Whether your students are eager learners or reluctant writers, the award-winning Teaching Writing: Structure and Style video seminar will give you the tools you need to confidently teach your students to write well, think clearly, and express themselves eloquently and persuasively.
Teachers or teaching parents of students in grades K–12 and beyond will learn how to effectively teach their students to
This complete package includes
*Forever Streaming is available from IEW.com as long as it is needed by the original purchaser. Nontransferable.
To be considered for accreditation, it is required that an applicant own a TWSS2 Seminar Workbook , Second Edition.
See how the 2015 version (Second Edition) of the TWSS was updated.
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About the Teacher’s Seminar
This video seminar is our primary offering for teachers and parents, presenting a system of structural models (e.g., narrative, essay, report) and stylistic techniques (e.g., strong verbs, quality adjectives, and a variety of sentence openers) applicable for students of all ages and aptitudes.
The set includes the full teacher training course on nine DVDs, along with four demonstration lessons showing the first step of the process being taught to students at four different grade levels—an enjoyable jump start with Structure & Style. The accompanying Seminar Workbook becomes your syllabus and teaching manual.
Unlike many creative writing programs, this more classical system stresses modeling and builds a firm foundation of specific skills. As students practice each format and master each technique, they develop confidence—and consequently, creativity. Even the youngest student can gain a sense of structure and a repertoire of style; high school or university students will see instant improvement in their written communication.
This program allows for easy customization, effective implementation, and concise grading. After learning it yourself, you will be able to communicate to students exactly what is expected of them as they master new skills one step at a time. You will learn how to teach your students to outline and summarize, add style to their writing, create stories, produce reports, write critiques, develop essays, analyze literature, and put into writing the information they have hidden in their brains. Assignments can be integrated with content areas of history, geography, science, religion, literature, etc.
Teaching Writing: Structure and Style is easy to implement. Simply watch the first disc of your teacher’s seminar and then present that lesson to your student. The Seminar Workbook has sample assignments and ideas to help you. Once you and your student master the material from the first disc, watch and teach another. To aid you in the teaching of the first lesson, view the Student Workshop at the appropriate level. (For more student lessons on video, see the Structure and Style for Students .)
About the Student Workshops
Included with this seminar are four student workshops. Each one shows Andrew Pudewa demonstrating the first writing lesson at each of four levels. (Note: for more in-depth modeling of teaching through the entire syllabus, see the Structure and Style for Students video courses.)
The Primary Workshop (Level P) teaches 1st–2nd graders to create a key word outline from a short paragraph and then use the outline to write a paragraph of their own. Students are also taught how to use substitutes for said . (about 40 minutes)
The Elementary Workshop (Level A) shows 3rd–5th graders how to create a key word outline from a paragraph and then use the outline to write a paragraph of their own. Additionally the students are taught how to “dress-up” their writing with adverbs and strong verbs. They are also shown how they can be creative by changing the details in their story and how to create a memorable title. (about 95 minutes)
The Intermediate Workshop instructs 6th–8th graders (Level B) how to create a key word outline from a short report and write a paragraph. They too are shown how to dress up their writing with adverbs, noun clauses, strong verbs and more. Choosing a title is also discussed. (about 95 minutes)
The Advanced Workshop , for grades 9 and above (Level C), not only presents how to create a key word outline from a report, but also shows students how to take notes from a live lecture. Students then learn effective ways to write their paragraph and to use these skills to study effectively. The style of using a variety of sentence openers is explained before the presentation of the writing assignment. (about 100 minutes)
Click here to view a list of online resources we recommend to assist in your teaching.
Specifications: 9 seminar streaming videos or DVDs, 3 student demo streaming videos or DVDs, 240 page binder
ISBN: Forever Streaming: 978-1-62341-336-1, DVDs: 978-1-62341-223-4
Edition: Second Edition, February 2015
Copyright Date: 2015
Disc media may not be copied.
Transmission or broadcasting of Teaching Writing: Structure and Style video content is prohibited.
Teaching Writing: Structure and Style Seminar and Workbook:
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author, except as provided by U.S.A. copyright law.
TWSS Second Edition Viewing Guide.pdf
TWSS Second Edition Time Signatures.pdf
Seminar Workbook Sample.pdf
"Thanks to IEW, my oldest son loves to get writing assignments!" Tammy W.
"Hello, I'm a mom of 4. IEW has saved our family!" Homeschool Mom
Back in 2001, my kids were in 7th, 5th, and 2nd grades. I wanted to teach them how to write well, but every writing curriculum I looked at or tried seemed to just tell students what to write without teaching them how. Most started with the dreaded blank page and no instruction on how to fill it up. Needless to say, we were all getting frustrated!
