Need help with encouraging a reluctant writer

[A home for their hearts]

My ds10 is a struggling learner. I think he is pretty smart he just doesn't learn the way that a lot of materials are presented. He has always had trouble with writing, and I don't mean the creative kind. I mean the actual mechanics of writing, he hates it. Writing anything, copywork, a simple sentence takes him forever. Doing worksheets are just pointless he could takes hours to do a math sheet if I made him. Writing on a whiteboard helps, and he actually prefers this. But he can use a whiteboard his whole life. How do I even begin to teach composition with him having such a hard time with what seems to be the simple act of putting pencil to paper? Any suggestions?

 

We are starting K12 this year and I'm very nervous, there seems to be a lot of busy work. I haven't received the materials yet but from reading through the online introductions it seems like there is a lot of writing across the curriulum. Help!

[Shannanlee]

I feel like I could have written this post myself. I am taking a more disciplined approach. But I am:bigear:

[A home for their hearts]

I feel like I could have written this post myself. I am taking a more disciplined approach. But I am:bigear:

 

What do you mean by "taking a more disciplined approach"?

[8filltheheart]

Honestly, I would be concerned w/the volume of writing that K12 is going to require. :grouphug: I have no suggestions for dealing with K12.

 

I did want to offer a suggestion for possible exploration, though. I have a child that I always thought physically struggled w/writing. He writes painfully slow. However, we now know that it is far more than simply the motor skills required for writing. He has serious processing speed issues. Now when I hear about children that really struggle like you are describing, it reminds me of what we experienced w/him and how I wish I had known about the processing issues when he was younger.

[A home for their hearts]

Honestly, I would be concerned w/the volume of writing that K12 is going to require. :grouphug: I have no suggestions for dealing with K12.

 

I did want to offer a suggestion for possible exploration, though. I have a child that I always thought physically struggled w/writing. He writes painfully slow. However, we now know that it is far more than simply the motor skills required for writing. He has serious processing speed issues. Now when I hear about children that really struggle like you are describing, it reminds me of what we experienced w/him and how I wish I had known about the processing issues when he was younger.

 

How did you discover the processing issues? Did you have him tested? What is the processing issue he has called? I sometimes wonder about this with my son. He struggle with learning to read and is just now catching on. We did some eye therapy which seemed to help. Some subjects that are more abstact, ie langauge arts, he just doesn't get.

[8filltheheart]

How did you discover the processing issues? Did you have him tested? What is the processing issue he has called? I sometimes wonder about this with my son. He struggle with learning to read and is just now catching on. We did some eye therapy which seemed to help. Some subjects that are more abstact, ie langauge arts, he just doesn't get.

 

 

It is our Aspie that has the processing speed issues. They were found during battery testing. The test that pinpointed them, however, was the WISC IV. His auditory and his visual processing speeds are both incredibly low.

[kristinannie]

I know you son is much older than mine, but here are a few suggestions from my life and also that I have heard in HS mp3s:

 

For writing lessons, he could dictate to you and then copy what you write. That way, he can focus on one task at a time so that he doesn't feel overwhelmed.

 

If it is a workbook, he could tell you what to write and you can write it (maybe for one workbook a day if you are doing a lot)

 

I would do a little writing every day to build up the muscles in his hands. Maybe if he can choose what to write, he will enjoy it more.

 

HTH

[Joyofsixreboot]

My ds was also nearly incapable of the actual act of writing. Last spring we did testing. I felt like even the late bloomers were going by us, KWIM? He does have visual issues that we are working to correct. If it's not disliking writing but really physically being unable you might want to look into other issues.:grouphug:

[ktgrok]

I would download and listen to the lecture by Susan Wise Bauer on writing, the elementary years. There is a logic stage one too, but you should start with the elementary one, as it is for struggling writers of all ages. It is more than worth the $3.99 to listen to it. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/elementary-grades-mp3.html

[MerryAtHope]

My ds10 is a struggling learner. I think he is pretty smart he just doesn't learn the way that a lot of materials are presented. He has always had trouble with writing, and I don't mean the creative kind. I mean the actual mechanics of writing, he hates it. Writing anything, copywork, a simple sentence takes him forever. Doing worksheets are just pointless he could takes hours to do a math sheet if I made him. Writing on a whiteboard helps, and he actually prefers this. But he can use a whiteboard his whole life. How do I even begin to teach composition with him having such a hard time with what seems to be the simple act of putting pencil to paper? Any suggestions?

 

We are starting K12 this year and I'm very nervous, there seems to be a lot of busy work. I haven't received the materials yet but from reading through the online introductions it seems like there is a lot of writing across the curriulum. Help!

 

First, since writing on a whiteboard is easier right now, I'd let him keep doing this. It's too soon to worry about what he'll have to do in college or a career. Take things one step at a time and don't worry about the rest of his life right now. I spent too many years trying to prepare my kids for the way things would be way in the future, instead of focusing on where they are now and what the next step is.

 

Second, I would try to figure out what is difficult for him. Is it actual handwriting--the formation of letters? Does he struggle with how to form them? Does he do things like pause a bit before forming a letter when he KNOWS what letter he should write (I'm not talking about trying to figure out spelling)? Does he form letters the same way each time, or does he sometimes form letters differently? Does he reverse any letters (write d for b, or p for b, etc...)? Does he form letters correctly or does he start some at the bottom, some at the top, etc...?

 

Have you experimented with different pencil grips, or even large pencils (like the ones you use in K)? Whiteboard markers are typically bigger around than pencils, and it may be that he needs a bigger grip. He may be getting better neurological feedback from his fingers to his brain with the larger writing implement.

 

How is his spelling? If he struggles with spelling, writing is going to be next to impossible for him. It's just too frustrating to try to come up with things to write if he doesn't have some automaticity with spelling. I blogged recently about our experiences with writing in relation to spelling with AAS, and how the gradual writing progression in that helped make the task of writing much more doable for my kids.

 

Third, the fact that copying and math are also difficult tasks for him make me think there is something else going on. One possibility is vision processing issues. My son struggled with that. Check out www.covd.org for a symptom list. Another possibility is that he is struggling with something like ADHD that makes concentration difficult, and/or working memory issues (if he can't hold very many letters or words or figures in his mind at one time, he won't be able to write, copy, or do math).

 

The Eide's book, The Mislabeled Child gave me a place to start looking into some of these things, but you might also want to consider posting on the Special Needs board and/or an evaluation. Kids who are bright can also have learning disabilities--or more accurately as you put it, simply need to learn differently than how many materials are presented. Don't be afraid to look into this realm.

 

I hope this helps! Merry :-)

[Shannanlee]

I try to refocus him. I give him breaks but it will have to cut into his game time because it is not that he can't do it he wont do it. Well for my son anyway. He has stuff that he must complete. I do not give him a lot of work he just likes to procrastinate. It comes from his public school background where they will accept just anything.