It is helpful for children to develop their writing skills when they are learning at their early stage of their education. It is well known how hard it is for youngsters and even for adults to write acceptably.
Eventually, if they decide to expand their education to higher levels (university), they will need to structure reports and essays. And these tasks can be challenges if they haven't fully tried to develop this skill.
So, that's why I think it's advisable to teach students at a very early age. That way when they are tasked with a writing assignment, they wouldn't suffer the usual headaches.
Writing like other arts is not easy to master at a great dexterity. Very few excel at it. But it is not so difficult to reach an acceptable level.
Start with books
Ask your students what they like, and then introduce books to them that include similar topics. By doing this, you're encouraging them to read. You can analyze with them how authors structure their writings. That is narrative, story telling and the different genres.
This will also develop in them a passion for reading, which is extremely useful for acquiring good writing skills. No wonder there are many excellent writers who are literature professors or love reading to the extend that they devour books each week.
In the same way, they will learn vocabulary which they will use in their own written works. This is a complete and very convenient strategy to teach more than just writing. And IF it is well done, your students' progress will be highly significant.
Make them write ideas and opinions
When I was a student, I like written tests when they had questions that pushed me to think. So, instead of giving mechanical answers, I manage myself better if I had to write what I thought about certain topics.
Thus, I think this is also a good way to train our writing. I know that speaking out our ideas can develop our communicative skills, but we can make students put them into paper because it also improves their writing.
Then you can evaluate their written pieces but not with grades rather with informative consultation (One on one if it's possible). It is important that your students don't see this strategy as a mere task to get a good score. You have to tell them that writing is something they won't see only in school. You have to make them understand that they will need it later on so that it is imperative that they take it seriously.
Teach structure
This is for more advanced students. You can use it with youngsters. Sometimes students don't know how to structure their ideas on paper. They still have problems with the parts of speech like subjects, verbs, and so on.
So, it's a great help if students learn the position of words and how they affect each other. This also help them create long and complex sentences; connect them with phrases and certain idioms.
As a language teacher, I'm quite positive that developing our writing skills improve our performance in higher education. I've observed many university students with poor writing. And it is a pity that they don't do anything to improve it.
I'm aware that it is hard for some people, specially if they don't like writing. But ultimately, if we plan to excel in college or the university we need to reach a good level in it.
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