Any tips on improving English Writing Skills

[WorriedRuby]

Hi

My 11 year old DS loves reading, but he is not so good in writing. he makes some punctuation /grammer errors. Also he is not so good in constructing sentences.

Has anyone else had same problem/concern with their DC?

Many Thanks

[andyb]

Hi WorriedRuby

Your son sounds exactly like mine. His Y6 teacher said she couldn't understand how a child who was a fluent and advanced reader and could express himself so well verbally could have such difficulty putting pen to paper.

He is now coming to the end of Y7 and while his spelling is still atrocious and his handwriting leaves much to be desired, the content of what he writes is actually very good. At parents evening I specifically asked to see his English teacher as that was my major concern at the time and she had nothing but praise. In his end of year exams he scored over 80% in English!

I think my DS's problems were laziness and lack of maturity. Also as long as he got a Level 4 in his SATs the school was happy so there was no incentive from their point of view to push a reluctant boy who would meet their target. At secondary school he is expected to turn in nothing less than his best work every time and I think this kick up the bum is just what he needed. Also they are allowed to submit computer typed work which means it is less of an effort for him to get his ideas onto paper.

If your son has no underlying learning issues such as dyslexia then I would say he is a typical 11 year old boy and all will come right in the end.

[WorriedRuby]

Thanks andyb,

My ds is absolutely normal, no dyslexia, but yes he is bit Lazy and not matured yet. so I am hoping he will improve once he starts senior school in Sept.

[Milla]

My son is a mad writer with long complex extraordinary sentences, heaving with adjectives and comma-lite. Well, was.
His teacher really worked hard with him (wants them to get level 5s so was committed to his semi colons) and it suddenly went in. The adjectives were slimmed: jewels were suddenly no longer intricate gleaming dangerous and shiny but maybe just intricate (though I quite like the idea of dangerous jewels). It seemed a bit of a sledgehammer to crack a nut and I'm hoping that he'll see saw back a bit to what he was, leave some of the madness in there. Conforming to an adult ideal, and a dull ideal at that, can be a shame stripping children of what makes them them. Looking back it's far more interesting reading what came out of them rather than structured corralled (sp??) stuff.
I'm sure it will just come with your son - it's not like maths where you have to absorb the ideas and techniques, to keep up. A lot of mental processing has to go on which may take a while to show.
11 is still very young remember!

[SSM]

Milla, I wish my son had some of your sons problem, mine would just say 'jewels', in fact I don't think he knows what adjectives are.

[ourmaminhavana]

Milla, I wish my son had some of your sons problem, mine would just say 'jewels', in fact I don't think he knows what adjectives are.

How about some word games of the guess what I'm thinking of variety where you have to use adjectives to describe the noun?
Also give a simple sentence eg 'the shark moved towards the boy' and play at expanding it eg using adjectival phrases so it becomes 'the dangerous/hungry shark slid inexorably towards the terrified/vulnerable/plump boy etc etc. You could even write the adjectives on cards and turn them over randomly as a game.

[yoyo123]

There is a good set of books , published by Rising Star. Called 'Achieve Level .....(3,4,5)

They model answers to comprehension etc and show exactly what is required to reach that level. Aimed at SAts but really useful for teasing out that " little bit extra"

[Milla]

Havana's idea is a good one. We sort of play it, I think, without realising it. It's all based round Catty. Catty is his joy, his love. Being horrid, I run an alternative life for Catty as criminal, in and out of prison, etc - cue wails of distress (mock distress, honest, he's thrilled really by this vicarious wildness). So he'll trump it with unlikely tales (given that Catty is in prison) of derring do.
Trouble is that whatever they are, the system will find some way of crushing it

[hopeful5]

I used to get my dd when she was studying for 11+ to write stories based on bizarre photos in metro.
For example the photos to do with animals from the animals point of view.
I think Milla, your rhetoric implies to me that your son has a lot to live up to!

[sherry_d]

There is a good set of books , published by Rising Star. Called 'Achieve Level .....(3,4,5)

You beat me to it Yoyo She recommended that book and I have level 5 and its done wonders on my daughter. I recommend it too.

Also when you say your son enjoys reading what sort of books does he read? I have a little girl who didnt like reading and no the odd occassions she read books by Katie Price on horses and some of those girly princess books. There really wasnt much language she was learning from it. I encouraged her to read a bit more and widen her scope and she discovered Michael Murpego who she adores and is on a misssion now to read most of his books. She also managed to read a few bits from David Almond and Geraldine McCaughrean and these have really helped her to be more creative in her writting to make it more exciting.

Her English has been such a turnaround and 4 months ago she hated English. Spellings are still everywhere but at this level they lose very little marks for spelling. They are looking for more creativity. As a bribe and treat to try and keep that momentum in English we are palnning to go and see Michael Murpego when he is at Sandown next month. I wish I could dig my old post when I was desperate trying to get her to read...So dont give up find what they like and capitalise on it, if they love the computer maybe some vocabulary games. In addition to formal stuff I am finding its quite easy to do it informally too eg we see a lovely picture and just ask her how she would describe it in an interesting way without boring words like it is a good.