7th grader writes so slow

[Staysea]

My 7th grader qrites so slow on her writing.  We are doing really simple essays to get the format of the 5 paragraph essay done.  She ADHD, but is medicated.  We do a brainstorm, a simple ourline and then a really detailed outline.  She already has her paper about written minus conclusion sentences before she has to write her paper.  The papers she has to write are only about 25-30 sentences long.  She takes about 2.5 hours to write a paper.

Problems

She writes extremely small and very neat.  This seems to be her main focus when writing the paper.

She forgets things such as indenting and conclusion sentences even when she is reminded right before writing.

She even realizes she forgot whole paragraphs when she is done.

She often ends up having to tewrite the paper because of these glaring errors.

I told her today that i wanted her paper in extremy messy handwriting.  Her handwriting was still adequate, but she insisted that it was so bad it wasn't legible.

Here is her rough draft with top being her good handwriting and the bottom being the bad handwriting. 

Her handwriting is usually even more small and neat, but i was urging her to just write, but she still stuggled to write fast at all.

Edited September 17, 2021 by Staysea

[EKS]

5 hours ago, Staysea said:

The papers she has to write are only about 25-30 sentences long.  She takes about 2.5 hours to write a paper.

If she is also being asked to think as she writes, 2.5 hours is nothing.  I can spend hours on just a few sentences.

5 hours ago, Staysea said:

She writes extremely small and very neat.  This seems to be her main focus when writing the paper.

She forgets things such as indenting and conclusion sentences even when she is reminded right before writing.

She even realizes she forgot whole paragraphs when she is done.

She often ends up having to tewrite the paper because of these glaring errors.

This is why drafting is a thing.  I recommend that you get her typing on the computer as soon as possible.  Using a word processor will make all of these "problems" into non issues.

[wendyroo]

None of my kids handwrite papers.

My ADHD 3rd grader is working on 5 paragraph essays. This is his process:
- Write his topic and main idea on an index card
- Brainstorm...each idea written on its own index card
- Sort his index cards into categories
- Write topic titles for each category on index cards
- Figure out what his thesis is and write it on an index card
- Write one or more ideas for hooks and closures on index cards
- Make sure all his cards are organized to his liking: Hook, Thesis, Topics in order he wants to talk about them, Details within in logic order, etc.
- Get his blank document prepared in Google Docs and open Voice Typing (under tools)
- Starting at the beginning of his outline, say his first sentence out loud, if it sounds awkward try rephrasing it, say it again for practice
- Hit the record button, clearly speak his sentences, say "period" at the end, stop recording
- Repeat for each sentence of his essay
- The following day, print out his essay and read it out loud
- Edit and Revise

Overall, this process takes him about 2-3 hours to write a basic, formulaic, ~400 word essay about a familiar topic that requires no research (ie his favorite board game, how he has to take care of his pets, compare and contrast different modes of transportation, etc). 

[Lori D.]

Total agree with previous posters.

What you describe is NOT slow or behind. Good writing is based on good thinking, which takes time. Good writing takes revision, which takes time. Good writing takes proof-editing, which takes time.

And I strongly encourage you to switch her over to typing her writing. It makes revision and proof-editing  go so much more smoothly -- the student can focus on what is needed for "big fixes" (revision) and "little fixes" (proof editing), as well as what is needed for formatting the page -- rather than having to expend huge amounts of that focus and thinking on handwriting, when that brain power could be better put to use on the writing process of thinking/drafting/revising. 

Also, typed is the standard for students by high school, and largely for middle schoolers as well. If you ever outsource a class that requires any sort of written output, she will be required to turn it in as typed and printed, or typed and sent as an electronic file.  

Edited September 17, 2021 by Lori D.

[wendyroo]

1 hour ago, Lori D. said:

Also, typed is the standard for students by high school, and largely for middle schoolers as well. If you ever outsource a class that requires any sort of written output, she will be required to turn it in as typed and printed, or typed and sent as an electronic file.  

For sure.

