Let me describe the student, then I would like some suggestions on strategies for this student.I work with a 4th grader who will sit for literally hours and not be able to put his thoughts on paper. He will say he has no thoughts on that particular subject. For example: He was supposed to be writing on something funny that happened or he could make something up. I would ask things like, “Can you think of something funny?” —No “Have you ever laughed in your whole life?” –No “I know you have, I’ve seen you.”He just gave me a blank stare.If he could dictate, I would type it. He doesn’t seem to be able to even tell me what he wants to say. We are trying to get him to try typing his work but if he can’t figure out what to say that won’t work either.
Re: writing difficulties
:I’d need to ask some questions like how’s the rest of his life? Is he verbal? Does he engage the other students and can be observed playing and having conversations with them?If not, that’s probably the source of his problem which is then bigger than writing. If, though, he can and does interact normally with other students, I’d ask questions more factual of him and then write down as he speaks. Like tell me what you had for breakfast or look down and tell me all the colors you’re wearing today. Start small. Let’s write an essay - you dictate, I’ll write - about the colors you’re wearing today. Start by listing the colors. Let’s write an essay describing this classroom to someone. Or let’s write a letter to someone about our classroom and describe it to them.I wouldn’t ask such a kid to “make anything up”. I’d stick to the literal and the unavoidably obvious.And I wouldn’t be trying to get him to type anything for a while. It has to start with the ability to put it into spoken language before anyone can move on to written language.Let me describe the student, then I would like some suggestions on
: strategies for this student.: I work with a 4th grader who will sit for literally hours and not be
: able to put his thoughts on paper. He will say he has no thoughts
: on that particular subject. For example: He was supposed to be
: writing on something funny that happened or he could make
: something up. I would ask things like, “Can you think of
: something funny?” —No “Have you ever laughed in your
: whole life?” –No “I know you have, I’ve seen
: you.”: He just gave me a blank stare.: If he could dictate, I would type it. He doesn’t seem to be able to
: even tell me what he wants to say. We are trying to get him to try
: typing his work but if he can’t figure out what to say that won’t
: work either.
Re: writing difficulties
I like tape recorders. A grade 9 student had to write a 500 word essay on Julius Caesar. His brainstorming on paper was two words. We turned on the tape recorder, I typed and he ended up with a full page with good paragraphs. Writing starts with verbalizing thoughts. You are right he has to be able to say it before he can write it. Good Luck and keep trying different strategies.
Re: writing difficulties
:Why don’t you ask him to talk about funny movie or story he heard. Does the assignment have to be from his own experiences? Even so a funny movie may help spark his imagination. Or how about a story starter? I’ve found that the hardest part of writing is actually beginning, I’ve had some success with providing some story starters. You can find books of story starters in almost any catalogue, or some general ed. teachers may already have some.Let me describe the student, then I would like some suggestions on
: strategies for this student.: I work with a 4th grader who will sit for literally hours and not be
: able to put his thoughts on paper. He will say he has no thoughts
: on that particular subject. For example: He was supposed to be
: writing on something funny that happened or he could make
: something up. I would ask things like, “Can you think of
: something funny?” —No “Have you ever laughed in your
: whole life?” –No “I know you have, I’ve seen
: you.”: He just gave me a blank stare.: If he could dictate, I would type it. He doesn’t seem to be able to
: even tell me what he wants to say. We are trying to get him to try
: typing his work but if he can’t figure out what to say that won’t
: work either.
: Why don’t you halt the writing prompts like “write about a time you were embarrassed…” and the like. I have relatively normal intelligence and these stop me in my tracks, yet students are continually asked to complete these nonessential assignments. Try very specific assignments on functional topics. Any number of things work. Our 6th grade writes a “how to” essay for district writing test in April. I have had them write things like “how to sound out a word,” “how to make caramel apples,” (October) and presently we are writing “how to spell long words.” We have done few others. We talk through the whole thing, we make a chart of the steps. My fifth graders write persuasive essays, so we practice fact and opinions. We write an opinion and a supporting statement and begin to expand. We have done book reports based on a structure that we fill in on a prewriting worksheet. We always precede writing with plenty of oral language to get the mind working and all the ideas out. You can give story frames or writing frames that start and give half or much of the writing, let the student finish. Can he write a sentence about picture if you look at a picture? I am rambling, now. Does this help at all?