Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy 'writing help'

I have twin DDs just finished year1. They write approximately 500 word compositions. They write stories, factual reports, retells, recipes, persuasive arguments, diary inserts and letters. In my experience, assistance in writing needs practise practise practise and each time spend equal amount of time on review and correction. The problem at school is often the lack of specific feedback to enable improvements (understandable given the teacher has a whole class), at home I often rewrite with improvements for them, provide alternative wording, show the addition of description, revise punctuation, show alternate endings etcetc. Typing and the use of basic editing on the computer can also help them a lot. Challenge them by setting tasks like "write a story about a monkey without using a letter m anywhere in your story-->this way they are forced to choose alternative text and description instead of old habits like "once upon a time there was a monkey". Make everyday actitivites a writing task--> if you can write me a persuasive argument on why I should give you icecream instead of fruit for dinner then you can have it. At the same time write a response yourself on the opposing view so they can see structure, tactic, approach etc. for an advanced year 2 girl I'd think you'd be wasting your time on a tutor when all that is needed is practise and correction.

Good luck