3rd Grade Writing Skills and Strategies

How to Improve Your 3rd Grader's Writing Skills

Objectives

Your child will have several writing objectives in the 3rd grade. Typically, he or she will be required to write simple sentences that clearly convey meaning. Third graders write creative narratives, informative essays and opinion pieces with an introduction, body and conclusion. Your child will probably be learning other skills associated with writing, such as conducting research and using basic grammar conventions.

Although these requirements may seem overwhelming, your 3rd grader will master them with practice. Before writing, help him or her create an outline, which will encourage your child to think about structure. After your child writes the paper, go over it with her or him and discuss what was effective and what could be improved. This exercise will remove the mystery from the writing process, and it will also help your child become a reflective writer.

Games and Activities

Encourage your child to keep a daily journal. At first, you may have to sit with your child to motivate him or her to write at least a handful of sentences. After a few weeks, your child will likely be able to work alone with sustained focus. It will also help if you provide fun writing prompts that appeal to his or her interests.

Summaries are a great way for your child to practice basic writing skills while also working on reading comprehension. After reading a book, think of creative ways for your child to retell the story in his or her own words. You might, for instance, have your child act it out or draw the main events.

Standardized Tests

Since many states assess 3rd graders on their writing skills at the end of the year, have your child take practice writing tests, which may be available on your state's Department of Education website. Standardized tests can be stressful because they're timed; however, remind your child that the writing process will remain the same. He'll begin by creating an outline, then writing and finally reviewing his work.