Flint Writing 42x48 Final

I KNOW I HAVE TO DO IT,

…BUT… I HATE TO WRITE! Writing is a daily part of school…

Think beyond the term paper: GO REAL WORLD!

..…but for many students, it is the single-most painful part of their day. Why is it so difficult for so many of

✏Identify & set learning objectives Student and teacher work together on these Bring parents into the picture Have writing mentors help

our brightest students to write and like doing it? Where does the resistance to writing come from?

✏Limited productive language skills Receptive language comes first, productive language follows Listening precedes speaking Reading precedes writing ✏Asynchrony Reading & writing are often lopsided within a single child When a child is verbally precocious, i.e., early reader, or well-spoken, we harbor expectations that s/he is ready to write at the same level. This is often not the case, and it is the expectation that creates frustration in teacher and learned helplessness in the child. ✏Undeveloped fine motor skills Cutting: scissors and knife Coloring Sewing Stringing beads Any high-interest activity that demands fine-motor work ✏Too tedious Writing is physically and psychologically demanding Provide LOTS of scaffolded activities to enable success Create an environment of psychological safety Allow students to work in preferred modalities Using a variety of technology also helps ✏Resistance to rote-repetitive/Lack of meaning Many gifted children find no reason to work when no meaningful purpose is given Provide real reasons for writing Change it up frequently—everyone benefits ✏Too few strategies Graphic Organizers/Inspiration Writer’s workshop Characters Brain dump Student-made “real” books Voice Setting Brainstorm before writing Morphological matrix Twist Plot Story Starters w/music Predictable books Pre-writing discussions Assistive technology (whatever it takes)

Lori J. Flint, Ph.D.

✏Make products with purpose Write and send email Create shopping lists & menus Write recipes for others Make signs, scrapbooks Write histories, own family or others’ Find pen pals around the world Classroom or family newsletters ✏Provide choice in products Many ways to achieve the same goals Don’t make assignments one-size-fits-all ✏Grade with student made rubrics Students benefit from helping create evaluation rubrics Makes expectations crystal clear Saves time in the end ✏Provide opportunities for success Peer editing/Blind reviews Early turn-ins for feedback Opportunities for re-writes

RESOURCES Burkhardt, R.M. (2003). Writing for Real: Strategies for Engaging Adolescent Writers. Stenhouse Publishers. Calkins, L. ED263613 - The Art of Teaching Writing. Frank, M. (1995). If You're Trying to Teach Kids How to Write, You've Gotta Have This Book. Incentive Publications. Hoagies. For the love of words. http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/language.htm Jan, L. W. (2008). 3rd ed. Write ways: Modeling writing forms. Oxford University Press. Mirriam-Goldberg, C. (1999). Write Where You Are: How to Use Writing to Make Sense of Your Life. Free Spirit National Writing Project. http://www.nwp.org/ Publishing. Peterson, N. Your child : a writer. Retrieved 10/25/09 from http://www.prufrock.com/client/client_pages/Paren ting/Writing/Your_Child_A_Writer/Your_Child_A_Wr iter.cfm Rinard, B. The reluctant writer. Retrieved 10/25/09 from http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:oBJcs ChhVVwJ:nswagtc.org.au/info/articles/Rinard_Relu ctant%2520Writer.PDF+writing+problems+in+gifte d+children&hl=en&gl=us&sig=AFQjCNGnEWPPh3f4 50Myte6OdKJmI_IkcA Vark Guide to Learning Styles. http://www.varklearn.com/english/index.asp What Works Clearinghouse. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/

✏Provide a writing-conducive environment Set rules about talking and noise during writing time Use appropriate music for better FLOW Be tuned into student needs for positioning, intake, and lighting Permit use of headphones, voice recorders, voice software, and scribes Teach students to use the tools they’ll use in the “real world” Help students learn what works for them Teach students how to ignore distractions Provide “think” time ahead of writing Teach how to “capture” ideas so they can’t get away ✏If writing issues persist, consider the possibility of a learning disability Examine difficulties with coding type tasks, copying from board, math Check for significant differences between oral and written expression Finally, talk with the child: could be it just takes too much work to write!

East Carolina University

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