Many times in Facebook groups, I’ve seen a question from desperate mamas about how to help her children who are reluctant writers.

Believe me I’ve been there. My son is still a reluctant writer.

But when I saw those posts, I started sharing some of my experiences and I came up with seven strategies. Maybe these ideas will help some of you who have this same struggle.

Before I get into the ideas, let me just share a little bit about my son and I. First of all, I have a BA in creative writing. I LOVE writing! I especially love journal writing the old-fashioned way with pen and paper. I got good grades in college because I thrived on writing essays.

So flash forward many years later when I discovered that my son, Sam, has dysgraphia. This is a disconnect between the brain and hands. He was a reluctant reader years ago and is a reluctant writer.
I came to realize that he has a difficulty in getting the thoughts in his brain out of his mouth and onto the paper.

But how could I break down the writing process step by step? I love writing and it comes naturally to me. How was I going to teach it to him with all his challenges?

Knowing that having Aspergers is a factor, I began to seek for answers. I am still in process but what I have done so far has worked.

I started with the fact that he is a visual and kinesthetic learner. So here are the five steps I took:

1) Reading aloud. Throughout our schooling time, reading aloud to Sam has always been a huge part of our homeschooling. We read mostly high-quality literature, especially classics, and interesting informational books.

2) Sentence building. I used poetry magnets and wrote on blank magnets. I used a variety of the parts of speech. Often the words came from our unit study’s vocabulary. I had him arrange the magnets in sentences. I started with a sentence with some words left out and gave him several choices. We built up a word bank and displayed these on our freezer, which is in our schoolroom. I have also used index cards and games I bought at the school supply store.

3) Asking questions. This is something I instituted this year. I read a few paragraphs and then I ask Sam some questions about the passage. He must answer me in full sentences. It’s annoying to him, but he does it.

4) Dictation. I dictate to him some sentences from the books we’re reading and he types them into the computer. The spellcheck is turned OFF. At the end, I have him correct a sentence from the book that I purposely get wrong.

5) Copywork. I have him copy some sentences in cursive handwriting. If he has a struggle I emphasize it. For instance, he was confused about commas, so I made sure the sentences have parenthetical clauses.

6) Dictating sentences to me. Using the vocabulary words, I have him dictate sentences to me. He likes to be creative, so I let him think about any subject he desires. If it’s about cats, so be it!

7) Creativity. This is something I want to do more of. One time last year, we wrote Haikus. Sam suggested we have a poetry war. He would write something about what I’m phobic about, which is bees, and I would write something about what he is phobic about, spiders. We each wrote the poems and illustrated it. The result was delightful and he had a lot of fun!

These are the basic tools that I use to help Sam with his writing. It’s not easy but I know that he’s benefiting. Of course, this is all done in the context of spelling using his vocabulary words. I used KONOS for grammar (the Obedience book) until I felt he was getting stuck.

Many of my ideas come from Total Language Plus and the research I’ve done online regarding reluctant writers.

reluctant readerIf you have a reluctant writer, you just might have a reluctant reader, too! Here’s a collection of fairy tales that your children won’t be able to put down! Get your signed copy by purchasing here.

Please follow and like us:
RSS
Facebook
Facebook
Twitter
Visit Us
Follow Me
YouTube
YouTube
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Instagram

Get Started in Your Own Business! Got Teens? Help Them, Too! Get this business start-up checklist and journal.

Enter your name and email address below and click the "Get Instant Access" button to receive your free Viable Business Checklist and Journal.

Success! Check your inbox!

Get Your Devotional Plan!

Enter your name and email and we will send you the Devotional Plan

You were successfull!