Literacy – More Than Words On Paper

Literacy enables people to achieve their full potential. Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening are the key components of Literacy.

Writing is an essential skill.

It is more than just putting words on paper. Writing is a process of communication that plays an important role in your child’s life – both in and out of the classroom.

In all Learning Areas our students are required to write – a skill that continually develops when there are connections to the ‘real’ world, modelling and opportunity.

Parents can make a big difference in helping their child to develop writing skills, by encouraging writing activities that are simple and fun. Here are some ideas:

• Provide a place for your child to write – a quiet well-lit area where all members of the family can go to ‘just write’, stocked with paper, pencils, crayons, electronic devices – encourage the use of all forms communication.
• Encourage your child to continue to read. As students read, they are building their vocabulary – including general vocabulary, word study and content-specific vocabulary. Through reading, students see a variety of authors’ techniques that they can then use in their own writing.
• Encourage your child and all members of the family to keep a reflective journal – this is excellent writing practice. Encourage your child to write about all aspects of their daily life – using a reflective journal develops the ‘senses’ of writing. Children can write about what they saw, heard or felt. Sharing can be part of this process, but only if the writer wishes to.
• Provide authentic writing opportunities for your child. Encourage your child to write their own thank-you notes, party invitations and letters to family. Let your child make the grocery list. Finding a pen pal for your child would make writing ‘real’. Helping children make the connection between writing and the ‘real’ world will increase both their interest in and their writing skill.

Mrs Karen McDougall, Literacy Coordinator