Getting Past Writer's Block

If I would tell you that there are simple ways to help students get past writer’s block- would you believe me? You should, because with these 3 steps writing will become your students favorite subject!

The first way past writer’s block is to

• Give Lots of  Clear Examples - 
• Very Important- allow students to use the ideas and examples given. For example, if you are asking your students to choose a nonfiction topic for their essay, and for the example you use an animal, allow the students to use an animal as their topic.
• It’s better for students to copy the example and go through the steps and write an essay with your idea, because that gives them the confidence to know that they did it.  It’s like riding a bicycle with training wheels.  The important thing is that they get on the bike and ride it.  The second time they attempt it, it will be much less scary. 
• Always show student sample writings. If students are writing a letter, show them  letters written by previous students. 

• Model with Mentor Texts
• Get books in the genre of writing that you are teaching and read the books to the students.  In the Curriculum HQ program, I provide the teachers with mentor texts for each workbook on a PowerPoint presentation.  The teacher can show the mentor text on a screen.  Some of the Mentor texts are narrated to add excitement and interest to the story.  The students absolutely love it. 
• When students hear and see the written word, it opens up their mind and gives them ideas. 
• The Mentor text teaches the skills in a very concrete way.  It gives students confidence and motivation to become published authors and see their words in print.  

• Brainstorming and Mind Maps
• Brainstorming in a classroom setting is a great way to generate ideas.  When students share ideas and hear suggestions from their peers they are quicker to think of their own ideas.
• Mind Maps help organize information, so that all information is in one place.
• As they are working on their writing, students can go back to the Mind Maps, and add or change to their writing which is very helpful in the revising and editing stage of the writing. 

Using these ideas will start the ideas flowing for your students and take writing from a dreaded subject to an exciting mind opening creative outlet. I’d love to share the narrated mentor text for the Personal Narrative with you- for free! Click on the button to Download it for Free!

Once you download the free Narrated Personal Narrative, play it the SLIDESHOW Mode to hear the narration.

ENJOY!