Finally, I found out about IEW and decided to give it a try. I am a big picture person, so I sat and watched the entire TWSS in the evenings throughout a couple of weeks. The more I watched, the more excited I became! I couldn’t wait to get started! I finally had the tools I needed to teach my children how to write!
We started, and Units 1 and 2 were incredibly successful! My two older kids took off with it and were writing several paragraphs a week, enjoying the challenge of coming up with the stylistic techniques. I loved how IEW did not separate writing from other subjects, but rather was a tool to help them learn. We found that writing about what we were learning helped us master the material much more effectively.
The kids were building impressive writing notebooks bursting with structural model sheets, style words and examples, key word outlines, and final copies of their compositions. All the tools they needed to write well were in those notebooks. It was great to be able to assign an essay and know that they knew exactly what steps to take to write one. It was also such a joy to go back and read their compositions and see how far they had progressed!
Eventually we started using other IEW materials. The kids always looked forward to Andrew teaching them through DVDs, and we also especially enjoyed using the history theme-based writing lessons and Windows to the World . I have never seen an easier way to learn how to write a literary analysis essay. I would have never been able to teach my kids how to do this well without the Windows course!
Our two older kids are now in college and have been able to easily write all their papers and get excellent grades. They are both so thankful for all they have learned and for having the tools to write any type of paper.
I always say that IEW is, by far, the best homeschool money I have ever spent! Earlier this year I became accredited as an IEW® Registered Instructor, am now teaching IEW co-op classes, and plan to become Certified soon. It is so rewarding to see how well my students are progressing and how excited they are to find out that they really can learn to write well! Sabrina C Homeschool Parent / Registered Instructor
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Creative writing can be a real positive force for children’s lives and development, but how does a child get started with creative writing? There are many ways, but it can often be helpful to have a structure to work from, so we’ve outlined some simple steps on how your child can write a story and enjoy themselves in the process! As they brainstorm, a lot of ideas will come to mind, so we recommend they take notes throughout the process.
Creative writing is an expressive form of writing that allows children to explore their thoughts, ideas, and emotions in an imaginative way. Unlike academic or factual writing , creative writing encourages children to use their imagination to invent characters , settings , and plots , fostering a love for storytelling and self-expression.
In creative writing, children have the freedom to write stories , poems , letters , and even scripts for their own movies. It's an opportunity for them to unleash their creativity, experiment with language, and develop their unique voice as writers. Through creative writing, children learn to think critically, problem-solve, and communicate effectively, all while having fun and exploring their creativity.
Encouraging creative writing at home or as part of homeschooling not only helps children develop their writing skills but also nurtures their imagination and confidence.
Your child may not be quite ready to start, and that’s normal - writing can be challenging!
Instead of jumping straight in, ease your child into it with activities like free writing. This will allow them to explore any topic without pressure, acting as a way to boost your child’s imagination before they start writing stories .
If your child is a reluctant writer, you can try different methods that don’t actively require them to put pen to paper, but are linked to creativity and storytelling. These include drawing , picking out new children’s books from the local library, telling stories out loud, or dedicating time to read your child’s favorite books as a family. Generally, reading lays the foundation for your child to be able to create their own stories, improving their narrative writing skills by exposing them to different techniques, genres, and styles.
When all else fails, encourage your child to read more. The more that your child reads, the easier it will be for them to start writing.
Creating a character is a great starting point for your child to write their own story.
This character can be whatever your child wants them to be. They can be a human, an animal, a mystical creature, or something completely made-up! Once they have a general idea of what they want this character to be, they can brainstorm different plot points, which will further inform the characters traits, behaviours, and role in the story.
Here are some questions your child should be able to answer about their character:
A story normally relies on one character to be the hero, and on another to be the villain. The villain is typically portrayed as a negative character who introduces a problem (the antagonist), and the hero is a positive character who solves the problems (the protagonist). Once your child creates their main character, they should establish their role within the story. Are they writing from the perspective of the hero, or would they prefer to give the villain of the story a voice?
From there, they can create side characters! These are typically parents, siblings, and friends of the main character, but can also be total strangers. If your child is stuck on how to build their first character, they can use writing prompts to make it a little easier. Try this prompt:
Prompt: Create a character that is half dog, and half elephant and call it a Doggophant! What does a Doggophant like to eat?
The next step in your child’s creative writing process is to choose where it takes place . They should also decide the genre of their story, as some settings won’t work for some specific genres (for example, a sunny beach wouldn’t pair well with a moody mystery).
This story’s setting could be a real location, such as London, Paris, or New York, or a fictional location, like an enchanted forest or an underwater kingdom.
A helpful way to start brainstorming is to ask your child about places they’ve been to, seen on TV, or read about in stories. This is a chance for them to imagine how their story would look like in different settings, and will help them decide on the genre they’d like to go for too.
