Junior Infants to 1st Class
- Model writing yourself – shopping lists/letters/cards etc
- Provide a special place for your child to write/scribble, provide a variety of materials – crayons/markers/pencils
- Display your child’s name as often as possible i.e. Séan’s Room
- Teach your child the letters of his/her own name
- Provide alphabet books friezes
- Write messages/reminders to your child
- Encourage child to write his/her own messages using the computer
- Praise your child’s efforts
- Ask child to read their own messages
- Respond to the messages and not to grammar and spelling
2nd Class to 4th Class
- Praise your child’s efforts – respond to the message and not spelling/handwriting grammar
- Look for opportunities for purposeful writing activities at home – writing greeting cards/notes/telephone messages
- Encourage your child to use a word processor/computer
- Provide a quiet writing/study area for your child well equipped with pencils/paper
- Encourage your child to keep a diary
- Support your child’s spelling attempts
- Encourage him/her to have a go at spelling difficult words
- Use scrapbooks to support the child’s hobby/special interests. Presents that support writing
- Make sure your child has a dictionary to help with writing
- Help child fill in personal details on forms etc
5th Class to 6th Class
- Encourage your child to keep a diary. Respect privacy
- Encourage your child to write for real purposes everyday – shopping lists/phone messages etc
- Praise the effort and respond to the message and not the handwriting/grammar
- Make sure that your child has access to a dictionary/thesaurus to help with writing
- Allow your child to work on a word processor
- Try crossword puzzles and “Find the Word” puzzles
- Provide a range of attractive writing materials – coloured pens/fancy paper
- Encourage your child to write greeting cards/thank you notes etc
- Encourage your child to take part in writing competitions/community projects
- Show your child that you value writing by writing yourself
