How to develop the interest，the Patience, and the skills in writing for the 8th grade Boy

Question

I am kindly looking for a long term expert to systematically help my 8th grade son to be more interested in writing and improve his overall writing skills.

Currently he seems not like writing and lacking motivation. From observing the way He finish his school writing assignments He seems not have much to write and tends to try quickly to sometimes include some not related sentences together to just so have enough words to hurry finish the assignment.  

I kindly hope to find an expert to help him enjoy writing; have a habit of practicing writing and enriching the writing mind like taking notes of good words/sentences/paragraphs in good books and reading them loudly everyday; develop more patience for thinking  through and repeating constantly until a good writing piece; reflect more often his strength and weakness; give him strategy, plan, motivation and guide him follow up/implement the plan; 

Answer 1

Hi Caihua,

This is a common dilemma for many students. I have found that in a traditional curriculum, they are limited to writing about subjects that do not motivate them, and therefore end up rushing through the assignments with the conclusion in their minds that writing "just isn't for them."

One way to combat this is, outside of traditional assignments, have your child write freely about subjects that inspire them. What is your child interested in outside of school? I would practice writing short stories, paragraphs -- even sentences to start on subjects that interest your child. More often than not, that gets the mind flowing quickly, and the interest in writing takes off quickly. It is all about getting inspired first -- without inspiration, we are nowhere! This is of course more difficult in the digital age, but I think it is more than possible to find good books that match your child's interests and can inspire him to write.

Answer 2

Hi! What is your son currently reading? My guess is whatever he currently enjoys reading, he would enjoy writing about. That's where I .would start! Too many children, haven't found that they enjoy reading in the technology and digital age. I started out by having my niece write book reports on material she liked and found herself on her cell phone. She was engaged and so therefore, began reading and writing. Now she's up to reading 3 books per week without prompting. I would give it a try!

Good luck!

Answer 3

Hi Caihua,

You express a sentiment that many parents share—how can I encourage my child to move beyond basic ideas to those more complex; how can I support my child so that he/she takes pride in his written work?

As a writer and writing teacher, my suggestion is to focus on the writing process, rather than the written product. Many students and adults become anxious when looking at a blank page or the blinking cursor on a blank screen. Scaffolding students’ ideas with brainstorming activities, sketches, story maps, and graphic organizers is a great first step for encouraging reluctant writers. These activities help students pack their “suitcases” with ideas, preparing them to draft their writing pieces.

Next, allow your child to draft his/her writing freely, without too much attention to, “How do I spell ___?” Or, “Should I add a period or a semicolon?” This attention to the surface of their writing can obstruct the flow of ideas, which is especially crippling for students who are not yet confident in their own writing abilities.

Once the draft is written, use checklists for editing and revising that gear your child’s attention towards the grammatical elements of the piece, as well as the content. If you are working with your child throughout the process, providing feedback is helpful if it is specific, focusing on one central area for editing or revising—rather than pointing out all of the areas where the piece could be improved. Working gradually and patiently through the writing process is one guaranteed way to cultivate strong writing and confident students.

I hope this response was helpful, and I am wishing you and your son a healthy and safe new school year!

Warmly,

Lexa

Answer 4

Hello Caihua,

I am of two minds with this. The first is that it is likely your son has not been given an opportunity thus far to truly express himself. Sometimes, when it comes to academic writing, we can feel rather suppressed. We are told we must write one way, that we cannot deviate from the status quo, etc. This can really make writing a chore, which it what it sounds like your child sees it as. This is totally understandable. In order to help him, I would suggest coming up with fun prompts for him, or even buying him a journal. Any writing is good writing. Encourage him to write his thoughts, no matter how quick and brief. Encourage him to use colorful pens and pencils so the process doesn't feel so sterile! Writing can truly be boring, which sounds funny coming from me! But, let's be honest, we don't like talking about the things we hate. The same applies for writing.

This is where my second track of thought comes into play. I can assume, based on your description, he has been writing about/ for things he either hates, or has little interest in. I am a History major, Political Science minor. I love writing about those subjects. However, if you asked me to write about mathematics or statistics, I would feel uninspired at best. Encourage him to reframe things into subjects he enjoys or feels confident in. For example, if he needs to write an essay pertaining to the way DNA was discovered, he can use metaphors from his favorite sports or musicians to add life to his writing!

I hope this helps!