Most parents are anxious when they see their children struggling in the English subject that holds such large weightage on academics. You might be one of those who are frantically looking for ways to help your child improve.
Language is something we use every day, but some might not be able to do well academically. As English is a compulsory subject to take up in schools and a criterion for opening an array of opportunities, there is simply no way to avoid it. A component of the English subject that has caused many students a major headache is the essay writing component. As such, this article is for the parents who want to help their children get better in their essay writing.
Figure out the thesis
Understanding what the essay is centred on provides a streamlined focus when writing, ensuring that your child does not stray away from the topic that he is going to write about. This prevents your child from going out of point, which will negatively affect the score on the essay.
Write an outline
After writing out the thesis, plan an outline to include the crucial points that will be incorporated into the essay. The basic structure of an essay should be: the introduction, the main body and the conclusion.
The introduction should set the context for the whole essay, a summary of the key points that will be introduced, as well as the thesis statement. The main body mainly consists of three body paragraphs, one for each point. The conclusion often summarises the whole essay and can include a thoughtful insight to show the student’s understanding of the wider picture surrounding the topic.
Read more
To write better, it is crucial to gain exposure from different types of writing materials and styles. This allows your child to draw inspiration from different sources to spice up both his content and writing style. The more your child reads, naturally his writing skills will get better!
Be patient
Writing is not something that can be mastered overnight, hence patience is needed to provide consistent guidance and correction when teaching on writing. It is crucial not to flare up over your child’s mistakes as it becomes demoralising and demotivating for him.
Practise
Practising writing is perhaps the most important step towards improving writing skills. Writing can come in the form of taking up an assessment book and practising writing on topics, writing a story based on a real-life event or an inspiration, or even as informal entries like journal reflections. Even if not writing a full essay, writing an essay planning should be practised daily if ideal, as language only benefits from consistent utilisation.
