Writing
Encourage your child to write at home. The key is to accept all writing and keep it positive. Remember praise works wonders.
- Encourage your child to keep a journal. Buy an exercise book and decorate it.
- Keep gel pens, different coloured pens and pencils handy to make writing special.
- Ask your child to help write grocery lists.
- Encourage your child to write down phone messages.
- Find a pen pal and rediscover the lost art of letter writing.
- Write sentences on steamy shower screens or mirrors.
- Use a paint brush and water to practise writing words or sentences on paths.
- Play list games.
- Make lists:
- Ten things to do on a rainy day;
- ten things a dinosaur would eat;
- ten whacky excuses for not tyding up.
- Write stories together, using a who, where, when and what happened sequence.
- As a family, play writing games. Write one sentence, pass it on to make a funny story.
- Make up rhymes or poems.
The main text types taught in NSW schools
Recount Purpose: To inform about a series of past events in the sequence in which they occurred
Structure: Orientation, events in chronological order, reorientation or personal comment.
Narrative
Purpose: To entertain
Structure: Orientation, complication, resolution
Information Report
Purpose: To classify and describe phenomena
Structure: General statement, description
Explanation
Purpose: To explain scientifically how technological and natural phenomena come into being
Structure: Statement of phenomenon, explanation sequence, background information (optional)
Exposition
Purpose: To persuade and argue a case for or against an issue (only one point of view is explored)
Structure: Statement of position, argument 1, argument 2, argument 3, reinforcement of position
Discussion
Purpose: To examine issues from more than one perspective and to make recommendations
Possible Structure: Case for stated, arguments in order, case against stated, arguments in order, conclusion/recommendation.
Procedure
Purpose: To give instruction and clear directions
Structure: Goal, materials, Steps
Poetry
Purpose: To provide enjoyment and appreciation of ideas and language.
Structure: Varied. Can be approached as a series of steps or moves. These steps are generally signaled in stanza or verse structures.