What does it take to become a good writer? There
are, at first, the basics of grammar: nouns, verbs, sentences,
tenses, etc. But eventually, the process of writing becomes more
complicated. It becomes a matter of style. And not style in the sense
of being beautiful, but in terms of sophisticated craftsmanship:
concrete and vivid descriptions, figurative language, and effective
rhetoric. Can you form a picture in your mind from the written words?
Is the argument convincing? These elements of style are what
distinguish good writing from the merely grammatically correct. No
one becomes a good writer by talent alone. They start first by
becoming good readers.
How do you become a good, critical reader? The first thing is
to become an avid reader, period. This starts in elementary
school. However, while it is tempting to encourage any reading, it
is crucial to the development of critical reading skills that
young students be introduced to quality non-fiction books as soon
as possible. This is not to say that a good fiction doesn’t have its
place in a child’s reading repertoire, but it does not typically have all of
the characteristics necessary to develop practical writing skills useful
later in life. So while their favorite fantasy or adventure novel series
may contain some excellent descriptive passages, it is unlikely that
these books will exhibit any sophisticated rhetoric or
complex argumentation. The good news is that quality non-fiction for
students of all ages is more widely available now than ever before.
This is especially important because of the different interests
of each student, boys and girls.
When we look at a house, we might say, “This house is beautiful.” We
might even list a few features that we find particularly pleasing. But an
architect would want to look closer, to see how the house was
constructed, what materials and techniques were necessary for
achieving those features. A good, critical reader is like the architect,
trying to understand how a written work is constructed. The effect of
this kind of engagement is apparent, even in assignments as basic as
book reports. Un-critical readers merely summarize the content of
what they have read. But critical readers can explain how and
why the book achieves its goals. So, becoming a critical reader
will make your child a better writer.