As children become more skilled readers, they also improve their writing skills. Using a Talking About Books Journal, as described earlier in this chapter, is another way to support children's writing skills. Many children enjoy writing their own books. They might make up a completely new story or follow the same pattern as used in a favorite book. For example, a child might make up a story about going on a tiger hunt instead of a bear hunt or put herself in the story instead of the main character.
Tutors can adapt the writing workshop approach used by many teachers in the primary grades.
This approach is ideal for an ongoing tutoring program because it allows a child to experience writing as a process that evolves over time. You can serve as the audience for the child's writing. The child decides what she wants to write about. You can help the child come up with a topic by thinking about his own experiences or books he has read. The child is likely to write several drafts of the same piece.