“Why is it that my child doesn’t write well even though he reads a lot?”
As an English Language teacher, I get asked this question a lot. The assumption is that reading skills transfers directly to writing skills. However, that is not necessarily the case.
While reading widely helps to develop writing, the skills involved are different and there is a gap we need to bridge. In language learning, Reading and Listening are receptive skills (skills to understand the ideas in texts). Writing and Speaking are productive skills (skills to produce appropriate language forms). All language users have greater receptive than productive skills. We comprehend language more than we can produce language. For instance, you can read a novel but that does not mean you can write one. Another example is how you may know the theory of driving a car but it doesn’t mean you can drive one. Both writing and driving require actual practice.
A Case For Reading Model Compositions
Some parents think that making children read model essays quell their creativity. Their writing becomes unoriginal. However, model essays are only bad if we make children memorise them mindlessly and regurgitate what is written. There is a place for the use of model essays as a resource. They don’t deserve a bad name.
In school, children are typically asked to write short compositions based on a topic given. For the Singapore PSLE, the expectation is a composition length of about 150 – 200 words. That means students need to know how to write an effective introduction, story development and conclusion within the word count, under a time limit. Students need to showcase their linguistic ability in this very short composition. The best works have excellent use of vocabulary, good sequencing of events and use of punctuation.
So why is reading model compositions helpful? It is because children get exposed to the text types, style and organisation of short stories that they are expected to produce in school. How else will they know what is a good 200-word composition? You wouldn’t develop a 1000-word story the same way you would for a 200-word story. To learn how to write short compositions well, children should read good short compositions, pitched at their age level. Model essays (including stories, letters, news reports etc.) should form part of children’s extensive reading diet.
How Should Children Read Model Compositions?
There are many types of reading. We can read for pleasure, for information or for critical study (close reading) of a topic. Of course, children can read model essays for pleasure. However, to improve writing, children need to read like a writer. They need to consciously ‘notice’ the features in a good piece of writing. That means to analyse the writing.
When children read a model essay with the intention to improve their own writing, have them ask questions like:
- how is the story’s opening, middle and ending crafted? Were they interesting?
- which words and phrases do you like? Why?
- What particular style or point of view (first or third person) were used in the story? Why do you think the writer chose to use this point of view?
For non-fiction writing, children can also ask:
- What is the purpose of the writing?
- Who is it written to? Is it formal or informal enough? (Audience)
Why ask these questions?
Other than coming up a relevant and interesting storyline, the little writer needs to make choices about how a sentence is to be constructed and which words are best in conveying his ideas. When children ask questions about how the composition is crafted, they become more sensitive to plot development and word choice over time. The ideas, structure, and vocabulary learnt from model essays can be brought to the fore and applied to children’s own writing. That said, writing is a craft. It will still take practice, lots of drafting and good teacher feedback to help hone a child’s writing skills.
I buy both English and Chinese model compositions for my children to read. Sometimes, I read and discuss the stories with them. I also encourage them to keep a log of their favourite vocabulary.
How To Nurture Writing Skills At Home?
At home, parents can nurture a love of writing by finding different avenues for children to practice writing. We can encourage our children to invent stories. Have them write a letter to grandma or a birthday card to a friend. They can write comics, poems or songs. Let them enjoy writing.
Where To Find Model Compositions
You can easily to find model essays pitched at different grade levels in bookstores focusing on educational books. Try Popular Bookstore or Times Bookstore. For non-fiction writing, many schools subscribe to magazines as part of their extensive reading programme in order to expose to children to different text types. My children’s school subscribes to ‘Xing Peng You’ (New Friends), a Chinese magazine. I subscribe to ‘Young Scientists’ too as my children love to read about Science. You can check out openschoolbag. They have a wide range of magazine titles for home subscriptions. They have both English and Chinese resources and ship internationally.
I hope you find this sharing helpful.