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There are few things in the ELA teaching world worse than when a student flat out refuses to write. It happens for a myriad of reasons. Students lack confidence, interest, background knowledge, or research skills. They don't know where to start, aren't sure how to find inspiration, don't feel comfortable approaching the teacher for help, or don't know how to get past writer's block. We can help them if we try to view the experience of writing through their lens.

So, what are some reasons why students dislike writing? Understanding the causes impacts how we should alter instruction to motivate struggling writers.

Problem 1: The task seems overwhelming.

Commonly, students feel like writing an entire essay isn't possible. When students struggle to form complete sentences, it's overwhelming for them to think about writing an entire essay. We can build students' confidence in their writing abilities by scaffolding the process.

free resource will walk you through the process. You can try this with any genre of writing.

Once they are confident with sentence writing, move on to a paragraph. Instead of explaining expectations for every paragraph of the entire essay, just talk about one paragraph at a time. Conference with students, and help struggling writers by giving them frequent feedback so they know they are on the right track before attempting the next step.
Five Essay Grading Tips.
Problem 2: Students are confused about the expectations.

Sometimes students simply do not understand what the teacher wants from them. Teachers ask students to write an essay, and students become overwhelmed.

expectations to students, and see an editable introductory presentation.

Try explaining expectations to students in different ways. For instance, set individual student goals based on a pre-assessment. Model writing, analyze samples, and write as a class. Use memorable acronyms and graphic organizers or color-coded graphic organizers to help anchor abstract concepts.

Problem 3: Students believe their ideas are not worth writing.

"I have nothing to write." We've heard it before. Everyone's voice matters, but not all secondary students believe it. Students need to practice sharing their ideas with others in order to build their confidence muscles.

Another approach that is growing in popularity, thanks to Angela Stockman, is the concept of a makerspace. When reluctant writers are given the opportunity to make and manipulate their thoughts before vocalizing them, they begin to understand the power of their ideas.

9. Let students choose the topic. Students are more likely to be confident in writing about a topic of interest. Providing topic choice is a simple way to get past writer's block for some students.

Problem 4: The pace is too quick.

Anyone, not just a struggling writer, becomes overwhelmed when they have more to do than time available to do it in. Covering fewer writing skills in depth is better than covering every skill quickly if we want students to grow.

t's okay to differentiate expectations with writing assignments. We have to consider students' readiness levels and meet them where they are. For example, if you are working with a group of students who lacks experience with research and essay writing, try building confidence by just asking them to write one solid body paragraph instead of three. If your students have never done any research writing at all, just start with a research paragraph. Or, focus on growth between rough and final draft when grading.

he writing process is discursive, messy, and unique to each writer, so she believes a hyperdoc is the perfect way to accommodate all of your writers, no matter where they are in the process. It's basically a collection of resources that allows students to work through the writing process at their own pace, and it allows the teacher more flexibility to conference with writers. Here are Abby's writing minilessons. For more information on how to create hyperdocs to support your students, check out

Problem 5: Writing is hard. Avoidance is easier.

Student writers can get discouraged easily because writing is tough. Students use a wide variety of avoidance tactics to get out of writing. Some say they have no ideas, others stare blankly at their screen or paper, and still others crank something out and shout, "Done!" entirely too soon.

writing charts to help struggling writers overcome these hurdles. You will also find useful information in this and in this article, Support for Writers at All Levels.

14. Make feedback count. The way we respond to the presence of students' writing will determine whether or not they produce more...as well as the quality of their work. When giving feedback or grading writing, we have to respect students' internal dialogue. Writing is a vulnerable task for many students. In order for them to open up, they need to trust us. Try clarifying the audience's view or asking questions instead of making statements. Read more specifics in this post.

15. Discuss writing stamina. If we want students to live in metacognition, we need to train them. Have a conversation about writing stamina with students, and involve them in the brainstorming process. Teach them to pivot from complaining about not wanting to do it to figuring out how to change that mindset and overcome the hurdle. Hang their ideas as anchor charts so they can re-read and self-monitor as needed during work time.

