I hadn’t been working at U CAN LEARN for very long before I discovered that the majority of students who are struggling academically in reading, math, etc., were also really struggling with writing. Once I began having the students write, even if it was a few sentences a session, I noticed that many other things started to improve. Handwriting, vocabulary, creativity, reading comprehension and spelling all started to naturally increase. Don’t get me wrong, we put emphasis in other places too, but I was amazed at how writing was able to help the students really put to use what they were learning in other areas. Even the most reluctant student has learned to love writing here, and the confidence they gain from using a skill they feel they have improved was really rewarding for me and the other tutors.
Writing is a challenge! It’s also intimidating to think about writing something and having someone else read and critique it. Common fears I hear often are, “What if the reader doesn’t like it?” or “What if I make mistakes or don’t spell the words right?” When a student is reluctant or fearful to write, they have a mental block against it and are convinced that they can’t produce a “worthy” story. These students need lots of coaxing and practice, as well as heavy praise in order to overcome their fears. This post will give you one way to help your student overcome their fear of writing. Check back for the other tried-and-true tips coming soon!
Tip 1: Fostering Creativity
Students who are struggling academically may find it hard to think of an interesting story. Others may struggle to get their thoughts down on paper, so what comes out is usually very simple. Know that simple is a great place to start! If they have a hard time thinking of WHAT to write about, try giving them a prompt. Sometimes we will use 3 stickers, pictures or toys that they need to use in their story. We also let them write about what they like; sports, animals, vacations, technology, superpowers. If it’s interesting to them, they will write. You can also ask questions like, “What if there was no such thing as electricity?” or, “What would you do if you were the President of the United States for a day?” You will be amazed at what you come up with! I can’t stress enough that whatever they write is acceptable. The more practice they have, the better they will get. Foster creativity by giving them ideas for characters or names. Help in the creative stage is okay when they are just starting out. After some time, you will notice that they no longer need/want your ideas and can be creative all on their own.
It’s also very important at this stage that we don’t worry about exact spelling, periods, capitols, etc. You can help them fix some mistakes, yes, but don’t be a perfectionist. In my experience, once I relax about spelling and punctuation, the student is more excited to write. Once they’re excited to write, they will be less fragile to correct. Also, writing can increase spelling ability and you’d be surprised that your student will start to notice and correct his or her own mistakes.
This is just one area of writing that I hope will improve for your fearful or hesitant writer. Check back for more tips, and happy writing!
Jenna