Pen Pal Letter Writing for Homeschoolers

Incorporate Pen Friend Letter Exchanges to Any Home School Program

Oct 1, 2009 Kelly Mendoza

Having a homeschooler write to a pen pal is a great way to enhance any curriculum and add some fun to their school day.

Writing to pen pals has become a thing of the past for a lot of kids these days. With some encouragement, kids can reap the benefits of a friendship that spans the country or even the globe. Having a pen pal from another country can be a jumping off point for many lessons in a homeschool day.

Writing Skills Can Be Enhanced by Writing to a Pen Pal

Perhaps the most obvious academic aspect of having a pen pal is in the improvement of writing skills. Writing is oftentimes the most resisted activity in the homeschool day.

Writing a coherent sentence, paragraph or essay are important skills children must learn. There are hundreds of story starters and writing prompts, both in books as well as online, but a great way to get kids excited about writing is to have them write to a friend.

Kids will have an incentive to spell words correctly, use complete sentences and incorporate proper grammar and punctuation. They will also learn the parts and format of a friendly letter. Students can brainstorm what they would like to write to a friend, write a rough draft, edit and then write a final draft. They may want to type their letter on their computer and print it out to mail, practicing keyboarding. Students will also practice how to properly address an envelope.

A Homeschooler May Practice Geography Skills Because of a Pen Pal Friendship

If the student’s pen pal is from another country, a unit study of that country could be incorporated into the homeschooling day. Students can use online resources or traditional books from the library or the home to find information about the country. Kids can create brochures touting the country’s landmarks and geographical features. Students can also include information of what products the country produces. Research skills as well as writing skills would be incorporated into this project.

Math Skills May be Enhanced Through a Homeschool Pen Pal Program

Students can practice math skills by researching the population of their pen pal’s country at different times of its history and comparing the growth. The student can also convert currency and calculate how much is needed in order to buy everyday objects. They may also look at a map to figure out the distance to their pen pal’s home.

Having a Pen Pal Will Allow Students to Practice a Foreign Language

What better way to practice the written aspect of a foreign language than to practice it with a native? Students can practice a language through letters and their pen pals can practice their English as well. Eventually, the students may be able to have a conversation on the phone in order to practice the language conversationally.

Technology May Be Used by Homeschoolers to Stay in Touch With Pen Pals

Traditional letter writing is rapidly becoming a thing of the past but with a little encouragement, kids can still have the opportunity to exchange letters with a friend. Still, our lives are surrounded by technology and we cannot ignore it. There may be times in the student’s long-distance friendship when technology could be very useful. Email can provide a quick response from a pen pal. Skype can also provide a fun and free face-to-face conversation for the pen pals, no matter where the other child is located.

Having a pen pal provides a wealth of opportunities, both academically as well as socially. Perhaps letter exchanges will lead to lifelong friendships. Finding the perfect fit in a pen pal might be the biggest challenge. There are many pen pal networks online. Doing a search of “international pen pals for kids” on the internet will bring up many, many results. As always, parents should preview any and all correspondence directed to a child.

The copyright of the article Pen Pal Letter Writing for Homeschoolers in Homeschooling is owned by Kelly Mendoza . Permission to republish Pen Pal Letter Writing for Homeschoolers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Pen Pals Offer Writing Practice for Homeschoolers

International Pen Pals Bring Kids Together