Julian Harris students will focus on different types of writing throughout the school year. The first three types listed below are those our 5th grade students will be tested on later this year. Persuasive writing is tested in the 7th grade Alabama Writing Assessment Test.

• DESCRIPTIVE WRITING - A good description paints a vivid word picture for the reader.
• EXPOSITORY WRITING - Writing that explains. Explanation may involve giving directions and instructions, explaining a process or a device, explaining what something is, or explaining an idea.
• NARRATIVE WRITING - A good narration tells a story. It can be real or fantasy and can take place in the past, present, or future.
• PERSUASIVE WRITING - You are attempting to convince someone to agree with your ideas and opinions.

In helping your child to learn to write well, remember that your goal is to make writing easier and more enjoyable.

• Provide a place. It's important for a child to have a good place to write--a desk or table with a smooth, flat surface and good lighting.
• Have the materials ready. Provide plenty of paper--lined and unlined--and things to write with, including pencils, pens, and crayons.
• Allow time to write. Help your child spend time thinking about a writing project or exercise. Good writers do a great deal of thinking. Your child may dawdle, sharpen pencil, get papers ready, or look up the spelling of a word. Be patient--your child may be thinking.
• Respond. Do respond to the ideas your child expresses verbally or in writing. Make it clear that you are interested in the true function of writing which is to convey ideas. This means focusing on "what" the child has written, not "how" it was written. It's usually wise to ignore minor errors, particularly at the stage when your child is just getting ideas together.
• Praise. Take a positive approach and say something good about your child's writing. Is it accurate? Descriptive? Thoughtful? Interesting? Does it say something?
• Make it real. Your child needs to do real writing. It's more important for the child to write a letter to a relative than it is to write a one-line note on a greeting card. Encourage the child to write to relatives and friends. Perhaps your child would enjoy corresponding with a pen pal.
• Suggest note-taking. Encourage your child to take notes on trips or outings and to describe what (s)he saw. This could include a description of nature walks, a boat ride, a car trip, or other events that lend themselves to note-taking.
• Brainstorm. Talk with your child as much as possible about his/her impressions and encourage the child to describe people and events to you. If the child's description is especially accurate and colorful, say so.
• Encourage keeping a journal. This is excellent writing practice as well as a good outlet for venting feelings. Encourage your child to write about things that happen at home and school, about people (s)he likes or dislikes and why, things to remember or things the child wants to do. Especially encourage your child to write about personal feelings--pleasures as well as disappointments. If the child wants to share the journal with you, read the entries and discuss them--especially the child's ideas and perceptions.
• Write together. Have your child help you with letters, even such routine ones as ordering items from an advertisement or writing to a business firm. This helps the child to see firsthand that writing is important to adults and truly useful.
• Use word games. There are numerous games and puzzles that help a child to increase vocabulary and make the child more fluent in speaking and writing. Remember, building a vocabulary builds confidence. Try crossword puzzles, word games, anagrams and cryptograms de- signed especially for children. Flash cards are good, too, and they're easy to make at home.
• Suggest making lists. Most children like to make lists just as they like to count. Encourage this. Making lists is good practice and helps a child to become more organized. Boys and girls might make lists of their records, tapes, baseball cards, dolls, furniture in a room, etc. They could include items they want. It's also good practice to make lists of things to do, schoolwork, dates for tests, social events, and other reminders.

Information and tips found at:

 Preparing for the Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing

U.S. Department of Education - Office of Educational Research and Improvement