Problem 6. Students view writing as a chore.

Sometimes writers struggle because they need a break from academic writing. When we ask students to write, oftentimes frustration comes from repeating the same writing tasks over and over again. Even for the most verbose writer, a shift in medium and in writing task can be a confidence-booster.

This resource will get you and your students started with writing and imagining alternate endings to the stories that you're reading in class.
50 Ways to Get Kids Begging to Write More.
There's not a one-size-fits-all solution to help struggling writers. The reason behind each student's reluctance is different. In this post, we've explored six different causes for lack of writing motivation and offered possible interventions for each. Tell us: What would you add to the list?
Still looking for more ways to support struggling writers? Try these related posts. 14 Ways to Support Struggling Writers Tips for Scaffolding the Multiple-Paragraph Essay How to Teach Conclusion Paragraphs
10 Tips for Responding to Student Writing

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The Big List of Ways to Motivate Struggling Writers | Reading and Writing Haven

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There are few things in the ELA teaching world worse than when a student flat out refuses to write. It happens for a myriad of reasons. Students lack confidence, interest, background knowledge, or research skills. They don't know where to start, aren't sure how to find inspiration, don't feel comfortable approaching the teacher for help, or don't know how to get past writer's block.

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It's that time of year when the weeks are long, the days are colder (especially if you live where I live), and the students are in their school routine. That routine is great because students understand classroom expectations. That routine can also mean the loss of the excitement of a new year.

All teachers confront the challenges of motivating students to write. While the following tips are not the only correct way to motivate students to write, they are attempts I have used in the high school classroom to get students loving writing while making it fun for them.

How to Motivate Students to Write:

Make it personal

Add a visual and/or kinesthetic element

Publish student work

Have them share (collaborative, competitive)

Write every day (with a creative prompt)

The ideas presented here stem from my work with the National Writing Project, a group with which I am closely associated through my state affiliation. Here are some ideas I have used in my high school classroom to get students to love writing:

Breakdown the Classroom Walls

To make writing personal and to add both a visual and kinesthetic element, I have used Instagram to get students to love writing. When examining purpose, audience, and genre, I had the students choose something concrete in the school that sent a message about our school. Students were asked to take a picture, post it to Instagram (or email it to me if they didn't have an Instagram account), and write a post about how it represented our school.

This activity gave students choice, got them moving out of the classroom and into the school, and provided them with an engaging activity to write! Students took pictures of our new football stadium and talked about ways that activities support student learning. Students took pictures of classrooms, teachers, and trophy cases and wrote about how each of these spaces, faces, and artifacts impacted their lives.

There was an innate collaborative element because students shared their writing with everyone on their Instagram account, including tagging me as their teacher. This connected students not only to other students at their school, but also to friends who follow them from other cities and communities. There was also an element of publishing their writing by using social media.

Write Every Day: 3 Writing Prompt Examples

Providing students a writing prompt gives them a starting point in their writing, and it is an activity that can provide a seamless entrance into your plan for the day. I usually incorporate this writing activity at the beginning of class. It gets students into their seats and writing about an interesting and engaging topic. Here are some writing prompt examples:

1. Interview: This is a great way to get students to get to know each other.

a. Have each students write 3-5 interview questions.

b. Students will pair up and interview each other.

c. Students will write a "feature article" about the person interviewed. You could include a picture of the student, too!

d. Post around room (this is the publishing factor!).

2. The Super Hero: This is a great way to bring creativity and imagination into the classroom.

a. Have students answer the prompt: If you could be a Super Hero, who would you be and why?

b. Draw it, using at least four different colors.

c. Have students share with classmates.

d. Post drawings and writings in the classroom.

3. The Reading Response: Use this if you want to provide a writing opportunity that is more closely related to your classroom content.

a. Give students a poem, piece of artwork, or picture.

b. Have students title it and write about it.

c. Ask students, what do you see? or what questions you have?

d. Share with classmates

e. Post around the room, especially as the responses tie to your content or essential question for the unit of study.

