How to Support Children with Their Writing

Some children race to the end with a sigh, one character and no plan, just to get it over with. Others want to write but tire quickly, hold the pencil awkwardly and mix up their b's and d's. The first child is reluctant and the second is struggling, and they need slightly different help.

You'll learn to tell which is which, with ideas for both. A picture from a free site like Pobble 365 can replace the blank page, and a sensory box of shells and sand can start an under-the-sea story. Five-minute bursts of letter formation beat pages of the letter A, and a comic strip lets a slow writer put everything into one good sentence per picture.

You'll also know the signs that might point to dysgraphia, and when it's worth raising a concern with a colleague or the child's teacher.