Unit/course/program for a kid who doesn't like to write

[nobeatenpath]

My son loves language, loves to read, loves etymology - but hates writing. We have tried Bravewriter, we have tried WWS, I have tried developing stuff myself, but getting him to write more than one or two simple paragraphs is torture - for both of us!

 

I am looking for something that will teach him (or teach me how to teach him) to write papers and essays. Creative writing is not an issue. Grammar is not an issue. Coherently organising ideas and getting them in a flowing (or at least intelligible) manner without taking days to do so is.

 

Don't want to use DVDs. Online courses are good. Online 'live' courses are mainly out of the question due to our timezone. Any suggestions welcome.

[OneStepAtATime]

Why not DVD's? I was thinking IEW might work.  It has helped my writing hater to be a writing tolerater and at times a writing lover.  Have you looked at something like IEW?  It would be like taking a self-paced course.  100% money back guarantee if you don't like it.

[nobeatenpath]

Why not DVD's

Because that means loading them on to his Dad's laptop and converting them to watch on something else. Also we travel a bit so DVDs are not practical. But if it was really super excellent we could do it.

[Julie of KY]

I assume you are talking about your 12 year old. If it makes you feel any better than my non-writer was much older before writing a paragraph. He did it through Brave Writer Online courses (but I wouldn't recommend them yet for a 12yo non-writer). 

Does he have learning disabilities?

Is it the physical act of writing? Can he dictate? Can he type?

Does he have any language problems? How's his vocabulary?

Can he write something down for fun if HE WANTS TO? Is it just school writing or all writing?

 

Generally, if my student is resisting something (like writing), I try to back up and figure out what is wrong. Oftentimes the resistance is there for a reason - maybe it's simply too hard for him. Figuring out why is much more complicated.

[nobeatenpath]

Hi, yes it is my 12 year old but he is currently doing grade 10 level work with other subjects and he himself wants to get his English 'up to par' with his other subjects.

Does he have learning disabilities? No

Is it the physical act of writing? Can he dictate? Can he type? He HATES handwriting, but his issue is with writing as in organisation and bothering to do it - still an issue when he types (and he touch-types to a decent speed so it is not that)

Does he have any language problems? How's his vocabulary? He has an extensive vocabulary and since age of three has 'spoken like an educated Victorian gentleman' to quote someone else's observation about him :laugh:

Can he write something down for fun if HE WANTS TO? Is it just school writing or all writing? He will write out little stories but never gets around to finishing them. But it is definitely more research-essay type stuff he has issues with.

This morning was talking about this with him and he declared writing a five paragraph paper was easy. So I let him to it - his writing style was very informal and he relied much too much of quoting huge blocks of text from other sources. He also complained that he couldn't find the information to go with his first choice of sub-topic (the overall topic was something we had to research for one of his Scouting badges). When I started working through where he fell down - of course pointing out the positives, saying how we could work on things - he got extremely defensive and angry - this is a kid who has issues with criticism which is another reason I would like an 'outside' course rather than spend our whole time with him arguing with me!