Teach Your Child Early Writing Skills

Good reading skills help children become good writers. The reverse is also true. When children learn to write well they internalize the conventions of the English language. Their understanding of English can then be applied to their reading experiences.

So how does writing begin? It begins with the alphabet. Teach your child the traditional alphabet song or just have her recite the alphabet. Always treat this as a game. Reciting the alphabet should be as fun as singing a song or reciting a favorite nursery rhyme.

I recommend that you stick lower case alphabet letters in a row along one of the walls of your home. Get some Fun Tack so that you won’t damage the paint. When your child recites the alphabet, point to each of the letters so that she can make the connection between the sound and its symbol (the letter).

Be careful of one thing: Some children get confused by one part of the alphabet song. Make sure your child understands that l-m-n-o each are individual letters. Some youngsters mistakenly think “elameno” is a single letter or word. It’s a problem created by the rhythm of the song. Be especially slow and careful when pointing to those letters.

Once your child is familiar with the letters of the alphabet she can then begin to “write” simple stories describing the activities of her day. Initially, this writing will involve drawing pictures and labeling them with the first letters of simple words: “h” for house, “d” for dog, etc.

After a few weeks or a few months start placing some simple words under their initial letters, the ones you tacked to the wall. Your child can use this “word wall” to write the complete names of things mentioned in her stories.

After six months or a year you may want to add these words to your word wall: “a” “the” “he” “she” “him” “her” “we” “our” and “it”. It’s also time to pair-up the lower case letters on the wall with upper case letters. Your child can now draw stories on the top of a piece of lined paper and then turn the story into simple sentences that begin with capital letters.

After a time, practice writing stories with your child across several pages. Show her that her favorite authors do the same thing. This will help her make the connection between reading and writing.

The process described above may seem simple, but if your child has success with it you can rest assured that she’s mastered a monumental set of skills. She’ll be well on her way to being a good reader and writer.