One of the most controversial of Charlotte Mason’s principles is how she viewed the teaching of composition.

‘Composition’ comes by Nature.––In fact, lessons on ‘composition’ should follow the model of that famous essay on “Snakes in Ireland”––”There are none.” For children under nine, the question of composition resolves itself into that of narration, varied by some such simple exercise as to write a part and narrate a part, or write the whole account of a walk they have taken, a lesson they have studied, or of some simple matter that they know. Before they are ten, children who have been in the habit of using books will write good, vigorous English with ease and freedom; that is, if they have not been hampered by instructions. It is well for them not even to learn rules for the placing of full stops and capitals until they notice how these things occur in their books. Our business is to provide children with material in their lessons, and leave the handling of such material to themselves. If we would believe it, composition is as natural as jumping and running to children who have been allowed due use of books. They should narrate in the first place, and they will compose, later readily enough; but they should not be taught ‘composition.’

Did you get that last sentence?  Not teach composition?  Let’s look again at her thoughts restated in modern English:

1. Under the age of nine, composition should not be taught as a subject. Rather, children should narrate, either orally or in combination with writing, about an experience they have had or on a subject with which they are familiar.
2. Children who have been exposed to the best in literature will automatically be able to express themselves in writing.
3. Punctuation (grammar) should be taught using the books they are reading for examples rather than in isolation.
4. She intimated here and states more clearly elsewhere: Children are to be exposed to superior literature and be allowed to interact with it themselves without us voluminously interpreting and explaining it to them.

One of the keys to understanding this teaching is that she is discussing younger elementary children, not middle school and high school children.  In our curriculum we do not recommend formal composition instruction prior to the age of nine (third grade) – and by that I mean teaching children to write reports, summaries of literature or anything requiring more advanced reasoning skills or even requiring more than a very short paragraph at a time.

Some of the popular Charlotte Mason ‘interpreters’ believe Charlotte did not have children do any writing during those earlier years, but she did specifically state in the quote above (from Volume I, The Original Home Schooling Series) that narrations could be all or part in writing, even for children below nine.

Although we don’t believe children are to jump right into school with copious quantities of writing, as more classically oriented curricula often suggest, we do feel there are many skills involved in learning to write and they are more easily learned if they are taught using real books and reinforced through copy work in the earlier years. Some CM purists might disagree.  We do keep those lessons very brief and always in conjunction with books written at the child’s comprehension level, but we utilize copy work from first grade on and we include basic punctuation and grammar, as you can see in this first grade sample week  from our first grade plans here.

Although in #2 above Ms. Mason assumes that children exposed to high quality literature will be able to write automatically, I can’t say that has been my experience for all children.  Some have definitely been more natural writers than others, in my opinion, and some have benefited by more detailed writing instruction.  But not in the first few grades — save it for later elementary.

One can’t underestimate what young children learn and absorb through hearing and reading top quality literature, however, we shortchange them if we don’t answer their questions and clarify areas that they obviously do not understand, paying close attention to their attention span and interest level.  In Endangered Minds: Why Children Don’t Think And What We Can Do About It, Dr. Healy describes just how important discussion between parents and children is to developing children’s verbal and language skills, and the more conversation, the better.  Mind, I am not talking about  daily lecturing your primary-aged learners! If your find your children’s eyes glazing over and they suddenly disappear at read-aloud time, consider that you may have crossed the line.  This time with literature is to be enjoyed, not analyzed to death.

I would love to hear how some of you long-time Charlotte Mason fans have dealt with composition in your home schools.  Have you taught writing using traditional CM methods or used another curriculum?  At what age did you begin composition instruction?  I appreciate your input – it helps all of us!

Blessings,

An extensive knowledge of the exact meanings of English words accompanies outstanding success in this country more often than any other single characteristic we have been able to isolate and measure. —Research Scientist Johnson O’Connor

An extensive vocabulary is a valuable tool that will help your children in every arena of their lives: academically, vocationally and socially.  An excellent vocabulary will improve one’s ability to comprehend other’s ideas,  understand the ‘grammar’ of a field of study, and to better articulate one’s own thoughts, opinions and beliefs. In our family, the development of an excellent vocabulary is one of the benefits of a Charlotte Mason education that we have observed firsthand.

How is Vocabulary Developed?

Vocabulary is developed by immersing children in high quality literature – in other words -  living books.  Generally, it is not by vocabulary programs and workbooks. Although those have their place, nothing exposes children to a broad, varied vocabulary like reading exceptional books. Many exceptional books.

