircraft Corporation’s engineers and supervisors found that they identified “writing proficiency” as the single most important skill for their job performance.
What can a parent do to help her child become a more proficient writer? You can start by supplying plenty of writing materials: pens and papers of all kinds that invite the student writer to explore writing in original, colorful ways. It’s also important to provide a print-rich environment with a variety of books, newspapers, and magazines. If you have a reluctant reader/writer, sometimes a personal magazine subscription on a topic of the student’s choice makes reading and writing seem less like drudgery.
Peter Bellamy, a trainer of writing teachers at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, says there are a number of joint activities parents can use to spark interest in writing:
- Extend your vocabulary. “If you add even a word a week to your own vocabulary, and use it in conversation, your child can learn just by talking to you,” says Bellamy.
- Write notes to your child. Even a few words tucked in a lunch box or coat pocket can get across the message that writing is a wonderful way to connect with other people.
- Write together. Let your child choose a topic and then “quickwrite” together for five or 10 minutes. Share the results and see what different directions your writing took. Especially, share the thinking you did as you wrote.
- Prepare invitations. If you have a birthday or other occasion coming up, ask your child to design the invitations.
- Share writing that you do in your job. Almost every job involves writing of some kind. Show your child some of your work-related writing and ask for his opinion on everything from word choice to how clearly the ideas are organized.
- Encourage letter writing. Whether it’s typed on a computer or penned on fancy stationery, a letter is a wonderful vehicle for developing a sense of voice, audience, and purpose. Consider writing to a favorite author, a teacher from the past, or your local newspaper.
Bellamy says you don’t have to be a novelist to be a good role model for your child. “A simple grocery list holds huge potential. For example, ask your child how to spell macaroni, or see if you can group all the things you need to buy in categories to save time in the store. Let your child see that you enjoy writing and that it is an important skill for everyday living!”
This column, by Rhonda Barton, is provided as a public service by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, a nonprofit institution working with schools and communities throughout the region.
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