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5 things to know before signing your children up for writing classes

It is undeniable that writing is an extremely important skill that every child should acquire to not only excel in the present but also to be future-ready.

Perhaps, you are a parent who has been considering writing classes for your child for some time or maybe, you are deliberating between several writing schools.

Many parents that we meet ask us these questions and here are our answers:

When should I send my child for writing classes?

As long as the child is able to write simple sentences, his or her proficiency in writing can be nurtured. In fact, the sooner that children are sent for writing classes, the better. Every child needs to learn how to write proficiently and the sooner this skill is acquired, the easier his or her academic and working life will be. Relying on the school system alone may not be sufficient because the reality is, the teacher has to tend to about 40 students in a class. It is difficult for one teacher to ensure that every student’s writing potential is reached.

Furthermore, it is easier to inculcate positive habits and thoughts about writing from a young age as opposed to when the child becomes older.

Can my child develop an interest in writing?

If a child’s only experience of writing comes from writing for exams and tests, it is highly unlikely that he or she will enjoy writing. However, if children are encouraged to try out different interactive activities and then write about these activities, they are more likely to associate positive emotions with writing. In our classes, we use different art forms such as sketching, crafting, clay making and even music to engage children in the learning process as they learn how to write quality pieces. Children get to write about and elaborate on their own ideas instead of memorising someone else’s work and simply regurgitating it.

Are you and your child ready to commit to honing the craft of writing?

Writing, just like any craft or sport, requires regular practice for one to get better at it. Our regular classes provide that consistent practice and also, the consistent feedback that the children need to progress. The best kind of results come when the parents are committed to sending their children for lessons every week and also engage the child in conversation about what he or she had learned in class.

We believe in fostering strong partnerships with parents, keeping in touch with them regularly to update them about the progress of their children. After all, learning should take place beyond the weekly classes and parents who reinforce their children’s learning at home contribute to their children’s success.

How do I know if the writing class is suitable for my child?

First of all, the child has to feel comfortable in the class. The child also has to feel safe to express his or her thoughts, both verbally and in written form.

Also, writing is not like mathematics or science where there is only one right answer and all children can work on the same thing at the same time. In order to ensure maximum benefits, there needs to be a low student-teacher ratio so that the teachers can pay close attention to the child’s different learning needs. Different children will definitely have different needs when it comes to writing.

How do I know if the writing programme is effective? 

If you find that your child looks forward to every class, that is a very good sign. Once the child enjoys learning, more than half the battle is won. The child would be more motivated to improve his or her writing skills. Some of our students become more avid readers as well when they become comfortable with writing because they begin to see the links between reading and writing.

We are also very happy to learn of cases where our students begin writing on their own at home without the parents or school teachers telling them to. This shows increased confidence in their writing skills and of course, an interest in writing- they write because they want to, not because they have to.