TEACHERS in schools - writing activities
In some ways a writing lesson is 'easy' - relatively quiet, with the students all busily scratching away on their paper. However there seem to be two problems:
So we need at least two types of activities.
1. Activities to motivate the children to want to write, and to actually feel that they have something they want to write down.
2. Activities to assist the children to write well, at least to an acceptable degree of accuracy.
- It can be boring - for the teacher, as well as for the students.
- The students don't know how to write well, or what to write.
So we need at least two types of activities.
1. Activities to motivate the children to want to write, and to actually feel that they have something they want to write down.
2. Activities to assist the children to write well, at least to an acceptable degree of accuracy.
Activities to motivate children to write
In the KSSR text book teachers work through the 'Listening and Speaking' pages, and the 'Reading' pages, all relating to the same topic, so that by the time they get to the 'Writing' page the children should have all the necessary vocabulary to complete a piece of writing - right?
Or maybe they could do with a little more encouragement.
Look here for specific activities to motivate Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3.
Or maybe they could do with a little more encouragement.
Look here for specific activities to motivate Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3.
Activities to assist children to write well
So the children are really keen, and really excited about the topic. (Yes?)
The children have a lot of good ideas that they want to write down. . . If not, maybe you should go back to "Activities to motivate children to write"!
1. Dealing with (Teacher) shyness
Teachers need to keep things in perspective.
It's tempting for a teacher to feel personally disappointed when their children can't write (close to) perfectly. So firstly, we need to remember that IT'S OK FOR CHILDREN TO MAKE MISTAKES! Really.
If our children go ahead and write even though they are not sure how to the teacher should be proud of having motivated them to try. Motivation is the first step. Writing correctly is the second step.
So when the children write, look for the good bits.
Let children get into the habit of writing a DRAFT first, so that they don't have to worry so much about spelling, grammar and punctuation. Then once they have some ideas down on paper they should go back and edit - with the help of their classmates, and their teacher.
Look here for specific activities to improve accuracy in Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3.
The children have a lot of good ideas that they want to write down. . . If not, maybe you should go back to "Activities to motivate children to write"!
1. Dealing with (Teacher) shyness
Teachers need to keep things in perspective.
It's tempting for a teacher to feel personally disappointed when their children can't write (close to) perfectly. So firstly, we need to remember that IT'S OK FOR CHILDREN TO MAKE MISTAKES! Really.
If our children go ahead and write even though they are not sure how to the teacher should be proud of having motivated them to try. Motivation is the first step. Writing correctly is the second step.
So when the children write, look for the good bits.
- Congratulate them on their ideas.
- Congratulate them for trying.
Let children get into the habit of writing a DRAFT first, so that they don't have to worry so much about spelling, grammar and punctuation. Then once they have some ideas down on paper they should go back and edit - with the help of their classmates, and their teacher.
Look here for specific activities to improve accuracy in Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3.