Writing is a vital skill for everyone to have. When you write well, you open yourself up to a world of communication, but if you have a child who is not confident in their writing skills, it can hinder their communication skills. That is why reluctant writers need all the help they can get to work on their writing skills. Encourage your reluctant writers with these writing prompts designed to get even the most stubborn students writing!
1) Tell Me About Yourself
The easiest and most effective way to make someone feel comfortable is to ask about their own experiences and interests. The same can be applied to writing. We know ourselves better than we know any other topic. Take this to heart and have your reluctant writer write a paragraph or so about themselves.
2) Favorite Memory
This is another easy prompt that allows for a lot of creativity. A writing prompt that evokes a memory will give your child the opportunity to express their creativity, but also gives a basis for those who have a harder time expressing their creativity.
3) Tell A Funny Story
Most kids like a funny story, so, for this prompt let them make up one of their own! This writing prompt allows your reluctant reader to let loose and provides a freedom that they don’t experience with written assignments and essays.
4) Make Up A Fable
A fable is a short story, usually with animals as characters, which depicts a life lesson or moral. Have your reluctant writer try writing their own fable today. This will help to develop a style to their writing and push reluctant writers to think outside the box.
5) Their Choice
For this writing exercise, you can either give your reluctant writer complete freedom to choose what to write about or, you can pick a topic specifically tailored to their interests. For example, if your reluctant writer enjoys dinosaurs, you can give them a writing prompt to write about the day in the life of a dinosaur. Or, if your writer is a bit more advanced in their interests, you can ask for a single page essay on the topic of their interest.
If you find that your writers are still struggling despite these writing exercises, a writing tutor might be the best way to help these reluctant writers blossom. Working with a tutor who understands how to address the specific struggles of each writer will be able to target those struggles and show improvement.
WriteAhead is a tutoring service dedicated to creating better writers. To learn more about how our writing tutors can help your reluctant writer improve their writing skills, visit www.writeahead.com.