Assisting Young Writers To Increase Writing Output
Let's Turn Up The Volume In Student Writing! A priority for any writing program should be to progressively build the stamina of young writers, enabling them to sustain their writing efforts for extended periods. The aim is for the writer to reach a stage where the ideas flow freely and the blank page surrenders to a relentless flow of words. We want young writers to view the blank page as an invitation to write, rather than something filling them with trepidation. The answer lies in the act of writing. Too often young writers become distracted and a gap emerges between their intent and their action. The talking so vital in the pre-writing phase continues into the composing stage and the promise of words not surprisingly, evaporates. There should be plenty of time for talk and discussion when the writer has produced some words on the page. We owe it to the writer to provide such discussion time. A range of issues may arise to interrupt the flow of...