However, if we spring a topic on students and expect them to write something ingenious, chances are they are going to stare at us blankly and say, “I have no idea.” Even adults have this nemesis—the writer’s block. Aren’t they given pictures, guiding questions and helping words in their exams? In primary school, students are given more guidance in the form of images, guiding questions and helping words (especially in lower primary). In secondary school, they are given the topic and less guidance. One thing is for sure—they are expected to show maturity in their work and think on their own feet as they grow older. Even though they are given guidance, some students are still stuck. Why? They simply don’t have enough life experiences they can tap on that are related to the topic!
Let’s consider this topic: A Painful Lesson. At a glance, it looks easy but how many students have personally experienced one? To them, getting reprimanded is painful enough. Thus, a lot of them write about making a mistake and getting scolded. To the examiners, it’s not painful enough. The consequence has to be more severe (a blow) than mere scolding (a pinch) for it to be painful. Maybe they have inflicted irreversible damage on somebody. Maybe they have suffered a loss. Or maybe they have to live with the consequence forever. This is where getting more exposure and paying attention to the little things around us come into play. We can’t experience everything but we can learn from other people’s experiences.
If you find that your child has difficulty relating to a topic, take a step back. Read a story or news article
with them. Watch a video
these back to the topic and discuss
with them. In the case of a painful lesson, I would share with them, reports of people who fell victim to scams and lost their hard-earned money. Then, I’ll invite them to think about the important things they have lost and how they feel. Information is all around us!
With some background information, they can brainstorm better ideas for writing. This kick-starts their engine and ‘Boom!’ they can start to write.
2. Keep a scrapbook of their writing I do this with my students and they love that they are creating something they can keep. Most of them forget they are writing when it’s presented as the garnish that accompanies simple craftwork. It’s not stressful. Neither is it just a pointless fun activity. Let’s see the example below: