In addition to multiple-choice exams, students are often asked to complete a short, timed writing assignment. Help your child do better on these tests by building her writing skills. Here’s how:• Try a new approach to asking, “What did you do in school today?” Once a week, have your child write you a letter describing something that happened in school. Not only will your child get great practice, but you may find out what happened in school!• Take your child to interesting places, filled with sights, sounds and smells. Children write better when they are describing things they have actually experienced. A trip to the airport, a fire station or a local bakery will give your child lots to write about. • Give your child many opportunities to write. When she brings home an A on her science test, ask, “Why don’t you write about that to grandma?”

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