I've talked a lot in this series about how to create an environment where children actually want to write. This is not going to be an environment where the children are bogged down by heavy handed lessons about technical skills. What fun is that? As a writer I know that learning the technical proficiencies of writing comes from the desire to perfect a writing piece. So, if children first internalize the joys and excitement of writing by writing, they'll be more inclined to learn from the editing process that takes place naturally when one works through the writing process.
That said, children want to write for a purpose. Children want to know that what they write is not some contrived piece put together simply for the teacher to review for errors. Of course it's going to have errors.
One of the projects I assign my students is the weekly newsletter assignment. I give them a list of weeks from which they can choose to sign up to be the newsletter writer. I usually assign weeks to partners. Prior to this scheduling I talk to them (model the newsletter on a Friday after a week of exciting things) about what they did during the week that they might want to tell parents about in their weekly newsletter. Create a brainstorm list on the board that includes all of their ideas. If they can't think of any then you as the teacher should swallow hard. Once the list is devised on chart paper or the board model, a sample newsletter for the children discussing with them how they might weave the sentences into paragraph form by adding exciting words. I always leave mistakes in my modeled writing so that we can go back and edit together as a class.
Once the children have viewed the model and have an understanding of what they are doing with this task, have the assigned partners keep track through the week of what they might want to write about and early Friday put the pair on the computer and let them go! After the first draft is put together the teacher can quickly assist in editing on the word processor and then continue to print the document out to send home.
Parents love getting this student made newsletter each week and the kids love writing it because they know they have an audience. What better way is there to say, "Hey, mom, look what I did in school!"
