How do you get your kids to write?

[3lilreds in NC]

I have a 2nd grader and a 1st grader. My 1st grade dd is pretty good about trying to spell words on her own when I ask them to write things. She tells me how she thinks she should spell something and I correct her if necessary. I try to get them to write as much as I can; mostly it's copywork. We've been testing WriteShop Primary, and it doesn't require a lot of writing, but I have them do what they can.

 

My 2nd grade dd is such a perfectionist, she's afraid to write anything unless I tell her exactly how to spell it. She cries when I ask her to write something and refuse to tell her how to spell all the words. I would like to have her sit down and write things without my telling her to do so, beyond "I love you Mommy" (which I treasure, don't get me wrong). Am I expecting too much? Should a 2nd grader be doing dictation, or copywork? A little of both? I was just reading the samples from SWB's new writing book, and it said to tell a child how to spell things if they ask because it's not a spelling exercise. But shouldn't she at least be willing to TRY to write things on her own?

 

When we sit down, she gets upset, and I tell her to sound the words out and see how much she can figure out. Usually, once she gets going on a word, she's pretty good. It's just that we have to go through this process on every. single. word. Is this normal? Do I need to work on my patience instead of her willingness to write things?

 

Also, how much should she be writing each day? I have her doing one sentence per day, right now from Farmer Boy since that's what we're reading.

 

As always, I appreciate any insight. Thank you for reading this far!

[FloridaLisa]

Am I expecting too much? Should a 2nd grader be doing dictation, or copywork? A little of both? I was just reading the samples from SWB's new writing book, and it said to tell a child how to spell things if they ask because it's not a spelling exercise. But shouldn't she at least be willing to TRY to write things on her own?

 

Most of my dc were squarely in the copywork stage at 2nd grade. Very little independent writing. What is your goal in her writing exercises? Are they for spelling or mechanics? For handwriting? For learning how to write?

 

If you're trying to teach her to write, I'd make two suggestions. First, use copywork to model good sentences, paragraphs and word choice. [We also use daily copywork through 4th or 5th grade for handwriting.] Second, let her narrate orally; you can take dictation and she can either re-copy it or you can call it a day. Let her spelling and usage catch up with her so that writing doesn't become a frustration at this point.

 

I think she's fine. I've had dc of mine that wanted to write their own book in 2nd grade and some who I was just trying to get to one write a sentence with a capital and end mark. :) Just keep on working those skills and she'll progress.

 

Also, have you read the book "Any Child Can Write"? Your library should have it. It's a standard for introducing the writing process to children gently. Lots of good ideas for early writing.

 

HTH,

Lisa

[JenBlok]

Maybe you could have her copy the sentence on day 1 and then use the same sentence for dictation on day 2. She will have already seen the words and therefore spelled them correctly the day before. This might also give you insight on her recall skills as well.

 

HTH :)

 

BTW - my ds9 is just now getting over being so stumped by a dictaton word that he would not go on for anything. Now I have him try to spell it or just draw a line for the missing word. We can go back over it at the end.

 

Jennifer Blok

ds9, ds7, dd3

[Anne/Ankara]

Second grade is young, but some copywork and dictation might be very helpful (simple, short sentences). My kids also like writing captions for illustrations, which seems easier than full sentences sometimes. And I certainly would be willing to "help" her spell words, by sounding them out myself outloud and helping her choose the right letter combinations that she needs. If it is a tough word, just go ahead and tell her directly..

[Daisy]

Here are a couple of things we have done that have worked well.

 

1. Buy a stack of prestamped postcards (at post office). Draw lines on them. Usually only about one or two sentences fit on a postcard (since littles have big handwriting). I brainstormed with my first grader some general sentences she could write and I wrote them down for her on regular paper. So she had a list of sentences already prepared that she could choose from. As she wanted, we added to them. Then she'd pick one or two to copy onto a postcard and we'd mail it out to family, friends, even the kid who lived across town. It didn't much matter. Once she started getting an occasional note back, she was hooked!

