Is your child struggling with writing and spelling? One way to improve your child’s writing skills is to start a shared journal project. It takes only minutes a day and provides you and your second, third or fourth grader with an opportunity to connect in a fun, creative way.
What You Will Need for a Children’s Journal
Use the same type of scribbler or coiled notebook that your child works on in school. This is especially important for younger children who are just learning to write.
The objective is to have them practice their writing skills, like they would in school. In order to make this journal special, allow your child to decorate the cover with stickers or drawings.
How a Shared Journal Works
Set aside 15 minutes each day, when you have time to spend with your child after they come home from school. This can be while they are having an after school snack or while you are making dinner.
Do not associate this activity with homework. Introduce the journal as a fun project that you will both participate in. Make a game of it, but let it be understood that neat printing is expected.
Write a question in the journal that you want your child to answer in writing, underneath the question. Once your child has answered the question, an option is for you to respond below it with a positive comment or further question.
Reward a good effort with a sticker or a stamp of their choice. Praise the creativity and honesty of the answers.
What Types of Questions Should You Ask
Ask questions that are relevant to your child’s day. You can have them recall an event that happened at school, or something they learned. This is beneficial to help them with memory skills as well.
When beginning this project, make sure you ask simple questions that require a one or two sentence answer. As your child’s writing skills improve, the questions can become more complex that may require a short paragraph answer.
It is important that the questions inspire positive answers. This project should be fun. One great standard question is what was your favorite part of the day? If it wasn’t a good day then ask, what would have made this day more fun?
Things To Consider
Make sure you’re printing neatly as a model for your child to follow. Do not focus on spelling and grammar when you first start the project. This comes later.
When your child is engaged and is enjoying this project, then you can go over the spelling and grammar with them. Focus on only one or two corrections per journal entry. Make at least two positive comments for every correction you point out, and be sure that the positive comments come first.
Keep the journal writing sessions short, and always end with a hug.