WRITING IN MIND: 8 WAYS TO PUT WRITING FIRST, HIGH SCHOOL Teens are often reluctant to write for fun, but with the amount of writing required in high school, these skills are more important than ever. Even though school is filled with writing exercises, there are plenty of fun ways to encourage your teen to sharpen their writing skills and be creative at the same time. “Putting words down on paper helps a child clarify his thoughts and helps him to think through complex issues,” says Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., vice president of education for Sylvan Learning Center. “It also helps him to communicate with other people and, most important, lets him express himself.” Here are eight easy ways for your teen to get into the writing groove and get ready for the new school year. The Right Resources. If possible, invest in an up-to-date computer and software that your teen helps to choose. Teenagers are interested in technology, and the more they are excited about their tools, the more likely they are to use them. The School Paper. High school is a great opportunity to expand writing opportunities at the school paper or yearbook. This is a great option for a teen that is turned off by the strict rules of writing in class but still enjoys expressing herself on paper. Personal Essays. With college applications looming, this is a perfect time to get your teen thinking about how to express herself in a personal essay. This type of writing rarely is practiced in class, but it is an integral part of the college admissions process. Movie Reviews. Teens are pop culture experts, so who better to provide movie advice to friends and family? This is a fun activity after all the summer blockbusters, and will get your teen thinking about writing. Contests. Encourage her to enter a state or national writing contest. Check out www.writing-world.com/contests or “The Ultimate Guide to Student Contests, Grades 7-12” by Scott Pendleton for more information. Entering contests also can be a great way to get your son or daughter’s poems and stories published. Politics. This fall is election season, and it’s the perfect opportunity for your teen to get involved political process and work on letter writing skills. Letter writing is a great way to expand writing skills and get a better understanding of the upcoming elections. Have your child pick their favorite candidate, either local or national, and write a letter stating their stance on a controversial issue and what they think the candidate can do to help. “The whole purpose of writing is to be read,” Bavaria says. “When children write to the people who they see on the news, they almost always get a response back. The written word carries a weight that the spoken word sometimes doesn’t.” Internet. Teens love to communicate via instant messaging, but encourage your teen to use e-mail, too. Even though these forms of communication do not always foster conversational grammar skills, they are a great way for your teen to practice expressing herself on paper. Read. As always, being well-read is a crucial step to being a good writer. Readers just have a better sense of what sounds correct in their writing, and tend to be better at expressing themselves. Supply your teen with plenty of varied reading materials, and get ready to see the words flow. Bavaria says a regular reader is more likely to take up writing as a hobby. “Just like children emulate their favorite sport starts and heroes, they frequently emulate their favorite writers,” Bavaria says. “Most authors will tell you they were inspired by a favorite writer.”