Encouraging boys to write!

7 replies

lelm · 17/07/2009 18:46

Hi, I have a 9 year old who has just finished Y4. He is a high achiever in all subjects except writing and has in fact just been assessed at 2A, which is lower than he was at the end of Y3. He is totally disinterested in writing, but we have now been clearly told that he will be seriously held back in all subjects if he doesn't get his writing back to scratch. Does anyone have any ideas on how to motivate him to write? Or any tips on how to improve his writing? Many thanks, Lel

OP posts:

mrsmaidamess · 17/07/2009 19:09

Oh I have one of those! (but just going onto yr 4) We are going to practice over the holidays. When you say writing, do you mean handwriting or content?

mermaidspurse · 20/07/2009 19:21

Snap me too, also going into yr4 in September. On every other level he is fine and the writing is really begining to hold him back.
ds teacher has encouraged him to use photo story3 over the holidays to make his own diary which has grabbed his interest and at least words are involved. You can download it free.
Its hard though and a real struggle when a pen is in hand. We have also been given loads of handwriting sheets to practise over the summer.

mrz · 20/07/2009 20:16

Good advice from one of the government literacy consultants - "Don't let them write until they can tell you the story"..."good readers make good writers".

try HERE

mumblechum · 20/07/2009 20:20

We got ds to keep a diary. He just had to write one page and if he felt like it do a picture.

For the first few days he moaned about it then got into it.

I came across it a few weeks ago (this was from about 5 yrs ago when he was 9) and it was really lovely to read and remember the things he was into in those days.

He practiced writing in straight lines and tidily. The content was good, spelling and punctuation fine but it used to go all up and down all over the place till he got daily practice and it improved no end.

Informer2 · 28/08/2009 21:19

Get him writting something cool...
rude poems,

Rent out the Movie 'Pump up the Volume' and say why not right say a radio show for Happy Harry the DJ

give him something thats not squeeky clean

southeastastra · 28/08/2009 21:26

mine has to practise handwriting too, he has a book to copy letter etc. personally i think it's a waste of time. who cares about handwriting really, is it that important?

faraday · 30/08/2009 16:44

I think neat writing is important as we can't always rely on computers! Also, and here I have no quotable evidence, I think it's true that the good hand/eye co-ordination necessary for 'good' handwriting helps 'wire up' useful parts of the brain, in the same way as throwing and catching a ball allegedly does, and learning a musical instrument.

FWIW, my DS1 (about to go into Y6) writes more slowly than a wet weekend, It's a nightmare and I seriously think it may hold him back at secondary. You need to be able to express yourself on paper in just about ALL subjects. ONCE he applies himself (bribery works) he does quite well but he won't always have me behind him!

Flip