Encouraging Reluctant Writers in the Classroom.

Certain settings and activities can be initiated in the classroom to encourage reluctant writers to write. The classroom environment should be structured so that writing efforts produce positive reinforcement. Sharing ideas with peers or the teacher prior to writing will enable students to feel that their ideas are worthwhile. Children can be paired with more proficient writers to observe them writing. Teacher feedback to reluctant writers must be immediate as well as nonthreatening. The teacher should allow the children opportunities to see that she is engaging in the process of writing, and should actively involve the children in decisions concerning her written pieces. Reading their products aloud to self and others provides a sense of ownership. Children must be given adequate time to write in a risk-taking environment. The teacher must be sensitive to what is going on with the child. Activities to encourage writing include having the children dictate stories about pictures and having the teacher record them, having the teacher and child take turns in writing conversations, and writing pen pal letters. Evaluation of the child's writing development may be conducted by collecting writing samples over a period of time and discussing writing efforts in conferences. (JDD)