Even before children painstakingly learn to blend vowels and consonants, their minds should be stimulated by hearing top notch literature.  In fact, even Ms. Mason was amazed that young children were able not just to grasp, but truly enjoy books that were several ‘levels’ beyond their own.  Exposed frequently at an early age to living books resulted in children “acquiring a copious vocabulary,” according to Ms. Mason.

Do I Have to Stop and Look up Every Word I Don’t Know?

It seems logical to have children look up the words they don’t know, doesn’t it?  Surprisingly, Ms. Mason did not agree.  She felt as though it was demeaning to children even to offer explanations for words unless they asked.  She quite definitively proclaimed that explaining the words destroyed children’s interest in the story and ‘just flat annoyed’ them!  So how did she think they would learn words they didn’t know?  Charlotte felt that most of the time they had some idea of what a word meant by the context in which it was found.  She felt if children read broadly enough, they would encounter words in different contexts and eventually glean quite a competent understanding of them.

So How Do We Help Our Kids Add to Their Vocabulary?

There are a few things we can do to help our children learn new words:

1. Teach children to try and figure out new words by their context. Walk them through the process as you are reading to them if they ask about a word: What is the author talking about here? What do you think it could mean?  What other word might fit in that spot (based on the rest of the sentence)?
2. Model enthusiasm for learning new words by circling words during your own reading that you are going to look up later.  Add them to your ongoing word list.  Talk about them.  Practice using them in sentences.
3. Pick out vocabulary words from their history and science reading and have them learn the words at another time – not during their reading time.  Epi Kardia’s Daily Lesson Plans use this method.
4. For children third grade an up, have them start two lists in their language arts notebooks: one for Tired Words and one for WOW! Words. (For those of you who use Epi Kardia curriculum, those charts are in the Tools section of your Manuals.)

For example, Tired Words are words that are overused, nonexpressive and imprecise.  Words like good, bad, pretty, mad, great and nice are bland, boring and don’t convey much to your reader.  Help your children ‘collect’ more interesting words that will add zing to their writing.  On their WOW! Words chart they could add: virtuous, dreadful, gorgeous, furious, tremendous and mannerly. (Be sure to read their work aloud with the Tired words and then with the WOW! words — they will be amazed at the difference!) During their composition lessons, teach them to replace their Tired words with WOW! words. When you find an overused or nondescript word in their writing, it should be added to their Tired Words list, to be forever banned from appearing in their writing.  Have your children add to both lists regularly, and as you teach them to self-edit, have them eventually identify and replace any Tired words they find on their own without any help from you.

But most importantly, read, read, read!  If you do, you will be surprised at the words your children will learn and begin using in their conversation!  Have you not found that to be true in your own homeschool?

Happy reading!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The idea of writing about books is not new –remember those boring book reports (snore!) we had to write? However, writing a book review of a well-loved, exciting book in order to convince someone else to read it is much easier to sell and much more fun to write.  For some students, posting the review on Amazon.com afterward makes it even more enticing!  This lesson is excerpted from the Ancients unit of our Middle School-1 lesson plans but could be adapted for younger or older students:

(Note: for many students, especially younger ones, it is very helpful to talk through the answers to these questions ahead of time. Either the student and/or teacher may take notes for the student to use when actually writing the review.)

1.  The first paragraph should be an introductory paragraph, including the title of the book and the author’s name. This should be followed by a few overview sentences stating why another student would want to read the book.  (i.e., It was one of the most exciting stories…/…had one of my favorite characters/…had an inspirational ending/…was about my favorite subject or period of history, etc.)

2. The next paragraph should tell what the story is about and include the main conflict, or problem, of the story.  (An example from the book Hittite Warrior: A young Hittite, Uriah, makes a promise on his father’s death bed and has to travel alone to foreign lands in search of a man named Sisera, whom Uriah hopes will take him in.)

3.  In the following paragraph, your student should tell about his favorite parts of the book. A few incidents will be enough–caution him about writing down too many parts or going into too much detail here.

4.  The last paragraph should include the main message of the book and should restate what the book meant to him or what he learned from reading it. Your student may want to add one final statement about why someone else would want to read this book.

Additional points:

For more ideas about teaching writing, review our Reluctant Writer series.

Happy Writing!

