Writing can be an overwhelming skill to develop. It requires so many elements to produce a really well-written piece of work, and it is easy for kids to feel the weight of that pressure. Just think of some of the things we as parents and educators look for as kids develop writing skills.
The above are just some examples of how many elements kids have to consider for a single writing assignment. For kids with writing challenges, these elements feel even more overwhelming.
So let's break down this writing process. Consider just a few of the elements you highlight as most valuable for a specific lesson and have the student focus on those elements. You'll relieve some of the pressure and increase their ability to focus on the writing.
Give tangible goals to your kids for writing. Try these tickets as a way to remind your children about specific areas of focus. Each ticket has a limited number of goals, appropriate to where they are with their writing skills. Kids can mark off each ticket with a pen, crayon, or marker, or you can take a hole-punch and punch the holes by the particular element when you agree the goal is reached. If you feel like a reward is necessary, let your student use the tickets to "buy" something - a new book, small trinket, or special privilege.
- Neat handwriting
- Correct punctuation
- Correct grammar
- Appropriate use of language (i.e. using "sad" when "scared" fits better)
- Correct spelling
- Complete sentence structures
- Comprehensive paragraphs (have clear main ideas)
- Comprehensive organization (steps are clear, main idea is supported by evidence, etc.)
- Instructions are followed (if the assignment is to write a factual report about frogs, the paper isn't about the frog the student saw last summer at Grandma's)
- Language level is met or exceeded (in our house we call this "penny words" versus "quarter words" - the goal is to use the language that is richer and more descriptive)
The above are just some examples of how many elements kids have to consider for a single writing assignment. For kids with writing challenges, these elements feel even more overwhelming.
So let's break down this writing process. Consider just a few of the elements you highlight as most valuable for a specific lesson and have the student focus on those elements. You'll relieve some of the pressure and increase their ability to focus on the writing.
Give tangible goals to your kids for writing. Try these tickets as a way to remind your children about specific areas of focus. Each ticket has a limited number of goals, appropriate to where they are with their writing skills. Kids can mark off each ticket with a pen, crayon, or marker, or you can take a hole-punch and punch the holes by the particular element when you agree the goal is reached. If you feel like a reward is necessary, let your student use the tickets to "buy" something - a new book, small trinket, or special privilege.