Inspiring Young Writers

Tomas Laurinavicius, in a Huffpost.com article states: “The importance of writing has perhaps increased in the last decade or so, thanks to trends in technology. Most folks communicate via email, text, or social media, and hence many millions of pieces of information are flowing between us through the written word every day.”

And yet, while knowing how to write well is becoming increasingly important, children’s writing skills have been declining. A 2017 article in the New York Times reports: “Three-quarters of both 12th and 8th graders lack proficiency in writing, according to...a National Assessment of Educational Progress. And 40 percent of those who took the ACT writing exam in the high school class of 2016 lacked the reading and writing skills necessary to complete successfully a college-level English composition class, according to the company’s data.”

Rebecca Giles, in her popular new book, A Young Writer’s World, encourages early educators to not just teach children how to write, but to motivate them to want to write. She advocates helping them see themselves as writers, beginning at a very young age. She explains how supporting children’s interest in forming letters, without moving too quickly toward formal handwriting instruction, can keep motivation high:

“Formal writing instruction such as repetitive tracing or forming letters is not needed since handwriting is best practiced within the context of real writing experiences.”

Sources: “Reasons Why Writing Remains a Critical Skill for Success,” by Tomas Laurinavicius, Huffpost.com, 10/31/2016; “Why Kids Can’t Write,” By Dana Goldstein, New York Times

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