To help students become better writers, Dr. Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D. and senior vice president for education outreach for Sylvan Learning, recommends following a few simple tips:
Spend time organizing your ideas and thinking about what you really want to say.
Prepare an outline before you begin to write.
Use transition words, such as "after," "although," "before," "however" and "therefore" to help your ideas flow together.
Be willing to revise. Change your sentences and paragraphs around, add material that lends to your writing and delete material that doesn't work.
Avoid clichés and jargon.
Always keep a dictionary handy to help with spelling.
Utilize a thesaurus to help you think of a new way to say something.
Ask someone else to edit your work.
Proofread everything. Make sure grammar, spelling and punctuation are perfect before you declare anything "finished."
Don't rely on a computer's spellchecker to ensure proper spelling.
The instructors at Sylvan Learning can also help hone your child's writing skills. With 32 centers within the tri-state area alone, there's sure to be one near you.