Dana

Last week, Patti, of South Carolina, won the 40th anniversary edition of To Kill a Mockingbird in our Christmas Book Give Away! Thanks for commenting, Patti, and congratulations! This week, Beth looks at creative reading gift ideas for children of all ages! If you have a gift idea related to reading, please comment and let our other readers know about it. Just click on the link below and submit your comment at the end of the blog.

By commenting on this blog and joining our mailing list (from the right sidebar or on our website) you’ll automatically be entered in our Christmas Book Give Away. This week, we’ll draw a winner for Prayers for Homeschool Moms by Michelle Howe. It’s an awesome book to help you start the new year encouraged by the prayers and stories of fellow homeschool parents! 

 Remembering the reason for the season, in Christ,

Dana

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My son, John Paul, and I both woke up so excited this morning. He slept in, which was a real treat for him and I had several hours to myself, which was amazing for me. It’s the first day of our Christmas holiday! No school demands! What a blessing! As much as we really do love home schooling, when breaks arrive, we’re both always appreciative. With that in mind, it seemed like the perfect time for a blog about fun reading gift ideas.

I have always been thrilled about opening a book as a gift. However, although both of my children are avid readers, a book is rarely the first item on their wish lists. For many home school children, constantly exposed to great books throughout the year, a book gift may seem a little mundane. However, the gift of reading can often be paired with other gifts or presented in a whole new light, adding joy to an otherwise ordinary gift. Check out the following ideas for some creative "packaging" to stimulate the brain and bring some Christmas cheer.

 For the Very Young

 Bedtime Book Basket – Combine a few bedtime books; a new doll, stuffed animal, pillow or blanket with which to sleep; a nightlight; and brand new pajamas in a simple crate or basket. Your child can keep the basket beside his bed providing a fun ritual for bedtime. Put on his pj’s, select a book and snuggle up with Mom and Dad in preparation for sweet dreams. Some recommended bedtime books:

Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (my daughter, Ally’s, favorite as a toddler)

The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton – this book comes in a fun lap size for a very reasonable price!

Poems and Prayers for the Very Young by Martha Alexander – an endearing first book of poetry.

All of God’s Creatures – Pair up a Noah’s Ark set with an awesome animal book. Both Play Mobile and Fisher Price make adorable Noah’s Ark sets, but for an even softer version, try the SS Noah Soft Sculpture Playset by Pockets of Learning. Not only are the characters soft and cuddly, they also can be easily stored and carried around without injury! While there are a multitude of animal books out there for youngsters, one that covers a lot of ground and can even alternate as a learning tool is My Big Animal Book by Roger Priddy. Simple rhymes and clear photographs make this an ideal attention getter for younger children.

Ages 4-8

Transportation – Start with a large vehicle, like a dump truck, and use it to hold fun, classic transportation books such as:

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton – this Caldecott winning book also comes with a CD making it perfect for taking along on holiday travels.

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. There is also a game that compliments this book.

It’s All About Love! – some sweet books together with a giant floor puzzle say I love you at the holidays.

Because I Love You by Max Lucado – a precious story illustrating God’s love for us.

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney – a simple story of love. You can also get the floor puzzle!

Ages 9-12

Culinary Craziness – This is the perfect age to really build interest in the culinary arts. Begin with a large mixing bowl and fill it with basic cooking gear, an apron, recipe cards, a grocery store gift card (how fun would it be to shop for your own recipes?) and an age appropriate cookbook (be sure to get spiral bound as they lay flat). Either of the following cookbooks would be ideal:

New Junior Cookbook by Better Homes and Gardens – if you have a diabetic in the family, this book even includes diabetic exchanges!

Cooking Rocks by Rachael Ray – fun and appealing, these 30 minutes meals are designed to be created by kids. She does a wonderful job of teaching basic cooking techniques in the process.

Teens

Ready, Set, Shoot! – pair up a beginning digital photography book with a reasonably priced digital camera and extra memory card. One book that will take your teen through the basics and beyond of digital photography is Digital Photography for Teens by Marc Campbell. I was impressed with the details and the fact that the author didn’t water anything down for teens while creating a book that would hold their interest.

There are probably dozens of ideas out there for incorporating books and other items to make fun Christmas gifts, but my time is running out. I need to get started on my own Christmas shopping! In the meantime, let me know about your ideas that combine reading and other activities to make awesome gifts. Just click on the link below and enter our next Christmas Book Give Away by leaving your creative ideas as a comment. If you are already a member of our mailing list, you could win Prayers for Homeschool Moms by Michelle Howe just for commenting!

