how to get children to write and Read!

Children of all ages love to create. How many times have you seen a child draw or doodle on a napkin or on a piece of paper waiting for food at a restaurant or just to pass the time? Children are natural writers. They scribble, doodle, and even add dialogue at times. When children write, the process of reading is reinforced. Children have to use so many literacy skills to write. They use what they know about phonics, writing conventions, brainstorming, editing, and reading. Children have to think and to remember the message they want to compose and reread it several times to convey what they are trying to say. They are naturally discerning about subject matter and word choice. Getting a child to write can be daunting and frustrating for the adult and the child.
     A fun, authentic, and engaging way to get children to write is through book making. This can be done in the classroom and at home. I was reminded of this process over winter break after reading a book called A Teacher's Guide to Getting Started With Beginning Writers by Katie Wood Ray and Lisa Cleaveland. The book discusses the first 5 days of school and how to jump right into book making with children. By simply stapling some paper together and letting children create, children are writing and reading from day one. What an ingenious way to assess students, have an authentic task on the first day of school that any child can accomplish, while creating a sense of classroom community. Most children like to talk and share about what they are creating. Can you imagine the book collection children will have at the end of one school year. How many hours of literacy practice they would have, just by an hour a day of making and sharing books. Just as many practices that are taught in school are transferred to the home, when students are truly engaged, many students will be asking for paper and a stapler at home.
​Get ready to create!  

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Alicia 

Ways to get a child's book published. 
www.theindependentpublishingmagazine.com/2015/03/how-to-get-your-kids-writings-published.html