The Interventionist Blog
Students face a number of challenges producing correct and appropriate texts. For a start it is usually a solitary task. Often it’s given as homework and therefore feels unsupported. In class students can find support from each other doing pair or group work and also from their teacher. Writing a composition for homework, they often don’t know how to help themselves. When it comes to motivation, students often feel a great sense of failure when they have writing returned to them covered in red ink, with each mistake highlighted. It is not easy to know how to pick yourself up and start again. If our students are teenagers this is particularly difficult. They may put on a show of not caring, but teens find criticism very painful and may feel great frustration in not understanding exactly how they can redress their weaknesses in writing. Writing is a big part of every high schooler’s life. In fact, students write more than ever before–from school research papers to essays on standardized tests to texting their friends. Yet writing problems abound. According to the 2011 results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 24% of twelfth-graders are at or above the proficient level in writing and only 3% write at an advanced level. While these results are disappointing, the overall effect on student achievement is a larger concern: writing problems can greatly hinder college and career success. The good news is that with hard work, patience, and targeted help, high school writing problems can be overcome. As with any other skill (and art), writing takes practice. You need to write every day to build your writing fluency. Daily practice might include keeping a journal or blog. The biggest hurdle to writing is getting over the hump of not doing it. Students should write every day to build fluency. Write a lot, and get in the habit of reading every day. Good readers also make good writers! What Does Your Child’s Writing Look Like? Does your high school student make errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation? Are you finding poorly constructed sentences and unsuitable word choices? Is there a lack of organization or supporting ideas? Here are some common errors that will help you identify the trouble spots in your high schooler’s writing: Problem: Sentence Fragments Example: Going to the football game this afternoon. Solution: I am going to the football game this afternoon. Problem: Run-on Sentences Example: I enjoy going to the movies first I have to finish my homework. Solution: I enjoy going to the movies, but first I have to finish my homework. Problem: Lack of Subject-Verb Agreement Example: She drive every day. Solution: She drives every day. Problem: Incorrect Noun Plurals Example: The berrys are ripe. Solution: The berries are ripe. Problem: Incorrect Plural and Possessive Nouns Example: The childrens’ toys were donated to a charity group. Solution: The children’s toys were donated to a charity group. Problem: Wrong End Punctuation Example: Where are you. Solution: Where are you? Problem: Not Forming Compound Sentences Example: It rained today. The weather report called for blue skies. Solution: It rained today, yet the weather report called for blue skies. Problem: Sentence Variety Example: Susan runs to school every morning. Susan talks to her friends before class. They don’t get to class on time. Their teacher gets angry. Solution: Susan runs to school every morning so she can talk to her friends before classes begin. However, when they don’t get to class on time, their teacher gets angry. Problem: Paragraph Focus Example: I love computer games, model cars, and comic books. All are fun! Solution: I enjoy many different types of leisure activities. My friends and I have a great time playing the latest computer games with the most excitement and challenge. When I want to create something on my own, I build model cars and take pride in getting every detail just right. Yet nothing beats my comic book collection if I want to kick back and relax! With all of these things to do, I’m never bored. Overcoming Writing Problems: How Parents Can Help High school writing problems can be overcome through a combination of thorough feedback, writing practice, and careful revision. Start by speaking with your child’s teachers. Share your observations and concerns. Often writing problems exist because students need more feedback or are confused about the feedback they are getting. Another issue is the busy high schooler’s schedule, which doesn’t allow enough time for practice and revision. Here are some tips that can help you get your student on track for writing success–in class and on tests:
Most people don’t realize that writing is a process —a process of hard-to-get-started introductions, messy drafts, and tedious revisions. Students need to be shown that most writing is not done in a single draft, and understand that teachers don’t expect it to be! (www.time4writing.com/writing-resources/writing-problems-high-school/).
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