 Enjoy your Christmas holidays!

In Him,

Beth

Don’t Panic!

I often use that phrase when talking to parents about their high school students, particularly when the subject of writing is involved.  High school brings about a whole new type of anxiety.  The clock seems to tick faster and many times, the student seems to be much less concerned about getting an education than the parent.  Let me reiterate…don’t panic!  You are not in control, but that’s okay…God is!

My daughter was not a reluctant writer in high school.  She was a major overachiever and while writing was not a love for her as it is for me, she wanted to please her parents and God.  Academics came easily in most cases and when something was challenging, she had serious self motivation. Little did I know that my son would be the opposite.  He has a wonderful imagination and sometimes even a good attitude, but he simply doesn’t like transferring ideas from his head to paper.  It is time consuming.  It is frustrating.  It is not fun.  It is, to put it simply, outright hard.  So, what’s a parent or teacher to do?

9 Key Points to Teaching Older Reluctant Writers

To begin with, read Part 2 of this Reluctant Writers series.  There are many ideas in that article that apply to high schoolers as well: limiting assignments, using high interest topics, and communicating clearly and often.  But high school writers are not middle school writers and they need to be treated differently in some ways.

1.  Self-editing – This skill is vital for high school students to acquire, even reluctant writers.  As with all difficult areas, begin small.  Have your student only edit for capitalization the first go around.  With every assignment, add something new to look for including punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, etc.  For Epi Kardia users, there is a self-editing tool that you can adapt and use.  It is on the Tools CD or in the Epi Kardia Parent’s Manual tools section. Begin with self-editing smaller assignments and move on to longer ones as your student begins to build confidence.

2.  Modeling – Whether you realize it or not, your high school student is watching you closely.  I didn’t realize this until my daughter was at college and we talked about it.  Make sure that your high schooler sees you writing, even if it’s just email.  Let him or her “catch” you reading your email aloud back to yourself so that you can edit it.  For boys, it is even more important for them to see Dad or male siblings doing this.  Boys often develop an attitude that academics, and especially writing, are “girl” things.  You probably self-edit without even thinking about it.  I rarely send an email without reading it aloud.  It is not uncommon for my child to walk in and find me talking to the computer. Okay…sometimes it’s frustration! However, it’s often me reading my writing aloud.

3.  Ask your high schooler for help – I know this sounds odd, particularly for a reluctant writer. However, when a student perceives himself as needed, it builds confidence.  You may ask your student to help out by reading a short assignment from a younger sibling or even something you have written yourself.  Obviously, you don’t want to ask him to do something that is beyond his ability at the time, so be sure to work through basic self-editing skills prior to making such a request.

Why all of this focus on editing?  Students who can edit their own work feel better about themselves and build confidence.  Editing is a different skill than writing and it is not uncommon for a reluctant writer, at this level, to understand how writing should look without being excited about doing it himself.  As well, the more editing practice that occurs the better the writing skills later.

4.  Essay writing – the basic essay styles (expository, narrative, persuasive, comparison/contrast and descriptive) are vital for high school students to master.

• Work on the styles one by one moving from simplest in form (expository, narrative and descriptive) to more difficult (persuasive and comparison/contrast).  Most students like certain styles over others which is natural.  Be as encouraging as possible when your student finds a style that fits his personality and consider even adding an additional assignment to fit that style.  It will build confidence.  Allow more time for the styles that do not appeal to your student.
• Before beginning any essay writing, read through examples of essays in that style to help your student have a very clear understanding of the format.  Reassure your student that there will be multiple draft opportunities to get it right.
• Outlining is essential for every student (different outline types are discussed in the Epi Kardia Parent’s Manual) and mastering this skill will provide structure and again, build confidence in a reluctant writer’s ability to get the assignment completed.
• Consider writing an essay together.  While this may feel like pulling teeth, it is well worth the effort.  It will also remind you of how challenging it can be to complete such assignment, insuring future compassion from you! 
• Vary essay lengths. Many schools push the 5 paragraph essay and yet, most colleges prefer a student with a more varied writing style.  Encourage your student to write shorter and longer essays.  You may even want to start with a mini-essay of only three paragraphs.  Descriptive essays are good candidates for this writing assignment.
• Be patient.  Yes, the clock is ticking, but four years of high school can include a wide variety of experiences.  Also remember that your student will grow and mature more in those four years so every problem need not be tackled in the freshman year.

