Writing Skills - Why are they important?

There's a new focus on WRITING--just ask your kids!

Writing was always a part of the 3 R's--Reading, 'Riting, and 'Rithmetic--but when you were in 4th grade, did you know the difference between narrative, informative and persuasive forms of writing? Could you write in all three forms? Today's 4th graders can--and if not, they must learn.

How important is writing?
Writing is a vitally important life skill. The link between writing skills and academic success is clear and most standardized tests assess writing. Employers care more about writing skills today, as most jobs now require some writing. There's no doubt--writing is a skill your children must master. Time4Learning's K-8 writing curriculum can help.

A Writing Curriculum Proven to Work
Correlated to federal and state standards and field-tested nationally in thousands of schools, Time4Learning uses the best, most current methods of teaching writing. Your children will learn and practice each stage of the writing process, from pre-writing strategies to drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Each lesson ends with a quiz and kids can check their own work with self-assessments. Progress is recognized every step of the way--motivating kids and reassuring parents. Sign up now for our 14-day no-risk trial and give your children the advantage they need to write well.

A Kid-Friendly Approach to Writing
Time4Learning's writing curriculum isn't cut and dry. It's designed to bring out the writer in every student. Age-appropriate animated characters present each lesson in a highly interactive format that promotes self-expression. Children have the opportunity to learn and try different forms of fiction and nonfiction writing, from short story narratives to informational reports. As early as the kindergarten level, Time4Learning engages children in telling their own stories. Try Time4Learning's Story Creator exercise to see how young children are introduced to writing.

How to encourage writing at home
Encourage your children to write regularly as a form of self-expression, whether it's writing poems or keeping a journal. When you review your child's creative writing, be entirely positive and focus on the elements that were the most effective: "I really liked reading about your friends..." or "your description of the garden made me feel like I could see the garden." Your goal is to help your child establish a daily writing habit and a comfort level with expression.

At other times, shift your focus to the rigors of writing. With this approach, you can help your child develop critical thinking skills and the ability to write clear prose. Time4Learning's writing curriculum provides a full menu of pre-writing tools, such as electronic note cards and graphic organizers, which promote clarity and organization of ideas. Time4Learning also covers grammar and punctuation, as well as vocabulary and spelling, so that your child learns and practices the fundamentals. Check out Time4Learning's "Punctuation: Comma Confusion" and "Homonyms" lessons and see the engaging way each is presented.

Improve Your Child's Writing
This incredible K-8 Writing Curriculum is a component of Time4Learning's comprehensive reading and language arts program. While school districts pay thousands for a program as robust as ours, you can have full access on your home computer for only $19.95 a month.  Let Time4Learning help the young writers in your home! Sign up today!