More suggestions- 2nd grade struggling writer??

[freemanfamilyof6]

She is extremely weak in getting words down on paper when writing. She can't think up ideas or write them down onto the paper. It's like pulling teeth.

 

I am looking into Writing Skills. I like that it has grammar too, bc she isn't weak in grammar and I don't want that skill to slip next year. How long does this program take daily?

 

What else is out there? What about WWE? Is this program good for a struggling writer too? How long does this program take daily?

[homefront]

The act of writing was an ADD trigger for my DD. We created magnet words and let her create first then write/copy her work. It took two years but we final got the act of writing rote.

 

I haven't use writing skills yet but I picked up a used copy because it looks good and the price was right. The teacher manual has a lesson around 15-25 min.

[TippyCanoe]

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[freemanfamilyof6]

Your dd is still very young; if a formal writing program is making demands that she cannot handle well, perhaps you could take some of the pressure off by starting with some ideas you give her, or words you give her, more in the form of games or social activities.

 

I'm thinking of things such as:

--the little magnetic poetry kits with words you can stick on your refrigerator in any order, and make up poems or sentences. I've seen a kit with simpler words and bigger writing for young kids.

--Peggy Kaye's Games For Writing has excellent suggestions in game form, which takes much of the anxiety out of the process for many kids who struggle. They are also games you do TOGETHER, versus having your dd sit and try to tackle coming up with something to say on her own.

--the little kit with picture dice I found at a bookstore and whose name I forget (maybe someone else knows it); it's a story-telling kit. You roll the dice, and you take turns making up stories that include the words the pictures represent on the dice.

--having your dd dictate one simple sentence at a time to you to go into a notebook whose purpose she determines herself. Kids I know have kept science notebooks (recording interesting facts, drawing pictures and labeling them, taking photos of science experiments or building projects and writing what they were), recipe books, art books (doodling, color samples, photos and notes of various textures, materials, photos of sculptures and paintings), quotation books, etc. It doesn't matter how much she writes, just that she becomes more comfortable with it and begins to think of writing as something that will help her achieve something of her own choosing, not just schoolwork.

--have her dictate to you all she likes if that helps. Sometimes the writing block occurs when the hands are involved in writing, but not when the child is dictating or freely story-telling. Experimenting with this will help you know more specifically what to work on, one way or the other.

--experiment with games or activities that stress generating ideas. There are the old stand-by things like making a list together of everything you can think of that you can use, say, a paperclip for; I saw a little kit/booklet of such projects at a teacher supply store a while back. We have a little set of laminated cards on a plastic ring with phrases like "things that are round," "things that roll," "things that are red," etc. and we take turns using it. One player reads the phrase and then has to give a list of items that fit the clue, so that the other player can guess the phrase. Or you can do it the other way around, reading out the clue for everybody and taking turns coming up with items that fit into that category. Scattergories Jr. is another game that emphasizes mental flexibility in generating verbal possibilities. I'm sure there are a ton of others; my dd is older now and we use games for older kids, but those were some we liked when she was younger.

 

Once she is more comfortable generating ideas and words in informal contexts, you can gradually introduce more school-type assignments.

 

Wow, thanks for all your input. :) I do realize my dd is very young, but she has struggled so much in so many areas so far including reading, phonics, spelling, writing- both composition type and handwriting, and math. So, I am concerned when she can't write anything much on paper.

 

My goal is to find a program or way to do writing without stress and have fun. I know writing stresses her out, because she can't figure out what to write. She doesn't brainstrom ideas well. I pretty much have to prompt all her ideas, and she doesn't think in sentences at all. Even after we come up with ideas (pretty much, my ideas), she can't write them on the paper. Even when I say them to her repeatedly. It kinda scares me. Her mind seems to go blank or maybe it is stress? I don't know, yet.

 

I like all the game ideas. If there is a program that is fun like that, it would probably work for her. I think she needs help generating ideas greatly, but then also putting them on paper.

