First of all, well done to all the teachers, parents and students who are doing their very best at the moment. Lockdown isn’t a particularly enjoyable situation for anyone, but being in the midst of a global pandemic is certainly a significant life event for everyone. Children of all ages are encouraged to engage with important social issues and now they’re experiencing one first-hand. This will make quite a story one day…
Children are most likely a bit on the frustrated side right now, not to mention lonely and… as unlikely as this may sound… missing their time at school! So, how can they engage with and express their feelings during this turbulent time, while also escaping to happier, more exciting places? Writing can enable both of these.
‘Writers are never alone while writing. Writers always have to consider the reader.’
(Hermansson, C. & Lindgren, E. 2019)
In recognition of National Encourage a Young Writer Day, let’s think about simple writing activities we can encourage our students and children to do outside the classroom. They may be at home at the moment, but their imaginations don’t have to be.
Keeping a diary – lockdown life!
A short writing activity that can be repeated each day, encouraging children to think about their emotions and how they spend their time. Either children could write about their day from scratch, or you could suggest a template for them to write out and fill in the blanks each day.
I felt… upset today, because… I couldn’t see Grandma
(encourage them to think about why they feel a certain way)
I played… football with… my brother
(encourage them to keep interacting with others, whether it’s family members at home or friends online, and to spend their time being active where possible)
I watched… Matilda. It was… funny
I read… Goosebumps. It was… scary
(watching television and reading can be relaxing activities to fill the time, while keeping young brains engaged)
I helped with… unpacking the shopping
(give them little jobs to do around the house, so they have a sense of responsibility)
I talked to… Grandma about… her pet dog
(encourage them to speak to somebody, perhaps via phone or Skype, each day)
The weather was… sunny and warm
(encourage them to go outside, if you can)
This establishes some structure and hopefully motivates children to make each day interesting, at a time when the risk of boredom is significantly higher than usual!
Writing a story – unlocking those super powers
A story doesn’t have to be pages and pages long (although if your children are anything like I was, it will be!). A good way to get ideas flowing and help develop writing skills is to encourage young learners to read. I mean, who wasn’t inspired to write a novel about a magical wizard school after reading Harry Potter…?
If they need some help getting started, think of a topic that you know they enjoy.
For instance, superheroes are super popular and let’s be honest, they have all the fun. Get your learners to give themselves superhero names. Why did they choose that name? What’s their super power? What’s their mission? Perhaps Invisible Izzy has to stop aliens abducting all the grownups. Other members of the household could have alter egos too. For example, maybe Super Sam has to save all the children from the Tidy Your Room Dragon. Stories can then be shared with others. Why not read one to Grandma next time you’re on the phone?
Writing letters – a medium that stands the test of time!
Keeping in touch is integral at the moment, as many of us are unable to meet up with friends and family in person. Writing a letter is a way to help children think about their own experiences and consider others’ situations. What exciting news do they have? Better ask Grandma how her pet dog is! Asking questions means you’re likely to get a response, which is something to look forward to. Alternatively, if you’re a teacher looking to encourage interaction among your class, you could pair students up and have them write letters or emails to each other.
To get imaginations wandering further from home, they could partake in a bit of casual time travel. Encourage children to imagine that they’ve travelled 10, 100, even 1,000 years into the future, and they’re writing a letter to their classmates, telling them all about what it’s like. Or even to themselves. If there was a future you out there, spending their time playing slime football with aliens and riding flying ponies, you’d want to hear about it wouldn’t you?
Whatever age or level your children are, a pen and paper (or keyboard and screen) can be a great friend to them.
For a deeper focus on encouraging your budding wordsmiths, read Developing young writers in ELT, part of the Cambridge Papers in ELT series.
We’ll be continuing to share advice, tips and tools to help you adapt to teaching in new environments and motivating children at home. If you’d like to read more blog articles from the Supporting Every Teacher series, click here.