There’s nothing better than putting pen to paper and giving your creativity the wings of the ink that flows on the paper to give shape to a masterpiece.

However, the skill of writing needs to be developed from a young age. Once you get the hang of it, writing becomes as important as anything else. 

Writing is a powerful tool that allows us to express our thoughts, share stories, and communicate with others. It is a skill that needs to be inculcated in learners at a young age.

However, the question is how to teach young writers this skill. Among many other methods, the Seven Steps method is a proven technique that breaks down the writing process for the students to learn it the same step-by-step in an easy way. 

Now that we've set the stage for the importance of writing, let's dive into the origins of a method that's transforming how we teach it.

Origin of the Seven Steps to Writing Successfully Program

Australian author and teacher Jen McVeity introduced the Seven Steps to Writing Success method in 2005. Her Seven Steps to Writing Success approach has proven to quickly improve students' writing skills and get them interested in writing.

The program has been adopted by numerous schools both in Australia and internationally, reflecting its success in enhancing students' writing skills.

McVeity emphasized the importance of talking, brainstorming, and planning before writing and the program encourages group and paired activities. Let's look at how to use this strategy to teach writing to young students.

• Plan for Success

How often do you ask your children to plan for things and they ignore your advice? Or if you ask them to think before writing and they just don’t listen? Well, that’s because young learners usually don’t understand the importance of thinking. It is important to instill the habit of thinking and brainstorming in them from a young age. 

What you can do is explain to them that thinking is necessary to get new and original ideas. Begin with assigned time for thinking and brainstorming before the writing exercise. 

If you are doing the writing exercise at school, divide students into groups and assign different topics to think about before they start writing. If you are a parent who’s doing the brainstorming exercise with their child, try to come up with different ideas with them and make it a combined activity.

• Sizzling Starts 

Once the groundwork is laid and the children are sure what they want to write about, introduce them to different ways they can start the story. One important part of doing the same is telling them the story should begin right at the time of action. Not at the beginning of the day, or the week, but when the actual thing is happening. 

You might come across many stories written by your little ones that start with “once upon a time…”, “I think that”, or “I woke up and got ready for school…”. When reading those stories afterward, tell the kids that this part is unnecessary and they should think about movies where the characters directly reach the location of the action. They don’t travel or get ready and do regular things. It will help them identify the unnecessary details and remove them. 

• Tightening Tension

Any story comes to life when there is a larger-than-life conflict that seems unsolvable to everyone. To keep readers engaged, develop suspense and tension throughout the plot. This can be accomplished by adding conflict and challenges to the characters. 

The readers should be convinced that the hero is bound to fail this conflict. Whether it be the villain being too evil or the situation being too difficult. Eventually, when the lead character comes out of the conflict with their resilience, that’s when the readers will stay hooked to the narrative. 

• Dynamic Dialogue

Dialogue is an effective tool for advancing the plot and revealing people’s personalities. Teaching kids to write realistic and compelling interactions can help their stories come to life. It's also a good idea to encourage students to express their thoughts before writing them down, as this can lead to more natural and dynamic dialogue.

Another way of adding weightage to this dialogue is quoting from real people like experts, celebrities, or ordinary individuals — to add vibrancy to your writing. Things like these add depth to the characters and reveal more about them. 

• Show, Don’t Tell

Think about any story and try to identify why you remember that particular story. Is there a probability that a visual story is more memorable to you compared to something plain that you read randomly? Engaging the senses is an important part of writing. 

When you are writing a story, make sure to show what’s happening instead of just telling the story. What makes it more memorable is if your readers can imagine what is happening to the characters and if they can feel anything because of the same. Teach your kids to use sensory details and vivid descriptions to engage readers. 

• Ban the Boring

As discussed in the first point, nobody wants to read the mundane activities. Identifying and deleting dull sections of the story is critical for keeping readers interested. Urge your students to keep their stories interesting and well-paced throughout. 

Giving students advice on how to retain interest and reduce superfluous details will help them write more appealing stories. It can be helpful to proofread the stories later and include students in doing so. It will not only help them understand the importance of removing unnecessary parts but also build a habit of proofreading. 

• Exciting Endings

A great story is of no use if the ending of the story doesn’t hold up to the same mark. The ending makes the story memorable and timeless. A memorable and fulfilling conclusion is required to make a lasting impression on the reader. Teaching kids about various kinds of endings and encouraging creativity when crafting their story's ends might help them write more effectively.

Encourage them to find the most impactful way to end their stories so they leave an impression on the readers. 

Consistency and Repetition in Learning

One thing to remember is that consistency in learning and skill development is essential. Consistency in learning, clear goals, and regular practice opportunities can help improve writing skills. Repetition is essential for mastering these skills and becoming a competent writer. You can also tailor your lessons as per your child’s grasping power and knowledge of these skills.

We recognize that it can be challenging to incorporate all these activities at home. To make it easier for you and more engaging for your kids, FunFox offers a myriad of activities to develop your child’s writing skills. If you want to help your child improve their writing skills, join our Writers Club.

Conclusion

We hope that this Seven Steps technique will help you in developing your child’s writing skills as it is a vital skill that is much more than just communication. It is an art form that allows us to capture the essence of our thoughts and share them with the world. Through writing, we can influence minds, touch hearts, and shape the course of history. Open a world of possibilities by helping them master the art of writing.