Help Struggling Writers

Students cringe at the sight of red ink, purple ink, or whatever grading method a teacher chooses to use, when it covers their papers. For struggling writers, these marks have become the norm and, instead of seeing them as an aid to see what they have done wrong, they become an ignored punishment, a sense of defeat. Breaking down the writing process helps reduce the number of corrections on papers of struggling writers at all levels.

Grade for One Element at a Time

A rubric or checklist often overwhelms struggling writers. Choose one component from the rubric or checklist to grade. For example, start by grading a student’s organization and work on developing an outline, effective introduction and conclusion. Ignore grammar, spelling, punctuation and the actual content of the paper. Once students have the basics of a paper such as a organization and content/development down, move on to specific elements of grammar and conventions.

Break Papers Down

Instead of expecting students to write an entire paper at once, break the paper down into sections, having students write a paragraph at a time. For example, for a simple biography assignment, have students write a paragraph about their family one day, a paragraph about their interests the next day, and so on until the paper is complete. If a topic requires students to discuss the pros and cons of an issue, write the introduction the first day, then a paragraph about the pros the next day and the cons on the third day.

Allow Creative Formats

The traditional essay format may overwhelm struggling writers. While students are learning to write, allow them to answer topics in creative formats. While formats such as songs, poems and comic strips are typically not allowed on standardized writing exams, they work well as teaching tools because they require students to practice all the components of a quality paper, especially grammar and conventions. Allow students to create a picture book, write a recipe or create a movie script as an alternative to a traditional essay.

Keep Regular Journals

The saying “practice makes perfect” holds true for writing. Students who write more become better writers over time. Require students to keep regular journals, either in class or at home. Spend time at least once a week reading student journals and commenting on the content. Do not use journals to critique grammar and conventions, instead focus on student ideas and organization and keep comments positive to help struggling writers feel confident in at least one aspect of their writer.

Make Students Read

Strong readers often become strong writers. Expose students to variety of texts with a variety of writing styles. Encourage students to read texts at grade-level to improve the sophistication of their writing. Have students write written responses to pieces that they read or create their own pieces modeling the writing style of the author or turn the text into a play for a reader’s theater presentation.

Over the course of the school year, using these strategies will help students become more confident and competent writers.


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