ontheedgeofeverything

I’ve made mention of the fact I dabble in some English tutoring here and there; I’ve been tutoring for roughly two years now, if I remember correctly, and I can ultimately thank my husband, Blaine, for inspiring me to do so as I believe it was his idea originally.

I’ve worked with a variety of people, from children to adults, therefore it is rather important for me to hold what I refer to as an introductory session with each new person before we get into any actual tutoring. I like to meet with the person in question, discuss what their goals and concerns are, and then formulate a rough template with tutoring ideas catered to them specifically. Sometimes I use materials I find online, but most times, I end up creating my own exercises.

Writing exercises for adults is a simpler concept than writing exercises for kids, and the main reason I say this is because writing is not something most kids are yearning to do, normally speaking. If you pose the choice between watching television or practicing writing to a child, they’re probably going to pick television because it arguably keeps their attention longer. Obviously, however, writing is a significant life skill, so coming up with fun ways to interest children in writing is one of the hardest components of beginning the process.

Here are some of my own ideas for children’s writing exercises:

• Ask them to write a daily reflection. This could be as simple as what the highlight of their day was, what they ate, what the weather was like, etc. Giving them the option to write creatively and about themselves is a great way to earn interest
• Have them write their own version of a superhero story where they’re the main character
• Encourage them to try writing an autobiography, or a biography about a friend or a sibling
• Prompt them to pick ten random words and then have them try and create a short blurb using all of those terms

Incorporating imagination into writing is one of the most effective ways to encourage a child to actually enjoy it.

Photo by Yannick Pulver on Unsplash