Researchers from ECU's School of Education are imploring parents to foster their children's enjoyment of writing at home. Image credit: Pexels.
A new study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) shows parental involvement is a key motivator in children's writing outcomes – for better or worse.
The research found that when parents encourage fun, engaging, and collaborative writing activities in the home, their positive influence has a direct impact on their child’s love of writing and writing skill.
Dr Anabela Malpique, Senior Lecturer in Literacy at ECU said learning to write involves developing motor, cognitive, and motivational aspects, and that it relies on instruction and practice.
For the past 20 years, we’ve been focusing on cognition when discussing teaching writing skills – instead of also reinforcing and promoting environments in schools and in the home where writing is a pleasurable activity, Dr Malpique said.
"Previous studies have focused on literacy outcomes and children’s reading capability but it's just as an important life skill for children to learn how to write well," lead author Dr Bronte Kelso-Marsh from ECU’s School of Education added.
"My research measured the link between parental motivations for supporting children’s writing at home and their collaborative engagement in writing activities with their child, against the quality of their child’s writing and attitude towards writing.
"What we found is when parents enjoy getting involved in writing activities with their children, they have a positive impact on their child’s enjoyment of writing, and in turn, how well their child can write."
Conversely, when a parent or caregivers' motivations are guilt-based or come from a negative place, they aren't effective in building their child’s love for writing or writing quality.
"Parents should avoid being involved in their children's writing due to their feelings of shame or 'parent guilt', or simply because they have to or should. Instead of treating it like a box-ticking exercise, embed joyful writing activities in your family life," Dr Kelso-Marsh said.
Advice to parents is to have fun with the process.
"As a family, be engaged – that can help children's writing outcomes. Find writing activities you enjoy doing together."
Dr Kelso-Marsh added that focusing on games-based writing and activities instead of a chore-orientated approach is key. This could include playing restaurant and constructing menus, word games like Scrabble, writing stories, shopping lists, birthday cards, Christmas cards, and sending letters to siblings.
"We need to foster positive attitudes towards writing, and in turn, this may help to encourage children's writing to improve," Dr Kelso-Marsh said.
"Our message to parents is don’t underestimate the positive influence you are. You don't have to be an expert. And it doesn't have to feel like homework or be a high-level task.
"It's important that parents, teachers, and schools work together as a community. Writing must be seen as a social activity, not a lonely boring one."
Dr Kelso-Marsh's research is included in the Writing for All: Handwriting and keyboarding skills in the Early Years project funded by The Ian Potter Foundation.
