What Are Writing Conventions?
Is it your first time hearing the term “writing conventions?” It’s likely to show up in your child’s language arts assignments. The best explanation of writing norms is that they are the elements that aid in the clarity and comprehension of writing. When the audience can finish reading without having to stop to puzzle out what was actually intended, learning these writing standards becomes apparent.
However, for students, writing standards aren’t always the most interesting element of language arts. That’s because they necessitate learning regulations and then editing one’s work to ensure that those rules have been obeyed.
The Main Writing Conventions
Although students may not be aware that the objective is to make what they write easier to understand, teachers will provide them with a lot of training in each of the convention areas. If one or more of your pupils are having trouble in one or more of these areas, remind them why they’re studying. Knowing why conventions exist can sometimes assist young writers over the hump of boredom.
The key writing conventions include:
Spelling: Even before they are conscious of it, children begin learning to spell. They come to know the letters, see words, and grasp the letters in their name. They also learn that spelling has rules that must be followed. They also learn that many of those guidelines are frequently broken, which leads to the development of new regulations. However, accurate spelling might make a huge difference in one’s life. Ask any employer how many resumes they have rejected because they were riddled with spelling mistakes.
Punctuation: Writing wouldn’t make much sense without punctuation. Consider the following example: I didn’t want to go, but she insisted that I had to if I didn’t, I would never discover the truth. It’s not very easy to comprehend, is it? Punctuation aids in the correct interpretation of material. When we speak, we have a variety of methods to express ourselves: rhythm, tone, and pausing appropriately. We don’t have that option with writing; therefore good punctuation serves the same purpose.
Capitalization: Capitalization helps us distinguish between words that begin a new sentence (as well as punctuation), words that are proper names, and phrases that are titles. It aids in the emphasis of certain terms and the reduction of long phrases into acronyms with smaller written space and which are frequently more memorable. The good news for pupils is that capitalization rules are rigid; therefore, once they’ve been learned, students shouldn’t have further issues with them.
Grammar: The structure of our language, and how words are used to construct a sentence, is known as grammar. There are numerous regulations to obey, and on occasion, there are even more than that. However, utilizing good grammar helps you to get your message across in such a way that it’s simple for your readers to comprehend.
Students must learn the following elements of grammar:
- sentence and paragraph structure
- phrases and clauses
- parts of speech
- word-choice
Learning Writing Conventions
For students who are just learning how to write, there’s no better way to get started than with Time4Writing. We offer courses for elementary, middle, and high school writers that not only teach writing styles but also put them into practice so that kids can naturally incorporate them. Click the links below to learn more about each of the eight-week online programs that can help your student develop a written expression that is clear, comprehensible, and readable – now and throughout their future life.
