Homework Help for Elementary School English

Elementary school is a time for students to develop and strengthen their grammar skills, which are involved in everything from constructing phrases, sentences, and paragraphs, to writing essays and stories. While stories and essays may be fairly basic and assignments may seem simple to parents, these skills are not only crucial to develop, but also can present a real challenge to young students. Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to help you children with tricky homework problems and grammar skills at home.

Take Time to Review

Even though you know and use the rules without even thinking about them, it is important that you be able to refer to them in the same formal context that your child is being exposed to. An excellent way to brush up on your grammar terms, and help your child at the same time, is to have your child teach you what he or she has learned. This gives your children confidence and helps to reinforce the rules and skills within their mind.

Here are some basic grammar components that your child is likely to be taught in school, and that you can practice together:

• Parts of speech
  • nouns
  • pronouns
  • adjectives
  • adverbs
  • verbs
• Punctuation
  • periods
  • commas
  • question marks
  • exclamation points
  • colons
  • semi-colons
• Composition
  • sentences
  • paragraphs
  • transitions
  • conjunctions
  • clauses

The Student Becomes the Teacher

Have your child switch roles from student to teacher. Encourage him or her to create a worksheet for another 'student' to complete. You will gain an understanding of your child's comprehension of grammar skills during these activities. 'Playing school' is a fun and creative alternative to giving your children more worksheets to complete on their own.

Grammar doesn't have to be boring or difficult for elementary school students. When you relearn grammar rules and your children take the role of teachers, they are able to develop their skills without losing interest. By giving their parents homework to complete, they are learning the skills they need to complete their own homework.