Writing is a skill that must be honed and developed in order for children to succeed in school and beyond. As homeschoolers, we must take the initiative to create and adhere to our own writing curriculum to ensure our children are well equipped with the tools and techniques they need to be successful.
In this article, we will explore the best ways to create a comprehensive writing plan for your homeschooled children.
What Are the Benefits of Creating Your Own Writing Curriculum?
Creating your own writing curriculum comes with numerous benefits that can benefit you and your child in the long run. Firstly, if you create your own writing curriculum, your child will learn skills that may otherwise not be taught in a traditional school setting. This will help your child become an independent thinker and problem solver.
Additionally, with a homeschool writing plan, you can tailor curriculum to your child’s individual strengths and weaknesses, making it easier to guide them in the right direction. Finally, by having the freedom to craft your own writing curriculum you are more likely to create a program that is tailored to meet your standards and will help your child become successful and confident in their writing abilities.
What Should Be Included in a Writing Curriculum?
Writing curriculum is composed of small bits and pieces that focus on teaching children the fundamentals of effective written communication. Different pieces that should be included when creating a writing curriculum are grammar and punctuation instruction, sentence structure, proofing and editing, literature analysis, creative writing, how to write an essay, how to properly research and cite sources, and the application of technology to writing. It is important to include additional pieces to the curriculum such as organizational skills, note-taking skills, word choice, and outlining.
These added skills can prove to be beneficial to children as they produce well written pieces and properly organize their thoughts.
How Can You Structured Your Curriculum?
Structuring curriculum is the key to a successful writing program. The way you structure your curriculum is important; having a predictable order to lessons will help your child with the development of their writing skills. Begin your curriculum with topics that explore the foundations of written communication such as grammar and punctuation.
This will allow your child to understand the how and why behind certain rules. After moving through the basics, incorporate creative forms of writing such as stories, vignettes, and poems.
Make sure to turn your attention to literature analysis as it helps with comprehension and critical thinking. Finally, address larger projects such as research papers and essays in which your child can apply the skills they learned throughout the course of the curriculum.
What Materials Should Be Included in a Writing Curriculum?
When creating a comprehensive writing curriculum for homeschooling, it is important to include a variety of materials. This includes writing-based materials such as printable worksheets that ask comprehension questions, writing practice sheets, and literature guides that help your child understand language and themes. Other materials that should be included are resources such as books with writing prompts, interactive writing activities, videos that explain concepts, and podcasts that can help your child get in the flow and continue to stay engaged in the material.
How to Motivate Your Child?
When creating a homeschool writing curriculum, it is important to consider the motivating factors that will keep your child invested and engaged in the material. Some of the best ways to motivate your children include allowing your student to pick topics for their writing, giving them choice in the books they read, asking for their opinion in the writing process, breaking down difficult concepts into simpler parts, praising them for a job well done, and sharing your own writing with them. It is important to stay connected and have conversations with your child on an individual basis as some children thrive better with direct instruction and interactive lessons.
What Strategies Can You Use For Assessing and Evaluating Your Child’s Writing Progress?
Assessing and evaluating your child’s writing progress is essential for the development of their written communication skills. To evaluate your child’s progress, there are a few strategies you can use such as providing timely feedback, setting goals, assigning a variety of tasks and projects, placing the tasks in order of difficulty, encouraging revisions and redrafts, and giving verbal feedback.
Additionally, you can also use pre- and post-assessment tests to establish a baseline for your child and track progress along the way. It is important to provide positive and constructive feedback through verbal and written testimony as this will help provide your child with the necessary tools for success.
What Are the Best Practices When It Comes to Writing?
The best practices when it comes to writing depend on the writing style and context. However, there are some all-encompassing best writing practices that can help ensure success in any type of written communication.
These include having proper planning and preparation, making sure your writing is clear and organized, using proper grammar, having a solid set of supporting facts and evidence, using a friendly and engaging tone, effectively researching different topics, double-checking all spelling and punctuation, and understanding your audience. Additionally, if you are having trouble writing, take a break and come back to it another day or take advantage of writing resources such as online dictionaries, grammar manuals, and online thesauruses.
Conclusion
Creating a comprehensive writing curriculum for homeschooling is a great way to ensure your children’s success in written communication and to provide them with the tools and skills they need for life. With the appropriate materials and resources, structured curriculum, and motivating factors, you can help your children not only exceed standards in written communication, but also become well-rounded and confident individuals.