Strategies+for+Supporting+Struggling+Writers

__**Supporting Struggling Writers**__

Brittany:What is a Struggling Writer? Lindsey:Motivating the Struggling Writer Matt:Using Technology to Help Struggling Writers

Students who struggle with writing do so for a number of reasons. It may be that the individual has a learning disability preventing them from being able to effectively put what they are thinking on the page; perhaps spelling has always been a challenge, and as writing continued, it became more an more trying; or it could be that the individual never quite "got it" when it came to writing, and as he or she continued to move through school, lacking the foundation for successful writing, it became less and less a desirable activity.  Regardless of the reasons (as there are infinite ones to choose from), the outcome is almost always the same: anxiety over writing, struggling grades, and a lack of motivation to learn any more than already known.  In each classroom, there may be a select few to an overwhelming majority that struggle with writing. Understanding why students struggle with writing and knowing what resources are available to enhance instruction can help teachers develop modifications/adaptations to their school’s curriculum to ensure that each student can achieve to their ability level.

Technology is constantly evolving in ways that are both beneficial and detrimental. With the abundance of technology around us, and the familiarity that our students have with computers and multimedia tools, it is something to consider implementing in our classrooms with struggling writers. From simple word processing to e-mail to wikis to digital storybooks, there are a number of ways to use technology in our classrooms with all writers, and especially with struggling writers. Below is a link to the National Writing Project. The National Writing Project "envisions a future where every person is an accomplished writer, engaged learner, and active participant in a digital, interconnected world."

  **__Useful Websites:__**  [|Website where students can have their work published] [|Technology in the ICS classroom PowerPoint] __[|Flipbook]!__ [|National Writing Project]
 * __Why is Writing Important?__ **
 * It is a way to communicate
 * Share our thoughts
 * Writer expresses emotions and creativity
 * Predominate way to evaluate academic achievement through writing
 * Pass along information
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 14pt;">Correlation between reading and writing skills