The Writer's Choice grammar and
composition textbook has been selected for use in your son
or daughter's language arts classroom, and you have every
reason to be excited. As your child embarks on a year of
growth and discovery, he or she will be working in partnership
with a textbook that empowers students to use writing as
a tool for learning; that demystifies the process of writing;
and that enables students to become critical thinkers, active
listeners, effective speakers, and compassionate members
of their classroom community.
You may ask, "How can I too be a partner
to my child's learning? How can I help my child grow as a
writer, especially if my own writing skills are not as strong
as they could be?" The answer is simple: stay active and
involved in your child's learning process.
Encourage your child by
asking questions about the
challenges he or she faces as a developing writer
honing your listening skills
and being a sounding board for your child's writing ideas
inviting your child to read
aloud his or her drafts and offering feedback and advice
when asked
acting as a role model and
demonstrating the value you place on writing and on the
other communication skills you use each day
By finding and reading this letter on
the Writer's Choice Web site, you've already begun
to model for your child the process of inquiry and research.
We hope that you'll take advantage of the other resources
available on this Web site. Here you'll find an annotated
list of Web Links for Parents on a variety of subjects
that have been specifically chosen by Glencoe editors with
parents' concerns in mind. For example, some links will help
you assist your child in conducting research for writing
projects, while others contain family learning activities.
Still others address a range of issues, from bilingual education
to finding the right college. Consider making your first
stop the U.S. Department of Education's Parents Guide to
the Internet; the site will help you learn to surf with confidence,
knowledge, and awareness.
In addition, the Annotated Writing Models section of the
Parent Site will help you gain a better understanding of
the writing assignments your child will be asked to complete
this year. Reviewing student writing models and learning
the standards against which final drafts will be evaluated
will enable you to assist your child through the various
stages of the writing process.
Be sure to spend some time with the Find Your Book Here section of the Writer's
Choice Web site. For each grade level of the Writer's
Choice series, you'll find a variety of materials that
have been developed for students—and that you and
your child can explore together.
Thank you for supporting your child's
work with the Writer's Choice.
