The Write Start: A Guide to Nurturing Writing at Every Stage, from Scribbling to Forming Letters and Writing Stories

by Jennifer Hallissy

How do you raise children who love to write? Jennifer Hallissy believes that if you give children a solid foundation of writing basics, they will develop a love of writing that lasts a lifetime. In this book, she shares the secrets for supporting young writers, from the smallest of scribblers to middle-schoolers mastering script. You play an important role in nurturing your child's writing development. You are your child's first writing teacher, and their most important writing role model. From teaching your child how to hold a pencil and form the letters of the alphabet, to creating writing spaces and meaningful writing rituals at home, this book gives you all of the information and inspiration you need to raise a confident writer. Fifty-two playful activities are presented as ways to invite your child to write. Each activity offers specific suggestions to meet the needs of Scribblers (pre-writers), Spellers (emerging writers), Storytellers (beginn

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Writing, Education, Reference, Self Help, Teaching

160 pages, Paperback

First published December 28, 2010

Reviews

[Dorothy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a good book for parents with no understanding of encouraging writing in their children, starting when they are very young. For anyone who is a teacher or has an education background, there is very little new here. I did, however, glean one neat idea from the book, which is divided into about 50 different "projects" that cover 4 different levels of writers. The author talked about children liking post-it notes, note cards, and little notebooks, and suggested having those on hand and to utilize little filing cubbies or baskets or the like for the kids'written on cards & things.

[Rhythm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of good information. I specially liked the activities suggested at the end.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer Hallisy, a pediatric occupational therapist, has written a wonderful resource for parents and early childhood educators entitled The Write Start. In an age of e-mail and texting, the focus on writing has shifted. However, encouraging our children to write gives them a freedom of expression not found elsewhere.

I wasn't certain what to expect when I began reading the book. The fact that it was written by an OT gave me hope, but I prepared myself for an instructional guide of how to teach your child. Instead, I found a fantastic resource and was delighted with many of her projects.

Hallisy speaks of the importance of play in a developing child and how it affects current and future writing skills. While I could disagree with her statement of the right way to write, her execution of supporting children as they explore both writing and themselves is unquestionable. Throughout the book, she shares wonderful ways to support children in their writing adventures, gives insight into child development as it pertains to writing, and shares numerous fun activities and ways to incorporate writing into your home and lives to support the budding writer in your family.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy was provided by Shambala Publications.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the first several pages in which the author spells out (har) the importance of looking at children as writers as soon as they are interested in making marks on a page (or swirls in paint). Her informed view as a pediatric occupational therapist promised to make this unique and amazing: she has definite opinions on how children should be taught to hold pencils and draft letters.

But it all fell apart when she got to the guts of the matter: the activities themselves, which I found too simplified and cheesey. "Simply start a sentence with 'Once upon a time...' and wait for them to take over." Um, hm. Alas, this isn't a book for a teacher of groups of children, nor really of reluctant writers.

[Elke Ursin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah for this book! There are so many neat prompts for things to do with your kiddo. I also really liked the beginning part about how to set up a writing station, the difference between different writing stages, etc. While my little one is just now a scribbler, I will definately be doing a lot of these activities over the years.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was full of great activities and focused on all different stages of children's writing development. I'd recommend it to all parents, homeschooling or not, who want to do everything they can to encourage their children to write and draw.

[McKenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK--skimmable, nothing real revolutionary inside. Could have done without the chapter on writing tools--who in the world needs a colored pencil explained to them? Lots of fluff.

[TimsGlitterBug · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many great suggestions to incorporate writing in fun ways everyday.

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information contained in "The Write Start" is plainly written, easy to understand, and immensely practical. I've been teaching pre-school for 18 years and there was a fair amount of info that was new to me, as well as information I had known but forgotten. She has an excellent appendix with suggestions, lists, resources, etc.

Hallissy doesn't talk down to you and she does an excellent job of explaining concepts and reasons. I did have a couple of problems with the book. One was philosophical - she writes with a HUGE emphasis on the economic benefits of writing well. I'm not disputing the necessity for being able to communicate well but her emphasis on job success and money was dismaying. The physical ability, and the creative and analytical ability to write, are important in many areas of life, not just those two.

The other problem I had was that she frequently jumped around, without specifying, between the physical ability to write ie fine motor control, body tone, etc and the cognitive ability to write. Yes, I know, the subtitle says it's about both, but ironically she herself is frequently unclear in her discussions on exactly which ability she is referring to. They are two very different abilities, not necessarily related, and she sometimes failed to distinguish between them while writing.

Overall, a useful and practical book for both parents and teachers.

[Kellylou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hallissy opens her book on writing by giving parents a solid foundational understanding on the "why's" of writing. Through her expertise as a pediatric occupational therapist, she has found that children that struggle to form letters also struggle to become successful writers. In the first half of The Write Start, Hallissy also identifies four different stages of writing, explaining how to recognize each level and interpret readiness for moving into the next stage of writing. Each chapter is easy to read and filled with great information for both parents and new teachers looking for activities to strengthen writing skills.