My oldest was still hand writing his compositions in 3rd grade, but as soon as I started enrolling my kids in online Lantern English writing classes, then they had to find a way to get their writing "typed" to turn in. At that age they are still very slow typists (though consistently practicing and improving), so that is why I get them using Voice Typing so they can independently get their words on digital paper in a reasonable time without too many tears. I never insist they switch to typing by hand instead of voice, but they tend to do so automatically around age 10 or 11 when their improved typing skills make that faster and more accurate.

[Lori D.]

23 minutes ago, wendyroo said:

... as I started enrolling my kids in online Lantern English writing classes, then they had to find a way to get their writing "typed" to turn in. At that age they are still very slow typists (though consistently practicing and improving), so that is why I get them using Voice Typing so they can independently get their words on digital paper in a reasonable time without too many tears...

Love it! Great solution.

[Staysea]

She is currently learning to type.  I plan to switch her to mostly typing papers probably after Christmas.  Is it not important that they put pen to paper, and learn how to write an essay?  She is basically copying the essay from her outline.  When I was in 7th grade I had to take statewide writing test in October where I had to handwrite a simple 5-paragraph essay in 40 minutes.  I guess that is why I feel she is slow.

[EKS]

12 minutes ago, Staysea said:

She is basically copying the essay from her outline.

If you're saying that the thinking has already been done, and it is essentially all copywork, then perhaps 2.5 hours is too long.  

The only way I ever found to deal with general pokiness in my homeschooled students was to enroll them in school.  They never, ever got faster at home no matter what I did.

 

[wendyroo]

45 minutes ago, Staysea said:

Is it not important that they put pen to paper, and learn how to write an essay? 

That is not important to me.

If asked to put pen to paper, my 7th grader would grudgingly produce the most boring, scraggly, choppy, 200 word, 5 paragraph essay. Yes, he could do it fast, he could crank that bad boy out in 30 minutes flat, but it wouldn't be worth the paper it was written on or my time to read it...if I could read it, because his handwriting would be atrocious.

But since he is allowed (...encouraged...required) to type his essays, he is unhappily, but successfully, managing an online class devoted to growing his essays from 5 formulaic paragraphs to ~10 longer, more fluid and interesting paragraphs.

We do practice writing by hand, but only at the level of short answers (1-2 sentences), and even those come out markedly longer, better and more comprehensive when he types them.

[Lori D.]

2 hours ago, Staysea said:

She is currently learning to type.  I plan to switch her to mostly typing papers probably after Christmas...

Yea! Sounds like a great plan! 😄 

2 hours ago, Staysea said:

...Is it not important that they put pen to paper, and learn how to write an essay?  She is basically copying the essay from her outline...

"Handwriting" and writing a paper are VERY separate and different skills.

Learning to write an essay does NOT have involve pen and paper. In fact, for some students who struggle with motor skills, or who have processing issues, or ADD/ADHD, having to deal with pen and paper and the physical act of writing *takes away* some of their mental ability to THINK, and uses up brain energy on the physical act of writing that could better be spent on thinking/composing/revising an essay.

Many students do better with using software or apps (ex: Inspiration) for the brainstorming and organizing stages of writing. And many students do much better with a mind map, graphic organizer, or other structure (rather than a formal/traditional outline) as their "writing roadmap" from which to rough draft write.

re: handwriting as a school requirement
Timed essays that must be hand-written are NOT as common as they were many years back. For one thing, students who are slow writers, or who have LDs, or other issues with handwriting are granted accommodations -- usually either additional time, or can type their writing rather hand-write, or both.

Over a decade ago, both the ACT and SAT tests shifted the essay-writing component of their tests from "required" to "optional," and just this past spring SAT announced they are entirely dropping the essay component of their test. 

So needing to be a fast writer, or fast with your handwriting, is really not needed so much in a school setting any more.
 

2 hours ago, Staysea said:

...When I was in 7th grade I had to take statewide writing test in October where I had to handwrite a simple 5-paragraph essay in 40 minutes.  I guess that is why I feel she is slow.

That's wonderful that you did so well with your middle school statewide writing test! 🎉

Meaning this with all gentleness and kindness: comparing a student (esp. a student you mention has specific struggles) to other students is not helpful. Your student has specific strengths and weaknesses, and specific needs, that are very different from the strengths, weaknesses, and needs that you had when you were her age.