 

 

Does anyone think using WWE is helpful and nonstressful? I am not at a place where I feel competent to make up my own writing curriculum. I am honestly stressed to the max and so busy with the my 4 girls right now (ages 7, 5, 4, and almost 2). I just want to find something to help my oldest DD learn to write at some level. I know I shouldn't worry, but I suspect if writing is as hard as reading has been, we are in for a LONG road. I want to start early and figure out how to help her.

 

Thanks.

[lmrich]

Can she tell you a story? In my opinion the process at the very basic level is this: first think it, then say it, then write it.

 

You can write it for her then she can copy one sentence, then week two - two sentences etc. Slow and steady; it is not a race. I am sure you will enjoy the journey so much more without all the pressure.

[MomatHWTK]

I say this with the benefit of hindsight and some regret...

 

I would work with specialists to determine what her actual areas of difficulty are first, and then work on teaching her in the areas she struggles.

 

I went on my own to teach DS to read and though I had managed it because he is reading well now. However, I didn't realize that the problem went significantly deeper than just struggling with reading. So now, I am having to come up with accomodations, work through bad feelings (because of past struggles) and make decisions daily about what is enough for a 5th grader rather than a 1st grader. I feel the pressure much more now as we are approaching middle school than I would have if we were just starting out. Plus, I will never know how far we could be by now if I'd implemented the right accomodations and remediations earlier.

[MomatHWTK]

For ongoing writing practice, maybe consider using daily writing prompts and just asking for a sentence. Brainstorm together, and then help her craft the sentence until she feels confident doing it on her own. Make this a "with" exercise for the two of you.

[TippyCanoe]

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[freemanfamilyof6]

Is anyone familiar with this one: Writeshop

 

http://www.writeshop.com/writeshop_primary.htm

[LaraH]

My son is also a late bloomer with writing (and reading!) as many right brained kids are. He writes for math and does a few other things in workbooks, etc. But I don't require a lot of other writing, particularly creative writing. When he does want to tell a story (he's quite creative and has a good imagination), I type while he tells it and watches me typing. That way he can see the words as fast as he speaks them... and it takes away the stress of combining the story and the act of writing.

 

We do use WWE and he does some copywork, but not a ton of it. He tolerates it and is getting better, but I backed off doing it too many times a week when it became too much of a battle. I also sometimes pull copywork from other sources and books we are reading, or just stuff I make up. We do all the narrations though, as well as the questions/narrations in SOTW.

 

I think the WTM recommends copywork and narration for the grammar stage, and not that much creative stuff. I think being able to tell a logical story or narration orally will stand him in good stead when he's ready to write it down himself one day - or type it!

 

We also do some Growing with Grammar, but also talk about it naturally as it comes up. I'm thinking of starting some typing lessons soon as well to give him another avenue. As he matures I'm seeing a big difference - he just seems to be on a slightly different timeline!

 

It can be difficult when I see kids his age writing pages of stuff, but I'm trying (some days more successfully than others!) to be patient and as some of the other posters suggested, back off a bit until he seems more ready. I year ago he wouldn't even look at a workbook and I was doing most of his math writing for him, so there is progress!

 

HTH.

[Tokyomarie]

I say this with the benefit of hindsight and some regret...

 

I would work with specialists to determine what her actual areas of difficulty are first, and then work on teaching her in the areas she struggles.

 

I went on my own to teach DS to read and though I had managed it because he is reading well now. However, I didn't realize that the problem went significantly deeper than just struggling with reading. So now, I am having to come up with accomodations, work through bad feelings (because of past struggles) and make decisions daily about what is enough for a 5th grader rather than a 1st grader. I feel the pressure much more now as we are approaching middle school than I would have if we were just starting out. Plus, I will never know how far we could be by now if I'd implemented the right accomodations and remediations earlier.

 

:iagree:

 

Pretty much word for word, I agree! We are still dealing with the emotional and social consequences of not getting a full evaluation early and getting professional help for remediation. I've worked very hard over the years and ds is doing well in many ways, but I could have worked smarter as his primary teacher if I had been able to have better information about the academic difficulties and knowledgeable people to walk me through learning how to help our son.