Writing storys

[Iris15]

Hi all,

So my oldest is in year 2, he's doing very well in all subjects generally but he is really struggling with writing storys in English. He is currently listed as emerging year 1 because he can't write a story. Without sounding like a bad mum its a little frustrating as everything else is there. His handwriting is beautiful, he can use punctuation, knows his adverbs, adjectives, nouns etc and doesn't have any problems with spelling. He's even in the top group for phonics. His teacher has said that if his ability to write a story comes on, he will instantly jump to expected year 2 because everything else is in place. Has anyone got any advice or can help with some ideas on how we can bring on his writing?

Thank you very much in advance.

Does he read stories at home? Maybe he struggles with ideas, and reading stories will help him to come up with ideas for his own.

@thereluctantcountess, Yes he reads every night after school and at weekends. His reading is fluent and has good ability.

Can you make up stories with him, rather than out of a book? Sort of riff ideas off each other. DS & I used to do this when he was little, then he'd write them down.

I second the above about making up stories together as inspiration. You could also get some story dice (they're about a fiver from Tiger). Each of the six or so dice has a variety of pictures on it - you then use these to craft your story.

I guess there could be a few different things causing the issue. Can he invent a short story and tell you verbally? If not could you work together. For example he invents a character and you invent a beginning of the story and then he decides how the story ends etc. Then he can tell the entire story but with you providing the structure e.g. who is the story about? Where does it happen? How does it start? What happens next? etc

When/if he can tell a story verbally you could then try having him write it down. Have him decide what he's going to write first and think the sentence through before writing it. On amazon you can get empty comic strips which might be fun. He could draw pictures first to organise his thoughts then write captions underneath.

Honestly though I wouldn't be at all worried at this stage. In Y2 the quality of story telling doesn't need to be great at all and it sounds like he's doing well in general.

I would ask the teacher what you can do to help him.

I think your child is creative and you should encourage that. This is an interesting read about encouraging or knowing the child's passion: kidzgifts.co.uk/news/when-i-grow-up-i-want-to-be/

Does he like comics? I'd suggest starting with a blank comic book and asking him to make up a story and then move into writing it in proper sentences later.

www.amazon.co.uk/Blank-Comic-Book-Create-Panels/dp/1979466971/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=comic+book+blank&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1581698066&sr=8-1

Stop him in the middle of his bedtime story and ask him to tell you what he thinks might happen next. Have fun with it, make him know there isn't a wrong or right answer etc. If his handwriting and everything else is perfect/beautiful he might be so focused on this or worried about making mistakes that he is unable to be creative.