Being the father of identical twin seven year old daughters, I try to be very active in their schooling and learning. Since I am a writer, it is a natural progression for me to want to share this love with my children. Writing is something that can certainly be taught, though it comes easier to some than others. With children, teaching them to write is especially fun. One reason for this is because it is largely about the story, rather than the grammar. They are learning how to write with excellent grammar, but I focus instead on them crafting a story when we learn to write together.
The easiest way to teach your child to write a creative story is to first show them how to tell one. Storytelling is a skill that can be very benficial when it comes time to write. Sit your child down and ask them to play a game with you. Tell them that you are going to begin a make believe story, and that you want them to take turns with you adding to the story. They will then pick up on the game and join right in. In the beginning, the stories may not make much sense depending on the child’s age. That is okay. The key is to get them to start learning.
Once your child is able to tell a story, then sit down with the paper and pencil and tell them you want to put it on paper. Have them recount the story to you in their own words. This works on their memory skills as well as their ability to word the story in an effective way.
To help your child organize their thoughts and write the story properly, craft some questions to ask the child about the story. These questions can build the outline of the story, and help the child begin to see the form of a story. Having a beginning, middle, and end is important to creative writing even if it is poetry. This base will give your child a good start towards writing effectively.
One you have answered the questions and built the format of the story, then you can transfer it onto the paper along with your child. Ask them what sentence should go where. If you see learning opportunities, then take the time to point them out as you come to them. Explain the progression of the story and why it is important to the reader.
If you do this exercise with your child on a regular basis, you will find that your child will grow quickly in their skill level. It is vital that you make this a regular thing, and that you do not stifle the creative process in your child. What may not make sense to you may make lots of sense to them. They will get better at expressing their ideas and stories. Just give them the baseline skills, and the natural talent will start to grow. Children are incredible when it comes to picking things up. You simply have to plant the seed with your time and effort. Writing is no different. If you show them the fun in it, they will pursue it.
Really nice article about writing
Comment by Marinela — June 23, 2009 @ 10:35 am