Need help teaching writing

[Tassy]

I have a 9yo DS who for a host of reasons has just begun putting pencil to paper recently. I am struggling with teaching him writing. I have tried various guided writing activities but he seems to need even more very direct help. Whenever it gets to the point that I ask him to write a sentence about a bug and he gets very frustrated saying 'I don't know what to write' I generally let it go and know that I am just coming at it from the wrong direction for him. I do not want to shove him into my prescribed writing box but I also no not want to just let it go.... I have allowed him to develop every other area very at the right time for him and I do feel like this is the right time for writing....I just don't know how to proceed. Thanks in advance for the help!!

[elizawill]

my daughter will be 9 in a few weeks & she is very much like your son! what we are using this year (and loving) is writing with ease level 2 & writing strands level 2. they are such great fits for my dd & truly painless for her as well. they might be worth looking into anyway. hth.

[Marsupialmom]

Please get him evaluated! Boys are more likely than girls to have fine motor skill issues. He might need help from an OT.

Work on things two ways. 1. Let him key board answer . Getting ideas out of there head can be typed.

Also record what he is saying so he can play it back.

Actually putting pen to paper is a different activity. Maybe copy work.

Desk strips showing how to write the letters help!

One of the best program I bought was http://www.startwrite.com/ I could make up sheets. If my kids wrote a sentence I could copy it so they could They could tell me what they wanted to work on. I could also see if they had issues with one letter, I could make a sheet with that one letter.

Please also learn how boys learn differently
http://eideneurolearningblog.blogspo...h-reading.html

[elizawill]

we have startwrite too. it's a great program!

[Tassy]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions! He is on the autistic spectrum (or used to be...I am not sure exactly when that point comes) and has processing issues.... Which is part of the reason that we are just getting to this stuff now...he has simply not been ready/interested until this past summer. I will look into all of your suggestions

[Marsupialmom]

Autism/Aspergers children often have fine motor skills issues. He may never be able to physically write well but that does not mean he cannot use technology to his favor.

My son has dysgraphia and dyslexia. Writing is difficult for him but the time at OT was well worth it. It wasn't only writing affected. He went to one year of K and one month of 1st grade. His inability to physically write harmed him emotionally for a long time. He could easily compare his inabilities with others. It wasn't until recently that he got "write like a doctor." One of the kids in his class said he must be supper smart because his hand writing was horrible.

[elizawill]

tassy, my dd doesn't have any ld's but she just struggled with putting pen to paper & coming up with her own thoughts. it's like she could take a topic and discuss it, but writing about it was just really difficult for her. WWE has been a great fit for her because it uses copywork, narration, and dictation. it really is a great curriculum. we also use writing strands, which focuses more on creative writing. it is very specific though, so it doesn't just say, "write about xyz". rather, it goes step-by-step and explains the process in *how* to write about "xyz". another curriculum we own (but haven't incorporated yet) is "just write" curriculum. it seems really good as well. you can preview samples at rainbow resource. hth.

[jessicaSAR]

I agree wholeheartedly with elizawill's suggestion to try Writing With Ease. This program breaks down all the component parts of writing so you are not asking the child to do too many things at once. Writing is a complex process that includes forming thoughts, holding them in your head, physically forming letters, spelling, grammar and punctuation. It is too much to ask new writers to try to do all these things at one time. Get the WWE 1 workbook and spend the $4 on Susan Wise Bauer's audio lecture, "A Plan for Teaching Writing for Elementary Grades."

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store...rades-mp3.html

This lecture really explains the process and the WWE workbook has all you need to implement it with very little effort.

[khenn]

www.bravewriter.com

Check it out! I love it. I teach it in our co op and while I don't have time to write much now, I wanted to give you this link. You can click around on her website and find lots of info. Bravewriter teaches the writer...not writing. It's a lifestyle approach.

I, personally, love to write and am part of writing competitions to help grow my skills. I totally agree with the bravewriter approach to writing and have not found another program I feel that way about.

I hope you find the right fit for you and your son.
Kellie