My Middle Schooler Won't Write and Says He Hates Writing!, Part 2

By Michelle Tucker

©2010 Michelle Tucker 

     The "just sit and write" method doesn't always work.  If it's not working for your student/child and it's not working for you as the parent, you might want to get some helpful resources.  I have used these and highly recommend them:

Resources:

Generating Ideas/Getting Started-

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  If a child cannot think of what to write about, The Daily Spark - Journal Writing warm-up activities is a small booklet with 180 exercises that motivate, encourage creative thinking, asks interesting, inspiring questions, and cover a wide variety of topics, from philosohical questions to life goals.  I've used this with my students and children.  It helps them get started, especially if they've been journaling these each day.  Then they have a large selection of writing starts from which to select from, later when they have an assignment.

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  Kidspiration 3 is a computer software, with icons that the child grades K-5th can place in order or in a writing web.  It is a visual learning software produced by Inspiration Software, Inc.  Then, with a click of the button, the pictures and any word the child types with it, appear as sentences, even paragraphs, that can be printed.  Elementary aged children (and middle school children who won't write otherwise) love this program.  I've used it with the most reluctant writers in middle school.  They were initially motivated, because it is on the computer with icons.  They like selecting icons for their ideas.  Once they see how easy, friendly and visual it is, they are willing to use it to type/write their paragraphs. 
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  Inspiration 9 is also produced by Inspiration Software, Inc.  Inspiration 9, a tool for visual maping, is an aide to writing essays and reports.  This sophisticated program is for older children/students grade 6th - adults.  I used Inspiration 9 with my 7th grade Resource students who needed to write essays and reports for their academic classes.  Extrememly motivating, the students spent more time thinking and re-working their ideas and writing on Inspiration.  This software has every kind of graphic organizer and templates for each type of writing and content area writing.  As in Kidspiration, Inspiration also will take the information (icons and words typed) and with a click, transform it into a first draft ready to print.

Instructional-

• Write! Foundations and Models for Proficiency have separate workbooks Levels A-G (Level A is approximately Kindergarten level writing, Level G is approximately 6th grade Level Writing.  Starting in Level D, your child is taught expository essays.  These workbooks are so user-friendly, that your child can work through them on his/her own.  Colorful, clear with many examples and motivating steps that are broken down the Write! workbooks motivate reluctant writers!   I've used these with students and my children.  During homeschooling, my children would work in these all on their own.  They loved these!

I've taught writing for 13 years using these products, as they were the best to motivate students to do their best writing!