If you're a teacher and you've had a parent conference, you've likely told a parent their child struggled with writing. And when you think about the complexity of writing, you likely have trouble articulating what it is each child needs to make progress. You know how you'll help the child because you know what the child needs, but explaining that to a parent can be challenging. What parents need are ideas to use at home that can encourage students to practice writing in a new and fun way. This article will give you writing ideas for elementary students that you can share with parents.
How parents can help with writing at home
Back to school night and parent conferences are a great time to share ideas parents can use at home to practice writing. Parents do not want more work or want activities that are like pulling teeth. They'll need some fun and practical ways to encourage their children to write at home.
If you're like me, you'll think to pull out the ideas during parent conferences when a parent asks, “How can I help (insert child's name) at home?”
It's at that point that I go blank and give ideas that really aren't the most engaging, which is why I felt the need to gather ideas so I'm prepared when the time comes. And because I want every teacher to be an empowered writing teacher, I have compiled some ideas for parent conferences that will leave you and parents feeling prepared for the next step.
You can download these ideas here.
Writing ideas for elementary students
As promised, here are the ideas you can share with parents to use at home.
Letter Formation
Parents can make this activity exciting by using what a teacher might use in the classroom. Sand trays, sandpaper, whiteboards, and kinesthetic letter cards make letter formation an enjoyable activity.
Grocery Lists
Before parents make their way to the grocery store, their can kids make a grocery list. Lists will look different for different ages. One child might write the words. Another can cut out pictures from a grocery advertisement and glue them onto a sheet of paper. If a child is becoming familiar with initial sounds, the child can write the first sound they hear next to the picture.
This real life example of how writing is used, shows children that writing is a skill we use our entire lives.
Thank You Cards and Invitations
Whether kids make a card or write in a pre-made card, thank you cards are a great way to practice writing. Yes, kids can just write “thank you,” but this is also an opportunity to extend that thought from thank you to thank you for. . . I get that doesn't sound like much, but encouraging kids to elaborate and add details will help them grow as writers.
I'm assuming invitations might be a bit touchy in a world of perfectionism. Guilty. Parents are either sending a text or email about a birthday party or a fancy invitation, but that doesn't have to be a barrier. Kids would love to write an invitation inviting parents, siblings, or friends to a tea party, sleepover, or a playdate.
Sticky Notes
Sticky notes, Post-its are secretly one of kids' most favorite classroom tools, mainly because they like to take them apart and scribble on them. Kids can use them to label the house. Parents can write a sentence, one word on each sticky note, scramble it up and have their child unscramble it.
Journals and Notebooks
There's a never ending pile of journals in my office because I'm a bit addicted to buying them and not using them. It doesn't end there, I love colorful pens, highlighters, pencils, whatever. That being said, I'm sure there are some kids out there that would love some of these materials at home too. The only exception is they need to be encouraged to write in them. But what can they write? I have an idea for parent that can be a keepsake.
This special journal can be used to write notes back and forth to each other. Parents can get it started by writing a note to their child and asking questions that will give their child ideas of how they'll respond. You want want to overdo it, but making it a special Sunday tradition or any day of the week could make it something everyone looks forward to.
Photos
We all have plenty of photos on our phone, so let's put them to good use. Many times kids have trouble coming up with ideas, but when they're given a visual, the wheels start turning and they are much more likely to think of something to write. So print out some photos and have kids write a caption for them. Better yet, glue them to sheets of paper and make a “scrapbook” to add captions and decorations.
If this idea sparks an interest in writing, make separate scrapbooks. One with friends, one with pets, another with sports or anything that interests the child.
Make a Book
To extend the idea of a scrapbook, use photos to make a book. Let's say a child is on her way to soccer practice. Take photos of her getting ready. Get some photos at practice with her kicking the ball, running, stretching, whatever activities she's caught doing. Then make sure to get a photo of practice wrapping up. Take the photos and print one photo on one page each, print the pages and make a book. Now the child can use the book to write a story about soccer practice. This frees up the child's energy from thinking of an idea to using the photos to narrate what she does on a day of soccer practice.
I can't help but think that these books could make a great keepsake as well as a tool for reading. Of course if a child would prefer, he or she can draw pictures and make a book independently from start to finish.
Friday Letters
Friday letters are school to home letters written by students to reflect on their weeks and to share with families. These weekly letters are written on Fridays and sent home. Then someone at home can reply to the letter by writing his or her own letter on the back. These responses come back to school and are made into the perfect keepsake as the letters are collected and put into a book that is sent home at the end of the school year.
Read more about Friday Letters.
Make a Menu
Whether it's for an upcoming meal or just make believe, kids love to make menus. Have them draw a picture of what's to eat, write the food being offered, and there you have a menu. But don't stop there! Kids love to play “restaurant.” After making a menu, children can invite people to order as they write it down and practice those writing skills.
Writing doesn't need to be writing a story. Writing is the just that, writing. It comes in many forms and genres. These ideas probably don't come easy to parents so share them and encourage writing at home with these simple ways parents can help with writing at home.