After fully explaining the necessity of proper writing technique, Hallissy fills the second half of her book with a variety of activities designed to engage the child and strengthen the mind and body. Suddenly, a simple game of paper airplanes becomes a literary event and chalk cloth turns dining with kids into a writing fiesta. For each activity, there are variations listed for children at each of her four stages of writing: scribblers, spellers, storytellers, and scholars. With a few easy adaptations, Hallissy has offered parents a way to invite children of all ages to write through nearly any occasion.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have a child under the age of nine or ten, or if you are a teacher or a mentor to a child under the age of ten, or if you know a child under the age of ten, or if you are looking for a gift for a parent of a child under ten... Guess what, I think you should check out this book! I found this book at the end of this past school year, and discovered a bunch of fun activities for my kids to work on this summer. My soon-to-be second grader loves to write and journal and create already, but I want to support her in expanding her skills and help her continue to embrace writing and creativity. There are also activities for my almost-three year old, and information I can use to help him as he starts to scribble and draw and even pretend to write. Some of the activities are pretty old school, but they brought back fond memories (like creating your own secret code!), and others are completely new ideas. This book will not be fantastic for EVERYONE, but it is a wonderful resource for parents and teachers who work with young kids.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was an academic star in elementary school, but I had one weakness: handwriting. The feeling of frustration I had when I received less-than-perfect marks on my work still feels fresh today. And it certainly wasn't because I wasn't trying. This book, written by an occupational therapist, could have helped. Perhaps at the root of my problem? At thirty-three years into life, I'm still holding a pencil the wrong way.
This book is a must for homeschooling parents, especially those of emerging writers, but I would recommend it to all parents. As my experience illustrates, the process of learning to write is tricky, and individual attention from a parent could go a long way to resolve subtle but important problems that a classroom teacher with too many fires to put out might miss.
The Write Start isn't just about the mechanics of writing. It's full of activities expertly designed to encourage lots of practice, reduce frustration, foster creativity, and develop an enjoyment of the process.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Hallissy, an occupational therapist, shares her insight about the development of writing skill. She explains the different stages of development (scribbler, speller, storyteller, scholar) and the abilities, challenges and activities for practice. She explains the proper tools, posture and other factors important to developing a strong writer. The last half of the book is filled with activities that can be adapted to all stages. As a parent to a scribbler and a storyteller, I found many helpful activities and tips for me to encourage my kids. Has been particularly useful to fill our time on holiday/snow days!

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some good information on helping kids learn to write, but I think the same information could have been communicated with half as many words or less. I'm so tired of reading parenting books that blather on and on instead of getting to the point. I don't have time to read a 300-page book just to glean information that could be contained in a pamphlet. And the puns in this book were out of control; I really have no patience for puns. That said, I did learn some things to help Bennett improve his writing.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adult nonfiction; education/early literacy. [reviewed from e-galley.] A solid introduction to developmentally appropriate ways of teaching literacy and writing to young children, including 52 fun activities that can be adapted for various developmental levels. Many of these will be familiar to educators who already incorporate literacy activities into their daily plans, but even veterans will find a few helpful new tips and ideas.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had read this before one of my children taught herself to write. However. It's been incredibly helpful as we've worked toward approaching the mechanics of writing differently. The author presents solid, developmentally-appropriate ideas for a parent (or teacher) at wit's end. The irony is that I used to teach writing. College students are a little different from seven year olds. ;)

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of practical ideas to get your kids writing more. I like how for each activity, Hallissy provides options for several different age levels. None of the activities are rocket science, and I could probably come up with a lot of them on my own, but it is nice to have them all in one volume for when I want a fun, educational activity but am feeling uninspired.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book if you have a child in your home learning to read and write. Fun ideas for ways to including writing in play and everyday activities, and it also provides basic knowledge of the mechanics of writing with useful tips - for instance did you know that using scissors strengthens kids hands in just the way they need to be able to hold a pencil properly?

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great quick read geared for parents. As a teacher, it was a great reminder of some activities I have know about and some new twists. I especially liked the breakdown by writing stage at the back of each activity. The beginning chapters were also some great basic info about writing and thoughts I could use during conferences with parents.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that this book has activities that can be modified for both my two year old and my kindergartner, has great tips for left-handed writers and makes writing fun (I already know that but struggle to make it fun for C).

[Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The tripod writing hand.

1. Pinch
2. Tuck
3. Support

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding presentation, explanation, activities and examples. Among this type of book, the best I've seen.I can't wait to get started with it.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great writing and pre writing activities! I hope to use this while planning preschool activities this year!

[Jenny Preece · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few nice ideas, but mostly seems to be common sense.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource. Definitely would be a good one to own and refer back to. A good addition to any child educator's bookshelf.