WERD Coach Youth – Page 7 – WERD Coach Limited

Introducing Characters

“How do you introduce characters?”

This question made me stop and think. I never really thought about the nuances of introducing characters. I just did it, and I teach students to do it through description and other methods. It seemed like a natural flow in writing.

But it’s not so simple for everyone, especially young writers.

So what’s the answer? Well, there are a few answers, actually. When it comes to presenting characters, whether in the introduction or further into the story, there are several strategies writers can implement.

Here are three techniques young writers can try.

(Taken from my response to a parent in a Facebook group.)

Introduce the character by saying something interesting or memorable about them.
– Elyse was the class bully and everyone was afraid of her.

Use an action to introduce the character, so when the audience meets the character for the first time, they’re doing something.
– Elyse, the class bully, snatched the book from my hands.

Explain the character’s reaction (especially emotionally) to something that happens.
– I looked across the room and saw Elyse, the class bully, turning boiling with anger.

Notice the type of information in each sentence and how the sentences are structured.
– Name
– Who they are
– Quality OR Action OR emotional state

Of course, these aren’t the only ways to introduce characters, nor do these sentences have to be written exactly like this. However, for a young writer who’s not sure about what to do, this is a great place to start.

#WERDCoachYouth #NarrativeWriting #BetterWriters

Feedback

#CreativeWritingforPrimary #BetterFeedback #BetterWriters

One of the complaints I hear from parents all the time is that teachers don’t give effective feedback on essays. At first, I couldn’t understand what the issue was. Then I realized that giving feedback is something that isn’t often taught, especially when it comes to writing instruction.

Our teacher-education system does not include courses to help primary school teachers effectively teach writing. And when feedback is spoken of, it’s often done in general terms that leave teachers unsure about what to do and how to do it. As a result, many teachers mistake approval and judgement for feedback. An evaluative response alone isn’t feedback, certainly not the kind that would help a student improve their writing. Assigning a mark or grade alone isn’t effective feedback either.

Effective feedback is specific, encourages students to reflect on their writing, and guides them toward what to do to improve. There are several feedback strategies you can implement as a writing instructor to help your young writer develop the required skills for writing well.

Writing Instruction

#CreativeWritingforPrimary #BetterWritingInstruction #BetterWriters

Writing is a skill, and like most skills, it involves lots of practice and patience. Unfortunately, writing is not one of those subjects known for excitement and activities. There are many reasons for that, but the most prevalent is that most instructors don’t know how to incorporate hands-on, interactive experiences into writing instruction. And that’s the result of viewing writing as a separate subject removed from the content it’s meant to share.

Writing is a form of communication, a skill used to share ideas. Do we often stop to think about where these ideas come from? That’s an aspect of writing that often goes neglected, and teachers try to impart the skill of writing in fabricated contexts when the world is at their fingertips! Writing instruction can and should be dynamic, incorporating an exploration of the senses, ideas, critical thinking, and creativity. This is the best way to get young writers interested in writing for the longterm. Not sure how to go about doing that? I’m here to help.

Supporting at Home

#CreativeWritingforPrimary #WritingSupport #BetterWriters

For many students, today is the last day of school for this term. While many of them are looking for a break, there are a few things parents can do to keep them practicing writing skills without it feeling like homework.

Here are my top five suggestions.

These can also be implemented during the term for maximum benefit.

1. Have conversations with your child.

One of the challenges young writers have, is that they’re not sure how to express themselves effectively. Conversations about a variety of topics is a great way to start working on that. Ask lots of questions and give your child time to respond. Ask them what they think and listen to their ideas. Then help them with vocabulary and expressions from time to time in order to expand what they know.

2. Watch Movies and Shows.

Stories are stories, whether they’re in books or on the screen. So, watching movies with your child is a great way for them to observe storytelling and learn a few things. At the very least, they will have ideas they can draw from to supplement their writing.

3. Explore Your Senses.

Descriptive language is at its most beautiful when it includes imagery. Similes and metaphors are cool, but imagery is king when it comes to vivid descriptions. However, many people aren’t as observant as they could be when it comes to describing how they experience the world around them. So, encourage your child to describe their experiences, in detail. What do they See? Smell? Taste? Touch, Hear? How do they feel? How do things move? Provide them with vocabulary and expressions to help them along the way.

4. Read. Read. Read.

It would be terrible if I didn’t mention reading. If your child loves to read, discuss what they’ve read. If your child doesn’t like to read, try introducing them to comic books, manga, and even picture books. These are available for every age and are great transitions into the written word. The key is to engage your child with what they’re reading. Don’t just leave them on their own. Ask their opinions about the stories, characters, setting, everything in the book. Have them tell you bits of the story and compare it with their own experiences. What would they do if in the character’s place?

5. Journal often.

This is often overlooked, but great writers didn’t start out that way. All of them wrote and wrote and wrote. Whether they wrote several sentences and paragraphs or just words and phrases here and there, writers write all the time. Encourage your child to keep a journal. A guided journal is best so that they don’t have to wonder what to write every day. This type of writing should be free. As long as they write a few words, that’s fine. Just encourage them along the way. Sit with them and journal too, that’s the best way.These points were abbreviated, so if you want any more details about either of these five tips, drop me a message and I’ll be happy to explain further.

Deciding on Lessons

Does your child need lessons? That’s a deeply personal question that every parent has to face at some point. And when it comes to creative writing lessons, there are other questions that come up soon after:

1. When do I start with lessons?

2. What should my child be learning at each level?

3. How can I support at home when I’m not a writer or a teacher?

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS 1 AND 2

Some people believe the earlier lessons start, the better. If your child is meeting and exceeding standards, then there really is no reason for extra lessons. However, if your child is functioning below the expected level, failing classes, or has a challenge, lessons may be necessary. Creative writing is built on good expression, excellent vocabulary, and writing skills (grammar, punctuation, paragraphing). Prior to standard 3, students would have been focusing mainly on writing skills and vocabulary. Standard 3 is an excellent time to start building expression and use of the vocabulary students have been learning. So, a class that encourages the exploration of ideas and developing ways of expressing thoughts would be ideal. Creative Writing lessons before standard 3 are not necessary. Focus before then should be placed on the writing skills, so if your child is having severe challenges with those areas, then language arts lessons would be helpful. Otherwise, practice at home works best. In my next post, I’ll outline a few things parents can do at home to support creative writing learning.