Is context often missing in your child's writing? This is common and here is how you can help your child fix that mistake.
Children don't know that the reader cannot understand their writing without sufficient context. If they know what the reader's perspective looks like and given the important role of helping the reader to understand, change happens.
Writing a story
Perhaps the most given writing assignments are story writing also known as 'creative writing'. Children enjoy stories in general. They are happy to weave stories inspired by the books they read or movies they watch. Often, they don't realize that the reader needs context, needs a certain amount of description to see what they have visualized.
Logic is another element that often takes a backseat when imagination flies. This happens especially when their imagination runs a lot faster than their ability to write fast. It also happens when they want to imitate writing styles of their favorite writers who manage to effortlessly move between character stories, sometimes even different time periods. That requires plenty of skill and practice, without which the reader is going to be left totally confused.
Setting realistic targets
Let's start simple. A simple plot, max of two characters. Get that right in terms of context and logic. Then gradually move to three characters. Only after that stage, must children be encouraged to attempt complex plots. It must be explained that writing is a multi stage process and progress happens over time and not overnight.
This is a great situation that helps us to enable children to know that working hard, step by step is what leads to success and nothing happens overnight. Patience is the key. They get it when you explain it in a way that you can understand. An excellent example to use is sports. No sportsperson who competes in the Olympics went there after training overnight. Typically it is after years of hard work, training, perseverance and determination that they reach that level of competition.
Writing a non-fiction piece
Many children love writing research based pieces especially if the subject fascinates them. The tendency often is to go overboard and include a lot more information than what is required and in the process leaving out the key intended message. For instance if a paragraph or two needs to be written about a possibility of harnessing energy from volcanoes, research may lead to fascinating information about seismographs and how they help with measuring seismic activity leading to volcanoes. That could completely derail a young writer and make them go on a tangent.
Sensitizing them about this tendency, having discussions to figure a convenient way to handle this tendency using mind maps, flow charts or outlines to stay in tune with the main topic helps.
Children enjoy having discussions about writing especially if they are encouraged to express their views. Make them a critic and they love it even more.
Writing needn't be a chore. Make children feel important when they need to write something to communicate rather than to be judged or graded. It makes a whole lot of difference.
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