It seems as though your child should be a fluent reader before she starts writing, but that is not so. Writing actually teaches your child a lot about how to sound out and decode words. It’s also a great way to teach her basic sight words. But most of all, it gives your child the joy of creating something out of her imagination. So keep your child’s early writing. You never know, she might be the next Pulitzer winner.
Sight Word Sentences
This is a great way to show your child the importance of sight words. Write your child’s sight words on cards. Or, if you have created the Keys for Reading you can take the cards from the ring. Help your child arrange the cards to make a sentence that pleases him. Then let him write the sentence in his book. This has the benefit of helping your child learn to spell as well as read his sight words.
Dictated Book
Talk to your child about her favorite subject. Ask her to tell you a story about that subject. Don’t worry if she starts by simply retelling a cartoon she has seen or a story she has read. Many children begin this way. As she tells you the story, write it down, or type it directly into the computer. Print it in a large font, at least 24-32 point, and start halfway down the page. Print out the pages and ask your child to illustrate the story in the blank space. Build a “library” of your child’s stories.
Writing Journal
Every good writer should keep a journal. In a writing journal, you don’t worry about spelling, grammar or punctuation. This is simply a place for your child to practice writing down his thoughts. Let him illustrate those feelings as he continues to write. If he asks you to read his work, refuse. Instead, ask him to read his own work to you. If he has a hard time reading his own writing, help him decode the word phonetically. Only correct his spelling if he asks. This is his place to play with words.
As your child learns to play with writing, he will do more than learn how to read. He will learn the transformative power of words and a lifelong love of reading.