Writing ideas for 2nd grader needed

[kiloyd]

DS hates writing. We are using Heart of Dakota so we do copy work some days and some days he writes a letter to a friend. A couple times I had him write about a topic, like alligators. We went through a book about alligators and picked out key words, then the next day he wrote sentences using those words and then the next day we typed it.

I've tried having him just write a story but he does not like that. Last week I just had him tell me a story and I wrote it down. I'm having him copy it over a few days.

I need some creative ideas for him. Should I also do more dictation? That way he at least gets the sotry telling part and gets to see his story written even though I wrote it?

[doubleblessings]

FTR I have no BTDT experience...

Last summer at a homeschool conference I listened to Susan Wise Bauer do a talk about writing that I found very interesting. I can't find my notes, so this will be disjointed :O I do have a CD of the session, so I can try to listen again and give more info if desired.

She has a book about this Writing With Ease (http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Writer-Writing-Strong-Fundamentals/dp/193333925X})

First thing that I remember jumping out at me is that she does not push creative writing. If a child enjoys it, she doesn't discourage it, but it is not part of her curriculum. Her reason being that it is not a required skill in life and for children who do not have that gift it can turn them against writing. She instead focuses on expository writing, which is required of most later in life.

Second, that she breaks down the parts of writing so that they are not trying to do them simultaneously. I will try to explain that...
She has them orally narrate. That is the "deciding what to write part". Then she has them at a different time do copy work. That is the "getting it on paper part". She works toward them being able to do dictation. And later has them dictating what they have previously narrated.

It made a lot of sense when she explained it to separate out the different skills to let them really get each part before throwing all that is involved in writing at them at once. I am pretty sure she didn't have them combining the skills until 4th or 5th grade. There is a long thread at the well trained mind forums - The Complete Writer: Writing with Ease (WWE) -- All separate threads merged here. Can't remember if we can like to other message boards here, but they have a search you can use without registering.

[kiloyd]

Thanks, I'll look that book up. I think he is doing fine then.

I thought dictation was telling me a story as I wrote it? Is orally narating different?

Sounds like for now we should just keep doing what we're doing.

I don't remember doing a lot of writing until we did book reports in 4th grade. So that would make sense. But of course I don't remember 3rd grade at all, we moved in the middle of it.

I just read some on the website you suggested. What is R&S? Rod and Staff?

[doubleblessings]

Narrating would be you reading him a story (or him reading one) and him telling it back to you in his own words or telling you the main point etc. As you progress, you will write down the narration he gives you.

What she is meaning by dictation is you saying something you want him to write. You would start with one sentence dictation and work up.

Here is a link to a workshop handout from her website:
http://www.welltrainedmind.com/99writing.html

And a $5 audio cd that outlines what her she says in the book.
http://www.peacehillpress.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=20

[MomtoJGJ]

Are you wanting writing to work on handwriting or to work on sentences?

For Jayden we used the spelling words... some days she just copied the words, sometimes we did sentences, other days we did Bible verses she was learning. For grammar work we talked about the sentence structure before she copied it. Of course it was all new to her, so it was pretty easy...

[kiloyd]

Sentences and stories, not hand writing.

[MomtoJGJ]

I figured, but just checking ;)

No help... I have girls and so far J and G want to write stories. J even wrote and eviction letter to E before she was born and put it in her bassinet.

[teamommy]

We use Writing With Ease, mentioned above. I like her philosophy.

Here's a link where you can read a few sample chapters from the main text discussing her writing plan. The "Three Stages" chapter talks about the general plan and why she doesn't require creative writing and journaling.
http://www.peacehillpress.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=111

[kiloyd]

Thank you, that's a good site. After reading some of it, that is what Heart of Dakota does, I"m just skipping some of it. I didn't realize how important it was, now I'll put more focus on it. Oh well, I won't beat myself over it, I haven't ruined him, just have to start doing it.

We've done some copy work but not a lot. I haven't done any dictation though and only a little narration.

Why is it that generally girls love to write and boys don't? :shrug3

[kiloyd]

We use Writing With Ease, mentioned above. I like her philosophy.

Here's a link where you can read a few sample chapters from the main text discussing her writing plan. The "Three Stages" chapter talks about the general plan and why she doesn't require creative writing and journaling.
http://www.peacehillpress.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=111


Thank you! I read the Level 1-3 stuff. Very helpful! That helped me understand a lot! Thank you so much!

Sounds like I need to relax and focus on the small stuff and not worry about him writing stories just yet if he doesn't want to.

[DaltonsMomma]

My son really struggles with writing also. One thing that has finally begun to work for him is to give him a topic and have him draw a picture first. I can't remember where I got this idea from. The concept was that some people's brains think in words and some in pictures. So I have him draw a picture that tells a story. His pictures are usually very detailed and have lots of action in them. Then we talk together about the picture and I help him restate his ideas in sentence form if necessary. When we are done talking about it he writes the story in his journal. He still doesn't love writing, but he doesn't get stressed out every time I bring out his journal anymore.

Hope this helps. :hug2