Where would I look to get info on motivation of children to get them writing short stories?

Answer 1

Motivation is easy, let them write what they know about, like or are curious about. Writing becomes a chore when they have to write about things they do not understand or care about. Let them write and illustrate stories of their own imaginary friends, their homes, their pets, their idea of what the moon is like etc. Some kids are just not creative, but they are understanding, so do not put a premium just on creativity.

Answer 2

I think that ALL kids are motivated to write IF they have interesting subject matter. If you check Rainbow Resource - boy, they have a LOT of writing prompts! Find a source then mention a couple of them, and if the creative juices don't start flowing, then give a few suggestions until you see their eyes light up. One of my nephews was a reluctant writer when he was little, so when he was about 7 or 8 my sister took a LONG time [like about half the year] and had him do the written assignments...orally... I found that hysterically funny, of course, when she told me that, but she would just have him answer out loud and then she'd write it down. After she did this for about a semester, he was ready to write it down. Part of the problem I have observed with my own kids when they were younger was that they had the ideas - they just found the actual writing of them to be a chore. So we would really thorough discuss first what they were going to write, then I would occasionally give them a little pep talk about how they shouldn't spend so much time thinking of SHORTER ways to say what they wanted to say in the story. They would smile sheepishly because OF COURSE that was what they were trying to do - they just didn't realize it. Anyway, I've used a number of different things over the years, a few items a year, and now my kids are prolific [although not perfect] writers. If you just keep working on them, they will get it. Some kids are more natural writers than others, but they can all reach a certain proficiency.

Answer 3

If you go to an education store they have all kinds of books on writing.If you want to look online probably Scholastic would be a good choice. You didn't list the age of the children but FUN is always key. Make it fun! Let them write a mystery, a comedy or a biography. I have found the more excited the teacher is, the more interested the student is. Keep it changing. Also, do Shared Writitng, in which you do the writing but you brain storm together. This actually provides the forum to model writing and the process a writer goes through. Be sure to "Publish" stories in the form of a well put together book. This builds pride in their work.

Answer 4

I use the cartoon section of the newspaper. I clip several of them and white out the dialogue. I put them in an envelope and when it's time to write something they can pick a cartoon and write a story on what they think is going on the the pictures. Its a ready made story board for them.
You can have them draw their own story board then write from their own work. That's one idea to help motivate your students.

Answer 5

I'm not sure something as specific as that is available.

Here's a starting question: Are YOU motivated to write short stories? If not, why should they be? Be a model and work *with* them on writing short stories and it probably won't take long for them to be inspired to write their own. Working with an adult on something like this helps them have a sense of what they need to do on their own--kind of like an apprenticeship where they are learning what to do but aren't being expected to do it all on their own. It gives them a security in attempting it on their own.

Answer 6

It depends on what the child likes. If they enjoy reading science fiction books, then help them write about a far away planet. If they enjoy war books have them write about a soldier from the Trojan war or world war II. If they enjoy a romance have them write about a King and American (basically something different). If they don't even like reading then have them write a new episode for their favorite show. If they are angry with you about something have them write it down. That way they get the anger out and they would want to write after that. Just get them to write about anything that they would enjoy.

Answer 7

Give them four story headings.Ellicting imformation from children is easy because they respond to stimuli,because they are choosing their own storyline they are already interested.Allowing children to work in pairs or even groups of four encourages them to communicate and write down imformation,for their story.