One of the best (and easiest) ways to help inspire your child to excel at writing is through the use of mentor texts. Mentor texts (sometimes called expert texts or anchor books) are published books that are used as an example of great writing.
If you’re hoping to encourage your child to be a better writer, a good way to start is to pick out some great pieces of writing. In this case, it makes sense to pick books that are at or just slightly above his level. When reading the book aloud to your child, take time to pick out some particularly great writing strategies. It helps to be specific. Create a list of all the great writing tools you both notice. For example, if you notice that the author has used a particularly great word, point it out to your child. Add to your list some of the “yummy” words you notice in the book. If your child mentions that the book is getting suspenseful, ask him to identify the exact strategies the writer is using to build that suspense. If you recognize a simile or metaphor, point it out to your child and help him be on the lookout for more. Studying these mentor texts in a relaxed setting will help build your child’s specific understanding of a variety of writing tools. Then as your child completes writing assignments, you can encourage him to remember these writing techniques. Encourage him to also think of these techniques when editing and revising his own text as well.
Working with mentor texts is not only for older students. Young writers can also get a lot out of reading and studying mentor texts. You can use mentor texts to help your child understand the basic structure of a story. Students at a young age can study how authors use transition words and dialogue–two difficult concepts for young writers. It’s also a great visual reminder of the importance of starting a sentence with a capital letter and ending it with a punctuation mark. In addition, it is a great way to get early writers thinking about ways to add description to their stories.
It’s important when working with mentor texts to help your child be inspired by the text without actually copying anything directly. This can be tempting for students and it’s worth it to have a specific conversation with your child about plagiarism. When it comes time to start writing, it might even be best to keep the mentor texts out of sight for the first draft so there’s no temptation. Instead have your child use the list you both have worked on of specific writing techniques she’d like to attempt. With careful study of these mentor texts, your child will surely improve her writing and hopefully have fun doing so.
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