Writing Strategies for Reluctant Writers

Activities to Encourage Writing

2-Minute Write

Process:

  1. Pick a topic or word and write it on the board.
  2. Tell students they have 2 minutes to write as much as they can, in paragraph form, about the topic.
  3. The goal is to write as much as they can in the 2 minutes.
  4. They should not worry about spelling, grammar, punctuation, or usage.
  5. Quantity not quality.
  6. At the end of the 2 minutes, everyone counts the number of words they have written.

Picture Writing

Process:

  1. Give each student a blank piece of paper.
  2. Tell them they have 30 seconds to draw whatever they want on the paper.
  3. After 30 seconds, they pass the paper to the next person in the group.
  4. Repeat until all the students in the group have added to the picture and it is back where it started.
  5. The original drawer can do any of the following:
  6. Add a title to the picture
  7. Write five sentences about the picture
  8. Write a story about the picture
  9. Make a list of the nouns/adjectives in the picture

Write about a Picture (5 W’s)

Process:

  1. Give each student a picture or photograph.
  2. Have them write sentences that answer these questions:
  3. Who is in the picture?
  4. What is happening in the picture?
  5. Where was this picture taken?
  6. When was this picture taken?
  7. Why are the objects/people doing what they are doing in the picture?
  8. Alternatively: Have the students write questions about the picture using the 5 W’s. Then give the questions and picture to another student to write sentences to answer the questions.

Round Robin Writing

Process:

  1. Write the first line to a story/paragraph on the board.
  2. Have every student copy the line onto their paper.
  3. Give the students 2 minutes to begin writing the story.
  4. After 2 minutes, they pass their story to the next person in the group.
  5. That person has 2 minutes to read what was written and add to the story.
  6. Continue until everyone in the group has added to the story and it is back to the original writer.
  7. If necessary, adjust the time each person has the story. As the stories get longer it takes some students longer to read them.

Alphabet Lists

Process:

  1. Write the alphabet on the board.
  2. Go around the room and have each person give a word that starts with the letter that fits the category you’re doing.
  3. Categories: nouns, proper nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs

On Board Editing

Process:

  1. Write a sentence with errors on the board. You can focus on a specific type of error or do several types.
  2. Have the students correct the errors.
  3. As a group, they just call out what needs to be corrected.
  4. Call on individuals.
  5. Before it is corrected, the student has to explain why.
  6. Have them do the editing individually or in pairs.

The 4C’s of Sentence Writing

Lesson Outline—Combining sentences using coordinating conjunctions

Step 1—Introduce the pattern

•And, but, or, so, for, yet, nor

•A comma must go between the two simple sentences when you use one of the seven conjunctions.

▫The rain stopped, so we still had our picnic.

▫Mary wanted to go to the movie, but Fred wanted to go to the ball game.

Step 2—Categorize

Circle the conjunction in each of these sentences.

•Sandy was going camping, but his car didn’t work.

•He considered borrowing a car, but his friend wanted to buy a car.

•A truck would do, or a van might be a possibility.

Step 3—Correct

Add punctuation to these sentences if needed.

•Ken went to the store and to the library yesterday.

•Mrs. Smith is going to the mall but she is not going to buy anything.

•We hiked in the forest so we feel very tired.

Step 4—Complete

•Sally likes coffee, but ______

•Mary lives in Florida, ______

•The storm was over______

Step 5—Create

Write five compound sentences about school. One for each of the following conjunctions—and, but, or, so, yet

•Ex. My job is being a teacher, but I also like being a student.

Paragraph Writing

Paragraph Sorts

For all of these, take any paragraph and separate it out into sentences; one sentence per slip of paper.

•Students work singly or in pairs to put the sentences in order. If there is some ambiguity in the order, that can lead to discussion about why certain groups ordered their paragraph in a different way.

•For students who have trouble with topic sentences, give the topic sentence and/or concluding sentence.

•Put the sentence strips on large pieces of paper to put in order on the board or by having students hold their sentences.

Writing Recipe

Step 1—given a topic, write five words or very short phrases about the topic

Step 2—choose three of your words or phrases and turn them into sentences

Step 3—write a topic sentence to go with your sentences

Step 4—add your sentences after your topic sentence

Step 5—write a concluding sentence

Step 6—read through your paragraph and change how any of your sentences sound to make them sound more interesting

Step 7—copy your paragraph over

Step 8—read through your paragraph again and fix any mistakes in spelling, capitalization, or punctuation

For essay writing, have the student use the paragraph as the introductory paragraph and then write the remainder of the essay using the outline and topics from the paragraph.

Finish It

Take an existing paragraph and remove everything after the topic sentence. Before the students get it, take the supporting idea sentences and turn them into brainstorm notes. Students are given the topic sentence and directions to use only the notes to turn it into a paragraph.

Topic sentence: Polar bears have unique bodies that help them live in the harsh weather of the Arctic.

