While I have been working on the revision blogs, I have had in the back of my mind all of you who are working with those at-risk students and how difficult teaching them to write can be.  I want to encourage you not to give up but to keep working and you will see progress. I am listing some tips here that might give you a bit of help.

1. Writing needs to be relevant and related to students’ backgrounds and experiences.

2. These students need a minimum of 30 minutes of writing DAILY. More would be great , but this is adequate.

3. They need to be engaged in practical and creative writing.

4. Writing at home is generally not successful for them.

5. Look at and discuss pictures, movie clips, and picture books as a basis for their stories.

6. Keep in mind that these students usually have low vocabulary so you must work on building it.

7. Don’t stress over mechanics too soon. That will come later.

8. Many of these students are weak in spelling, grammar and have poor handwriting.  Work on these but not in isolation.

9. Patience is key.

10. Many of these students are passive. Genuine learning is active, not passive. To work on this, give writing that stresses discovery and active learning.

11. Work regular teacher-student conferences into your schedule.

Please don’t get discouraged and give up on the students that need us the most.