 

2. Each of my children have a Parent/Child journal. They write notes to me and I write back. They've asked me to write stories from my childhood. We've written round robin stories. We've tag-team wrote a funny song or poem. They might just write, "I love you." But when I write back to them, I'm giving them ideas of what to write and I'm providing them with already spelled out words, KWIM? So if I start a story about the beach and I write words like beach, ocean, sand, etc. that provides them with a sort of word bank for writing a reply to me. The kids LOVE this and they enjoy reading it to Dad. He writes in it sometimes too.

 

Hope this ideas help.

[5wolfcubs]

Is this normal? Do I need to work on my patience instead of her willingness to write things?

 

 

Yes, it is normal for a perfectionist child. Her willingness to creatively write someday may very well directly relate to your patience now. Really. :D

Hang in there!

Have you read SWB's sample chapter "The Three Stages" at PHP yet? I think you'll find it very encouraging!

 

The other ladies gave great ideas!

[MelissaMinNC]

She's a good speller, really, but doesn't have a lot of confidence yet. And doesn't want to write anything unless she knows exactly how to spell it. Ever. So, I do a lot of spelling for her, but I'm also teaching her how to use a dictionary so she can look up words on her own. She's a great reader, so if she sees the word she wants, she recognizes it, she just can't spell it on her own yet (or thinks she can't, anyway).

 

No advice really, other than, keep spelling and get out the dictionary for her. ;)

 

Melissa

[Trivium Academy]

Daisy, your family's writing book is such a beautiful thing! :)

[Narrow Gate Academy]

My oldest tends to be a perfectionist and would break down in tears any time I corrected her writing. For 2nd grade we stuck to copywork for handwriting. I wrote her history narrations (which were then typed and made into a lapbook) mainly because I could get a more detailed narration that way. For the tears, I usually just remind her that mistakes are part of learning, and that I don't expect perfect work just her best effort. (It also helped once she realized that even Mom makes spelling mistakes in typing up her narrations, and she takes great pleasure in finding them.)

[rafiki]

.

[3lilreds in NC]

The dictionary is a great idea - I hadn't thought of that! My dd is a great reader, too. Isn't that funny? She can recognize almost any word, but spelling it brings on such drama!

[3lilreds in NC]

Thanks for all the great ideas! So many wonderful things to try. I'm taking notes and we will start some of these this week!

[LizzyBee]

She can recognize almost any word, but spelling it brings on such drama!

 

She might be a visual learner. The thing about visual learning and spelling is that visual input is stored by the brain randomly. Spelling is a sequential activity that requires some degree of auditory input, because auditory input is stored by the brain sequentially. I have an extremely visual learner who could recall the letters in a word, but could not put them in the correct order to save her life. She'd look at what she wrote and know it was wrong, but couldn't figure out the correct spelling. She's also a perfectionist, so she'd end up having a total meltdown when she tried to write a word and couldn't spell it. We were using Spelling Workout, but forget about giving tests, because it was downright traumatic for her. When she was in the 4th grade, I discovered Calvert Spelling on CD. The combination of visual-spatial-auditory input finally made spelling click for her, and within a few months into 4th grade, she could finally write a paragraph on her own.

 

For your dd, I'd stick primarily with copywork for 2nd grade. And when she asks you to spell a word for her, I'd do it to give her the auditory input.

[PeterPan]

Beth, It sounds like you're concerned she doesn't know how to sound out new words. Yes you want to tell her how to spell them, but that doesn't mean you can't teach her in the process. Lead her through the process and TEACH her how to sound out the words:

 

-How many syllables do you hear? Let's clap them!

-What are the sounds you hear in those syllables? (Go through each syllable and say the sounds.)

-Identify to her the spelling of any sounds that could have multiple options.

 

Now she has analyzed the word and knows how to spell it correctly, but you taught her the process of how to attack the words. That's exactly how I do it with my dd every time. Once they get used to that process, they'll realize there's only a small segment they don't know of the word and they can identify it to you. I don't know if you're doing spelling together yet, but you might like to get the phonogram and spelling rule flashcards for SWR (Spell to Write and Read) as a basis for your discussion of spelling together.