10 top tips for improving children’s English
Fluency in English involves a variety of different skills such as spelling, reading, and writing. Improving a child’s English can include some or all of these areas and as they are interconnected an improvement in one area can help in another. These top tips describe teaching ideas for using literacy resources and literacy games for children of different abilities, including those with difficulties such as dyslexia.
1. Spelling:
Knowing the sounds that letters and letter blends make is key to building and spelling words. Phonics based activities such as worksheets or games reinforce these sound/symbol relationships. A simple verbal game for young children is ’I-spy’. Spellings can also be learnt as families of similarly spelt words e.g. bright, sight, fright etc. There are many word games on the market that are a fun way to practise spelling words.
2. Punctuation:
Without proper punctuation sentences lose their meaning. Punctuation worksheets can be bought or exercises made at home e.g. photocopy some text from an appropriate book or article and block out all the punctuation marks. The child then tries to fill them in. Or write sentences using the wrong punctuation that has to be corrected. Also, reading is a great way for children to absorb the way punctuation works.
3. Vocabulary:
Reading is great for extending a child’s vocabulary, either by themselves or through being read to. Games finding synonyms and antonyms (opposites) for words can improve a child’s range of vocabulary especially for descriptive writing. Conversation on varied topics also introduces new words and children can be encouraged to look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary.
4. Sentence Construction:
For young children sentences are first constructed verbally, so questions that require simple sentence answers help to practise this skill. For older children, games with jumbled up spoken or written sentences or which practise the different parts of a sentence e.g. nouns, adjectives, prepositions etc. can help.
5. Comprehension Skills:
Children can be concentrating hard on decoding words and lose the meaning of what they are reading. Discuss the book or the story to check this. For older children reviews of books or articles give an opportunity to recall information and check understanding.
6. Writing:
Writing involves many of the skills listed here e.g. spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary. Encourage story writing by suggesting the first line of a story for the child to continue. Folding paper repeatedly after each person has written a section can make joint stories. These are often entertaining nonsense! For non-fiction, they could write instructions for small tasks such as making a cup of tea.
7. Handwriting:
Pencil grips can help if handwriting is a problem and make sure the pencil is being held properly. For handwriting exercises such as copying text, special double-lined handwriting paper is useful. Take any opportunity to encourage practise of forming neat, legible words e.g. on a shopping list or on a postcard or birthday card.
8. Reading:
With children of all ages let them pick a book that appeals to them. Some reluctant readers may prefer a magazine or a comic where the text blocks are more manageable. Recommend classic children’s books that you enjoyed. For younger children practise reading wherever possible such as signs and notices.
9. Specific difficulties:
Children who have specific difficulties, such as those with dyslexia, can use several props to help them. Computer spellcheckers and the handheld pocket versions are very useful. Repeated practise of phonic patterns and spelling rules and also using rhymes and mnemonics to remember problem words can help.
10. Praise and Encouragement:
An obvious tip, but praise for trying hard is always an encouragement e.g. giving stickers for good work. Writing and story competitions can also offer an incentive for practising English skills.
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