Encouraging Young Writers

With more families distance learning or home schooling, I thought I’d share a few tips on supporting young writers. Nothing can wreck a kid's confidence in their writing like marking all the errors in red pen. When I was working at the Writers Express, we helped kids improve their writing strictly through positive feedback. Here’s how it works:

Focus on the Content

Frame your feedback on what the student is expressing. Don't fix grammar or spelling until all their ideas are on paper.

Praise What Works

Find details about the assignment to praise, prioritizing the content of what they are saying, rather than how they said it.

Ask Questions for Clarity

If there's a part of the assignment that could use improvement, focus on the content and ask for more details. Ex: "This part was really interesting, can you tell me more about it?" Encourage them to incorporate their new explanation into their draft.

When I first started teaching with this method, I was a little skeptical. But over the course of the class, my students writing improved and so did their confidence. It's effective because it lets students know, first and foremost, what they have to say is important