Paula Freiermuth,

Summer Institute, August 16, 2012Page 1

  • weight up to 1,800 pounds
  • body fat keeps them warm
  • white fur protects from winds
  • white fur helps them hide in the snow
  • have five long sharp claws on each paw
  • use claws to walk safely on ice

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Summer Institute, August 16, 2012Page 1

For student evaluation:

Paula Freiermuth,

Summer Institute, August 16, 2012Page 1

Look for

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  • agreement with subject and verb
  • spelling
  • sentence punctuation
  • missing or extra words
  • sentences out of order
  • is there a topic sentence
  • is there a conclusion
  • are the sentences formatted to look like a paragraph
  • capitalization

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Summer Institute, August 16, 2012Page 1

Evaluation

•Limit what you evaluate

  • Focus on one rule or area

•Have student self-evaluate first

  • Give a self-evaluation list or rubric or questions

•Conference

  • Student reads their writing to you and you help them locate errors

•Rubrics

  • Focus the rubric on what you want the student to do better or will be evaluated on; i.e. GED essay

Student Writing Examples

Example 1

Polar bears have unique bodies that help them lived in the harsh wealther of the Arch

They are animals that have to be in the cold. The white fur on polar bear help keep them warm, and protect them from winds It has a long sharp claws one ach paw. They used their paw to fine food and keep safe. Polar bears have planty of hair and body fat that keep them warm. and weight up to 1,800 pound. they are very heavey animals.

Example 2

Polar bears have unique bodies that help them live in the harsh weather of the artic. Polar bears weight up to 1,800 pounds, and use clawse to walk safely on ice. They have five long sharp claws on each paw, the body fat keeps them warm. The white fur helps them hide in the snow and from winds. That’s why the Polar bears have unique bodies that help them to live in the harsh weather of the Artic.

Paula Freiermuth,

Summer Institute, August 16, 2012Page 1

Paula Freiermuth,

Summer Institute, August 16, 2012Page 1

Paragraph Self-EvaluationDate ______

Topic Sentence
  • Needs to be a complete sentence.
  • Needs to state your main idea.
  • Should be interesting and grab your reader’s attention.
/ Evaluation: (Mark one)
Meets all criteria
Does OK
Needs work
Development
  • 3 or more details
  • Details are all related to the main idea
  • Details explain the main idea
  • Details are interesting
  • Details are believable
/ Evaluation: (Mark one)
Meets all criteria
Does OK
Needs work
Sentence Structure
  • Complete sentences
  • Sentences are different lengths
  • Uses compound sentences
  • Uses complex sentences
  • Sentences are punctuated correctly
/ Evaluation: (Mark one)
Meets all criteria
Does OK
Needs work
Grammar and Mechanics
  • Verbs agree with subjects
  • Prepositions are used correctly
  • Articles are used correctly
  • Words are spelled correctly
  • Capitalization is correct
/ Evaluation: (Mark one)
Meets all criteria
Does OK
Needs work
Word Choice
  • Words are interesting
  • Words explain the ideas
  • Words are descriptive
/ Evaluation: (Mark one)
Meets all criteria
Does OK
Needs work
Paragraph Rubric
Great / OK / Needs work
Topic/ Focus/ Organiza-tion /
  • Topic sentence does not restate the prompt but is simple
  • Organization pattern is evident
/
  • Topic sentence has an opinion with the restatement of the prompt
  • Evidence of organization and thought to include introduction, body, and conclusion
/
  • Topic sentence is formulaic or restates the prompt
  • Weak organization pattern
  • Conclusion is probably not present

Develop-ment /
  • All details support the focus
  • Attempt at expansion of all details
  • Transition is evident but weak
/
  • Details support topic sentence
  • Expansion is present on one or two details
  • Some use of transition between ideas
/
  • One or two details
  • Details are not expanded with support
  • Transition between ideas is weak or missing
  • Some details are not on topic

Sentence Structure /
  • Sentences are complete
  • Compound and complex sentence structures are present but not necessarily correctly punctuated
/
  • In general sentences are complete with subject and verb
  • Simple compound sentences present but not necessarily correctly punctuated
/
  • Not all sentences are complete
  • Some sentences may be missing a subject or verb
  • Simple sentence construction

Grammar and Mechanics /
  • Few if any errors in verb tense, agreement, prepositions, and articles
  • Few errors in spelling and punctuation
  • Might have a brief area of non-readability
/
  • A few errors in verb tense and agreement, prepositions, and articles
  • Some errors in spelling and punctuation
  • Capitalization is correct
  • End punctuation is correct
  • Some readability issues
/
  • Some errors in verb tense and agreement, prepositions, and articles
  • A number of errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization
  • Sentences may be missing a capital letter or end punctuation
  • Readability is affected

Word Choice /
  • Use of sensory words
  • Some vivid word choice
  • Words chosen for effect
  • Words chosen reflect vocabulary level
/
  • More use of multi-syllabic words
  • More use of sensory words
  • Evidence of thoughtful word choice
/
  • Simple vocabulary
  • Words are chosen because the writer knows how to spell and use them not for their impact on the message of the writing

Web Sites

Variety of worksheets on writing topics (college prep level)

Variety of online exercises written for elementary school special ed, but very usable for basic skills students

Online quizzes correlated to Houghton Mifflin Grades 2-5

Online writing textbook written for a community college

Online and print materials written for literacy tutors in Great Britain; lower level materials

Grammar Bytes—online exercises and handouts

Daily Writing Prompts

Journaling/Writing Prompts

Writing an Orange

The geography of the country of Turkey is unique.

Most countries are in one continent, but Turkey lies in both Asia and Europe.

The Asian part is much larger than the European part.

The eight countries that share a border with Turkey are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

Turkey has coasts on the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

Half of Turkey’s land is higher than 1,000 meters.

In fact, two-thirds of turkey’s land is higher than 800 meters.

The unique geography of Turkey is one reason that millions of tourists visit this country every year.

Paula Freiermuth,

Summer Institute, August 16, 2012Page 1