Writing is fun and students should have many different opportunities to write. Download the WRITE Acronym Poster that reminds you and your students about the writing and how to make it fun every day!

If you have tips on how to motivate students to write, leave a comment!

PRINTABLE WRITING PROMPT EXAMPLES:
Write to a Prompt

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How To Motivate Students To Write (And Love It!)

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It's that time of year when the weeks are long, the days are colder (especially if you live where I live), and the students are in their school routine. That routine is great because students understand classroom expectations. That routine can also mean the loss of the excitement of a new year.

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As a teacher, you know there are students who have the natural ability to write, or they don't. You may also realize there are teachers who either love to teach writing, or they don't. I am one of those teachers who love to teach writing. I love showing my kids that their ideas are important, and that there is a process for putting those ideas down on paper. If you are a teacher who is looking for basic tips and a few deeper things to think about when it comes to inspiring your students to write, you have come to the right place!

1. Allow your students to see themselves as authors.

In my classroom, if you can write words on a paper, you are an author. We celebrate the fact that we are all authors, and it is important to publish our work just like an author publishes his/her own work. We all put in our very best effort, and we encourage each other to grow each day. That is the attitude I instill in my students.

2. Read lots of narrative text.

Narrative text is the key to tapping into a child's imaginative side when it comes to writing. Adults and children need to be able to take past experiences, what is happening in the moment, and what they have learned to apply what they learned to create a new experience. In this case, their new experience will be a story. In my classroom, exposing my students to more narrative text is just as powerful as modeling writing.

3. Assign relevant writing assignments that are applicable to your students lives.

You really have to be creative for this one. Think about what is going on at the moment. You have to get into the minds of your students in order to figure out what things mean the most to them. We know most kids enjoy communicating. In fact, sometimes, we can't get them to stop. So think about how you can take things they enjoy communicating about orally, and get them to write those words on paper.

4. Give your students permission to make mistakes.

When I am teaching writing, I always ask myself, "Do I want my kids to focus on spelling and grammar, or do I want them to focus on writing?" There is a time and a place for all these components, but when we are writing our first drafts, we focus solely on the flow of ideas, and getting them on paper. In my classroom, I give each student a writing dictionary at the beginning of the year. The only way they can ask me to spell a word is if they have the page flipped open to the letter the word starts with and they have to hand me a pencil so I can write it for them quickly. I don't have them write it in their dictionary on their own because it takes too much time. They are going to rewrite that word anyway, and I have to make sure I use my time wisely with all my students. If another student asks for the same word, I will direct him/her to the student I already helped, so they can have it as well. Be sure to check out my Writing Dictionary I use in my classroom!

5. Allow your students to publish and share their own writing.

However you do this is up to you. You can post writing on a bulletin board, in a collaborative book, or even online (with parental permission). Although I have never done any online publishing with my students, you just have to see how Matt Gomez uses Twitter in his kindergarten classroom. I could see students using many other platforms to publish online. Matt has opened my mind to many other online publishing ideas I could use with my kids. However you decide to publish writing, be sure to celebrate it with your students. They will be more inspired and motivated to write each time you assign a new prompt and begin the writing process cycle.

In closing, remember that when you are teaching writing, you are teaching an art. Let go of everything that vexes you about teaching writing. Know that quality will not happen right away. Accept that in order to build a community of young authors, you must dig deep to understand your students and what motivates them. Be patient because the magic will come!

I would love to hear the ways you inspire your students to write. If you have a great idea, would you please comment below so we can learn from each other?

For more ideas, be sure to follow me on Teachers Pay Teachers, Pinterest, and Facebook to stay posted!

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Five Ways to Inspire Your Students to Write

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Five Ways to Inspire Your Students to Write. If you are a teacher who is looking for basic tips and a few deeper things to think about when it comes to inspiring your students to write, you have come to the right place!