Tips+About+How+To+Compliment+Your+Child's+Writing

=How do I start?=

**Step 1: Research what your child has written.**
Read through your child's notebook entries. Ask your child about what they are working on as a writer. Listen to them. Ask them what they are trying to do in their writing. Ask them to show you where they were trying it in their writing. Look & listen to them explain--encouraging them to elaborate.

**Step 2: Decide what your child has done well and offer a meaningful compliment.**
Some things you might notice:
 * quantity of writing (pages & pages--ends one page and begins another)
 * quality of writing: (*see below)
 * step-by-step chronological order of events
 * choose a subject that was meaningful to them
 * getting the story down and not stopping just because you don't know how to spell a word
 * word choice (strong words that are specific--especially verbs)
 * use of dialog
 * description of setting
 * small actions that show what characters are doing step by step
 * neat handwriting

---Here are some examples:


 * "Gyeong Eun, you wrote two pages! Congratulations! When I read your words, I can tell that you have so much to say about your trip to Korea. You really enjoyed that trip and wanted to share all about what happened. I love how you included so many parts about your family. I think your family must be really important to you and that makes your writing important. Real authors do exactly the same thing, they think about what really matters to them and that is what they put on the paper. You should always write about what matters to you!"


 * "Zosia, I am so glad that you wrote about this storm when you were on the boat! It looks like you've survived it, but what a frightening experience you had. I'm so glad that nobody got hurt! Zosia you've done some smart work here. You told what happened first, and next, and you told it in tiny detail. Like here where you included your dialog with your brother, //"What is happening?" I asked my brother. My heart was beating fast.// Telling those little details in order is smart work. You really created a picture in your mind and put it into words. It was a very memorable event, wasn't it? I am the same as you. I would definitely want to write about a moment where I was experiencing a lot of emotion that I didn't want to forget."


 * "Two things please me about what you're doing. I love that you can show me the revisions you've made, Callum. It looks like you have thought to yourself, //what else can I add to my writing?// **AND** I love your energy for revision. I guess you are the kind of writer who is willing to work hard to make your best work even better! Callum, whenever you revise always remember to ask yourself, //What else can I add to my writing?"//


 * "Oran, I love it that when I asked you what you were working on as a writer, you not only told me your topic, you also told me what you're trying to do as a writer. You're trying to do something you've seen another author do! That's so professional of you! Always give me details like this, that way I know how to help you!"


 * "Felix, you were smart to ask Shaelyn to listen to you story tell your story and to help you come up with ideas to make your story clearer and better. I hope you continue to use your friends as writing helpers, Felix. Good writers do that."

**Step 3: Stretch that compliment out--gush over their writing--**
Here are some more tips for stretching out your compliments and making them last longer to make your child BEAM with pride, while motivating them to be writers:


 * **Contrast** the positive example with a description of what the writer //could have// done that wouldn't have been effective. (i.e. Veronika, instead of just writing, "I asked my dad when we would be there and he told me that we were there." You used dialog to make a movie in your readers mind so they could hear you ask, "Dad, when will we be there?" and they could hear your dad answer, "We are there!")


 * **Generalize** so that the compliment is applicable to future writing. (i.e. "Leo, when you were writing this story you use such strong verbs like "mumbled." They were strong because they created clearer more specific images of the action. Whenever you write choose those strong specific verbs to make your writing more powerful.")


 * **Focus on Process** praise not only the product but also the process the writer used. (i.e. "Amara, you were so smart! You chose a small moment story that is important; you thought, 'Why is this important? What do I want my reader to know and feel here?' You choose this story because you loved your cat and it is important to remember how much you loved him. Now you want to slow that part down by adding in more details the dialogue and small actions. I hope you always do that. That's really smart.")


 * **Focus on Writing Identity** when we praise not only the writing or the process--we compliment the WRITER building their identity as a writer by comparing them with other authors, etc. (i.e. "Skyler, it is interesting to me that you are writing about meeting your baby cousin the first time. Ezra Jack Keats does the same thing writing about the feelings of Peter when there is a new baby coming into the family. You and Ezra Jack Keats are alike!"