child struggling with creative writing

[dulwichparkrunner]

I'm not sure whether I should have posted this in the general section as not sure whether it's a boy thing or something that is common with gifted kids (which is why I've posted this here).

My 6 year old really struggles to write stories. His teacher has picked up this and showed me his work which was puzzling as it was so poor, really very poor.

I'm not sure how to help him - we read to him every night and he's also a good reader. He just doesn't like writing and doesn't want to do it. But even when he tries, it seems he really can't think of anything to write.

I would be very grateful if anyone could recommend something that has helped their child.

(He's got a huge vocabulary, a high reading ability and is great at maths, so it's really quite out of step. He is very good at difficult comprehensions and can write answers to specific questions based on a story.)

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My DS was just the same as this at 6. He is now 9. He is G&T and could absorb facts so quickly I thought he had a photographic memory. He was amazing at maths at a level twice his age. Loved science and excelled. Anything subject with a definite answer he was good at.
However if he had to do creative writing he just sat there nothing came into his mind he had no imagination. He aslo writes very very slowly.
His teacher taught him to write by a more scientific method. Thinking of a basic story and then adding his five senses i.e. I was walking in the woods. I could see - and smell - feel beneath my feet and hear -. Once he included these his wriiting became more interesting and as he has an excellent vocabulary it wasn't a problem.
Now he is 9 his creative work is on a par with his other work. He still writes very slowly.

Thank you Lynli - that's a really good suggestion, I will try that. Trying a more 'scientific' method might well be the way!

Your description of your son sounds very like my little boy, so your words of advice are much appreciated.

My DS is exactly the same. He's 6 and G&T too for both literacy and numeracy, although numeracy is streets ahead. He's a free reader, loves science, maths, problem solving, anything like that.

He HATES having to write!! He can explain why he's done something, tell you everything he did at the weekend etc, but when it comes to writing in his diary or maths book he is really poor.

I think it's cos his brain works faster than his hand! Seriously. He hardly ever draws through choice.

Just the other day he wrote his first ever story without being prompted - about 6 lines long about a starving rabbit who hit spiders!

I concur, My DS 9yrs has always hated writing. He seems to think far quicker than he can write and then loses patience with it.

Some gifted kids, esp boys can suffer from something called disgraphia. Well I think thats correct. I read about on the NAGT site.

Try looking it up, the Gumf I read gave lots of strategies to overcome it.

My son is happier using the PC so I encourage him to use it for work at home. He writes poems and stories, but his hand writing is still slow and spider-like!

That's really interesting. I just looked up disgraphia and thought I'd try out some of their suggestions, even though I don't think my son actually has the condition.

But the suggestion for me to type out his story a story my son dictated has just led to us covering two A4 pages in a long, rambling story about Gormitis. He's just said happily, "I can't believe I've actually written a story!". The language he used was far better than anything he would have got down on paper by himself and it was a new experience for us both for him to be happily concocting a story. Obviously, we'll have to work on him actually writing it himself, but I think that's a start. Thanks for all the feedback. Isn't Mumsnet a fantastic resource!

Keep encouraging his reading. DS1 is 7, and has only really blossomed at creative writing in the last 12 months. He is now, according to his teacher, one of the best at it that she has seen.

He isn't gifted BTW, so I can't really comment on that side, but he is apparently about the best in his class at reading, writing and maths.

My son mentioned quite out of the blue last night that he gets a pain in his hand when he has to write for any length of time. I see that is actually one of the symptoms of disgraphia, so am now wondering if maybe I was a bit quick to discount it.

There was a check list of ten symptoms, including: the child hates colouring, hates lego, can't do up laces (but he is only 6), pain in hand/arm when writing - all of which are to do with fine motor movement and all of which would fit my son. Sigh.

I'd never heard of the condition until minimathsmouse's kind post, now I feel I know rather too much about it. Ah well. It's certainly something to keep an eye on. Thank you to all the people who have kindly posted.

Hi dulwichparkrunner,

Try not to worry too much, eventually they catch up even if it is disgraphia. My DS is now starting to write stories on word. He is happy to tap away,so lack of imagination is not a problem! He complains of pain in his hands/wrists when he writes and can't tie his laces. He started having piano lessons, which seemed to help, so might be worth a try for your son.

Speak to his teacher and explain what you know and ask her opinion, its a good idea to make sure that his teacher understands.

dulwich - you could be writing about my own ds.

Now in Y5 ds's teacher gives the class the start of the sentence and 5 minutes to continue the sentence into a the start of a story - as silly as they wish. The children can then read out what they have written if they wish.

My ds loves this, never thought I'd see the day, and is disappointed if they don't get to do it.

His creative writing has come on in leaps and bounds and he is able to write faster.