5.  Practical writing skills allow a high school student to practice writing without the pressure of a graded assignment.  Thank you notes, emailing correspondence (yes, you can say that no emails will be sent to relatives without being edited first), writing a resume, even writing a description for selling an item on Ebay or in the newspaper can be valuable experience.

6.  Tie writing into what your student loves.  If your student has a strong interest in music, have him write song lyrics.  If he loves to read, relate assignments to his free time reading rather than books from his literature class.  I once discovered that a writing student of mine, who perceived himself as a non-writer, could write technical material explaining the complex workings of a paintball gun like a pro.  He soon realized that he was definitely a writer and could continue on to other things, but his love for paint ball brought out skills he didn’t realize he had.  Sometimes removing the focus from the writing itself and putting it on the highly interesting subject can be all it takes for a student to get the job done.

7.  Research papers are a fact of high school life.  The great thing about a research paper is that it can be broken down into smaller components and worked on a little at a time.  See the Epi Kardia Parent’s Manual for more information about how to teach a research paper assignment.  Most students take a semester to write a paper, but for a reluctant writer, consider taking up to one school year.  There are no rules about how long it should take, but a college bound high school student should have at least two research papers under his belt by graduation.  For reluctant writers, the topic will make all of the difference.  With the first experience, most definitely allow the student to select the topic.  You may want him to give you a list of possibilities and you narrow it down, but it should be topic of interest.  Keep the first research paper shorter (6-10 pages) for a reluctant writer.  Even a shorter paper will seem overwhelming.  Communicate clearly about how there will be significant time and the work will be broken up with smaller deadlines throughout the year, then stick with those deadlines as much as possible.  If there is an issue keeping the deadline, don’t let it be a result of your neglect (not having something graded on time, not getting your student to the library, etc.).  Nothing is more discouraging to a student than being told that his work is so important but perceiving by your actions or lack of action that the work is not.  Grade each segment of the process because there is less pressure with multiple grades than one major grade.

8.  Considered writing projects or paired writing. Often high school students will contribute more and gain more confidence if they are not alone in their endeavors.  Discuss this with your student prior to making any decisions.  If your student is adamant about not wanting to write with another student, don’t push it.  In my experience, however, most students feel less pressure when more than one person is involved.

9.  Look into writing courses.  This may seem odd for a student who is already insecure about his abilities, but again, I have found through teaching high school writing courses that male students, in particular, respond better in a structured, class setting.  They often work harder because they do not want to appear incapable in front of their peers.  It is essential to interview the instructor if you have a truly reluctant writer.  Reluctant writers tend to achieve more with teachers who have a sense of humor and are encouraging, without allowing the student to deviate from the course.  Grace and understanding when a student is struggling balanced with accountability is not always easy to find in an instructor, but definitely not impossible.  Talking with other parents and students about instructors is typically wise.  Just remember that every parent is not looking for the same qualities in a teacher, so be sure to decide what is most important to you before making a decision.

Teaching a high school student is truly a sacrificial act for many parents.  When that student is a reluctant writer, the jewels on the crown increase exponentially!  Just remember that this is only aspect of your student and that you both will make it through with prayer, patience and time.  Feel free to email us through Epi Kardia (info@epikardia.com ) if you have any specific relucant writer questions or situations. God bless and know that the fruit of your labor will not go unnoticed!

If you missed the first two posts in the series, please check out Reluctant Writers – Part 1 The Early Years and Reluctant Writers – Part 2 The Middle Years.

Reluctant writers often become more reluctant after elementary school.  Due to other physical and emotional changes, academics, in general, can be challenging at this age.  Writing, especially with the idea of editing and rewriting, brings on its own anxiety.  Amazingly enough, it is possible to get through these years productively with a reluctant writer.  Creative assignments, encouraging teaching, prayer and patience all come in handy!

Beginning a written assignment can be the most difficult step.

