A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought, and may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and the time in which it is used. -Oliver Wendell Holmes
Many new homeschool parents often ask when their child will learn to write? Just like any other skill, there is no set time table and the answer is largely dependent upon each child. In the same way that they learn to read, walk and talk, they will write when they are ready.
The following articles and resources may help you to find a method or tools that will best meet your child’s learning to write needs
Learning to Write Without School – Aj DeBee
Until a few weeks ago, I had never attended school. My entire education, and my entire development as a reader, writer and thinker, was solely dependent on the teachings of my ex-English teacher mother, my eccentric father, and myself.
Portfolio Assessment – Ana McDonald,
For each book, Dottie can fill out a form describing the book and what parts she likes best and least. She can make a story map, draw her own illustrations for text-heavy books, or do any of the workbook-type activities that I can discover or devise. If she wants, she can even write her own books, borrowing characters, plots, or themes from the books she reads
Homeschooling From Abroad – Leslie Clary
I discovered when I backed off and loosened up, Zak began taking more responsibility for his education. He likes Chinese. Every evening he practices writing characters. As a result his handwriting has improved.
Unschooling - Sandra Dodd
Lyle writes well and frequently about his unschooling. He could choose to write nothing, or he could separate himself from his family to become a professional writer and write every day for many hours. Lyle writes, as do many other unschoolers, for real purposes. He shares what he has discovered and experienced for the benefit of others who want their families’ lives to move toward unschooling. His writing is real, because it affects the thoughts and actions of others.
Learning Logs – Ivy Rutledge
A learning log can be a conversation as well as a private place for a child–it is up to you and your child to decide what you need. You can record the thoughts of young children for them, and you can also write your own thoughts in a dialogue form with your child. Writing letters back and forth in a notebook can be an effective way to communicate and share ideas.
Getting It Down -Ways to Encourage Reluctant Writer -Sue Smith Heavenrich
The biggest obstacle to writing isn’t the inability to write. It’s our attitude. If we can believe that our children can write, if they choose to, then we can look for ways to help them overcome their stumbling blocks. Sometimes it’s fear. Sometimes it’s motor skills. Sometimes we just need to play with words.
The Ongoing Debate in Reading Instruction: Finding a Balance – Mark B. Thogmartin
Several years ago, I completed a research project where I examined the reasons that Christian educators gave for their apparent, almost exclusive use of intensive phonics approaches to teaching beginning reading (Thogmartin, 1994). In addition to an exhaustive literature review about my question, I interviewed a number of Christian educators, homeschooling parents, college professors, and curriculum providers to find out their beliefs about reading instruction. I took for granted their opinions that their chosen method worked; rather, I wanted to find out the philosophical/theoretical reasons why they believed what they did.
Ready Reference – Kim O’Hara
I don’t think a day goes by but someone comes up with a question that sends us to the Internet for an answer. (Sometimes we stew about it for a while and then suddenly remember: “We could check the computer!”) We look up weather forecasts, research vacation spots, get great deals on plane fares, and reserve hotel rooms (at discounted prices). We answer sticky grammar questions, get background (and illustrations) for essays, and research settings when we write fiction.
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