The key to successfully helping a student progress is to *teach the unique student before you* -- not an imaginary perfect student,  😉 not the student you wish your student was,  😉 and not yourself when you were that age. 😉 

From your original post, it sounds like hand-writing out her essays is not helping with accomplishing your real goal, which you stated as wanting to get her fluent with 5-paragraph essays. That goal will be best met by removing the hurdle that the perfectionism and the ADD-forgetfulness that handwriting causes. 

If you want her to learn to hand-write more quickly, that is a very separate and different skill, and should be practiced separately. You might look at doing 5 minutes a day of Callirobics, to speed up her hand-writing comfort and fluency, and to make the forming of letters more natural and automatic. Or, you might try having her do simple copywork to a metronome. Specific metronome exercises often help students with focus and concentration.

However, at this age (7th grade), you can safely set aside handwriting practice (an early elementary skill/subject), so that the student can focus on developing the other subjects and skills (typing, computer literacy, logic, analysis, critical thinking, study skills, etc.) that are vital for late middle school and all through high school. JMO! 😄 

BEST of luck to you both in your Writing adventures! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited September 17, 2021 by Lori D.

[Staysea]

33 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

That's wonderful that you did so well with your middle school statewide writing test! 🎉

I just meant that it seemed that it was expected that a beginner 7th grader could hand write a 5 paragraph essay in about 40 minutes.  That is why she seemed behind to me.

 

[Lori D.]

17 hours ago, Staysea said:

I just meant that it seemed that it was expected that a beginner 7th grader could hand write a 5 paragraph essay in about 40 minutes.  That is why she seemed behind to me.

Oh, I see.

Another JMO 😉 -- I would not expect a beginner 7th grader to compose and hand-write a 5-paragraph essay in 40 minutes.

I've taught Writing & Literature to grade 7-12 students at our local homeschool co-op for 8 years now, and while I know a number of my students are behind or are "late-bloomers," even many of the average to advanced HIGH schoolers would be hard-pressed to compose* a well-thought-out 5-paragraph essay and hand-write it in 40 minutes.

* By compose, I mean the whole process of writing -- thinking (brainstorm / organize), physical write (rough draft), and make any changes or fixes (revise / proof-edit). Is that what you meant by writing a 5-paragraph essay in 40 minutes?

Side note: I'm seeing a real decline across the board (homeschool, public school, private school) in student skills and abilities with thinking, writing, and math. And I'm seeing a big increase in students (in all of those educational options) with learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, processing issues, dyslexia, dysgraphia, etc. Very worrisome.  All I can do is work with students in my classes. I make thinking and solid essay structure the priority. I tend to start individualizing assignments (in length) to help students best succeed.

So I really don't want them speeding through the process. I want them to slow down so they go through the entire process of writing to result in a very solidly structured, polished piece of writing at the end. I strongly recommend that they break that whole process into "bites" and do a bite a day or bite per sitting -- brainstorm/organize the first day; rough draft write the second day (or later on the first day); revise the next day, and also proof-edit (if there were few or no "big fixes"). If a student can only handle 1 paragraph in length, then I adjust the longer essay assignment to 1 paragraph. If the student can do the longer length, but needs more time, then the student and I discuss how to adjust the deadlines/time-table for the essay.  I offer Zoom meetings for individual 1-on-1 conferences to walk them through the thinking when they get stuck. Again, what I want is a student's best writing -- quality over quantity. But that is just my goal, and how I am trying to go about it with my co-op students. 😄 

All that to say, it is fine to set specific goals. You know your DD best, and you know best if that's a good goal for her -- of trying to speed up her handwriting, or her copying out of her detailed outline into a hand-written rough draft.

All the BEST in your 7th grade writing journey! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Lori D.

[kiwik]

On 9/18/2021 at 10:28 AM, Staysea said:

I just meant that it seemed that it was expected that a beginner 7th grader could hand write a 5 paragraph essay in about 40 minutes.  That is why she seemed behind to me.

 

It was expected and you could.  Probably a lot of the kids couldn't and didn't though.