1.  Discuss the assignment thoroughly and explain not only what must be done but also what is expected.  Often students fear academic work because there isn’t enough direction or because the expectations seem too high.  Discussing the process of completing the written assignment can be helpful.  For example, you might tell your student that he will be writing a short report about a famous American.  Often, teachers and parents stop at this point thinking they have provided enough necessary information.  For a reluctant writer, immediate questions come to mind: What is a report exactly?  What does “short” mean?  About which famous American am I supposed to write?  Anxiety builds as the student imagines the difficulties related to the written work. Continued explanation and discussion including the following could help relieve some of that stress as well as teach the process of writing:

a. Length of the assignment, written or typed including formatting details (font size, spacing, etc.)

b. Date(s) due – for long assignments have due dates for different steps and drafts.  Remember to keep the date reasonable but not so far out that the student can procrastinate.

c. Brainstorm possible topics with your student.   Many students express concerns about having to select their own topics, especially at this age.

d. Discuss where to find Research materials and be sure that your student has sufficient access.

e. Prepare your student for editing and rewriting but don’t dwell on it.  Rewriting is typically the most difficult phase for a middle school reluctant writer because they believe that once written, the assignment is complete.  Early preparation can prevent later disputes.

2. Keep initial assignments short and break up longer assignments.  More extensive work can be broken into smaller assignments such as outlining, research and note taking (this can be broken down by resource if general note taking is too overwhelming), writing the introduction, writing the body of the paper (can be broken down by paragraphs or outline topics), writing the conclusion, drafts (2 or more, as appropriate), and the final draft.  For more information about the steps or process of writing, including evaluation, see the Epi Kardia Parent’s Manual.

3. Stay on top of your student’s progress.  Be encouraging as you correct along the way.  Reluctant writers need to know that they are being evaluated regularly or they lose momentum.  When correcting, be as gentle as possible and always point out something that the student did well.

4. Focus on one or two areas for correction.  With each draft, decide what you will be most concerned about and let the student know.  Areas of concern could be:  content of writing, sentence structure, paragraph development, grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. If you note every mistake, especially on the initial draft, your student may become overly discouraged.

5. Let your student keyboard rather than write manually.  Keyboarding is typically faster and is definitely easier when making changes to drafts.  Professional writers use keyboards, so why not students? The only exception to this will be examined in the next installment concerning high school and SAT essays.

6. For middle and high school students, let them use grammar and spell check.  Such tools reinforce correct spelling and usage despite concerns that they allow students to be lazy.  That is not typically true.

Creative assignments are also beneficial when working with reluctant writers.  Consider using some of the following:

· Journaling: daily journal writing instills the habit of writing, which is a beneficial life long skill.

· Letters: thank you notes and invitations. A pen pal can easily meet this need!

· Responding to fine art, music, poetry and movies

·      Lapbooks: offers shorter writing assignments that can be compiled into one larger assignment when complete.

· Alternate story endings: have your student rewrite the ending to a story or book you have read.

· Point of View: write about an event from someone or something else’s point of view. For example, write about King Arthur from the round table’s point of view or rewrite a fable, such as The Lion and the Mouse from the mouse’s point of view.

· Poetry, Psalms, and Riddles: practice writing verse after studying different types.

· Recipe books: this idea offers opportunities for organizing written information, writing directions, and using correct abbreviations. Extra idea: put recipes in your book from each of the different historical time periods.

· Snoring! Boring!: This assignment requires that Mom or Dad write a very boring paragraph first and then the student rewrites the paragraph making it more interesting.

· Family newsletter: send it to family members.  This is sort of a lapbook using desktop publishing.

· Advertisements: this type of writing is an opportune first step to persuasive writing. Initially, you will want to discuss different advertisements and what makes them effective with your student.

Note that the above ideas were taken from the Epi Kardia Parent’s Manual.  See the manual for more ideas!

Communication and discussion with reluctant writers is essential!  Even if they appear to not want to talk through assignments, the rewards will be seen later.  Sometimes it is best to actually allow the student to discuss his ideas and exactly what he is going to write prior to beginning an assignment.  With seriously reluctant writers, you may need to talk him through the writing as he’s doing it.  In such cases, shorter assignments are best until confidence is developed.  Allowing a student to record his thoughs on tape prior to writing can also be useful.

The goal for this age group is preparation for more serious writing of essays and research papers in high school.  A large part of this preparation is developing a taste, if not a love, for writing.  With reluctant writers, the idea that writing isn’t going away and he might as well do what he can with it may be the most you will get.  However, even that is progress!  The reality of having to write daily is difficult for reluctant writers and their teachers.  Yet, that is exactly what needs to be done.  Communicate well, keep assignments shorter until success has been achieved, be encouraging, and provide consistent daily assignments to prevent a relucant middle school writer from becoming a seriously challenging high school student!

If you missed our first post on the subject, check out Reluctant Writers – Part 1 The Early Years and the next post in this series Reluctant Writers – Part 3 High School and Beyond.