Prompt (continued): Where does a Doggophant usually live? Is it a magical Night Zoo?
Before starting to plan the plot, your child should understand the basic structure of a story . All good stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
The beginning serves as a way to introduce characters, set the scene, and show the "calm before the storm”. This happens before a conflict is introduced.
The middle of a story is where most of the action takes place. This is where your child should introduce the main problem, and the main character’s journey of trying to solve it.
Finally, the ending or conclusion of the story is where, normally, the conflict is resolved. This can change depending on how your child wants to end their story!
Prompt (continued): Doggophants love when people visit the Night Zoo, but a new character named Lord Nulth is trying to steal all of the creativity in the Zoo! Does Lord Nulth sound like a nice person? Why would he want to steal creativity? How will Doggophant and other animals stop him?
Now that all the planning is done, let’s get writing!
As your child starts to write, they’ll probably make changes and come up with new story ideas— this is normal and an integral part of the creative process.
It’s important that you offer your support throughout this process, especially if your child is a reluctant writer. While giving them space to concentrate, you can check-in every once in a while, offering help if they encounter any hurdles. Your role mirrors that of a writing prompt, providing your child with initial ideas and nudging them to develop their story further. This collaborative approach ensures their story unfolds organically, making the blank page a canvas for unlimited story possibilities!
One of the best things about creative writing is that it enables children to express themselves and grow in confidence with every story they craft. It pushes children to believe in the phrase "I can", as they embark on different writing exercises without the fear of failing or being held by the “what if’s”. As your child starts their journey through the exciting world of writing, it’s important to guide them in the right direction. Encourage them to not overthink and just write whatever comes to mind at first.
To keep the momentum, you can even set different goals, like writing different descriptions, drawing their main character, or brainstorming different story endings before writing the full story. For reluctant writers, setting small, attainable targets can make the process less overwhelming and more exciting. Avoid setting strict word counts or time limits, as these can add pressure and take the fun out of the writing experience.
It’s important to remember that progress isn’t linear, and that every child is unique. If they need to, you can allow your child to build their story gradually, creating a more fluid project that enables them to work when inspiration strikes. Once they finish their first story, you’ll probably see a change in their attitude, and a new motivation to write a different piece.
Creative writing can be a rewarding experience for you and your child. Make sure you give them positive encouragement, and to soak in the experience of reading the story once it has been completed. They’ll have created something one-of-a-kind, and it will give you an exciting look into their imagination!
Still having trouble getting your child motivated to write? You should try Night Zookeeper !
Our writing program for kids makes writing fantastically fun by turning different writing activities into games, keeping children engaged, entertained, and excited to learn!
We cover all styles of writing, and boost children’s writing skills using an array of different activities, including writing lessons, short story prompts, and challenges.
Got any questions? Reach out to us via email at [email protected] . Follow us on social media:
Teaching creative writing will stretch you as a person and as a teacher. If you’re looking for h ow to teach a creative writing class, I hope my refection process benefits you.
This past semester, I was tasked with teaching creative writing for the first time. Before I dive into the second semester, I want to reflect on my experiences. This sort of class is one that I will never teach the same way twice because my writers will always have different needs. Still, I need to process what approaches worked and did not work.
If these ideas help another teacher, great! Below is what I learned from teaching creative writing with high school students. As I consider h ow to teach creative writing, I realize that much of the process includes diverse learning tools and encouragement from me to students.
Also! I have a freebie in this post that you can hand students tomorrow! Sign up for Language Arts Classroom’s library to receive the handout and other freebies:
Now, here are my ideas for h ow to teach creative writing with high school students.
High school students don’t always value interaction, brainstorming, and creating with peers. Such collaboration is important in any class; in creative writing, it is vital. When I began collaboration with students, I didn’t always see the results I wanted. As I continue to t each creative writing, I realized the importance of providing a model.
Even though I work with older students, I still need to model the collaborative process. I often did this by writing a sample, verbalizing what I liked and disliked, and asking for student approval. Plus, I never let questionable feedback offend me; I would instead articulate what the student said about my work.
The next time that I teach creative writing, I need to be more intentional with designing feedback. Sure, older students understand that collaboration is important and that kindness moves their messages forward. Still, I should provide exact examples for them to model their feedback.
Because imaginations dominate the writing, it is easy for students to lose track of transitions and explanations. The story might be interesting, but a fresh reader might be confused. Part of the fun of creative writing includes breaking grammar rules. But! The subtraction of rules can’t include adding confusion. Creative writing assignments for high school must include discussions of structure, organization, and clarity.
Remind students that at the end of a book, the author thanks a list of people who provided feedback and encouragement. The list of readers is long . Professional writers gladly accept feedback. Train students to think of feedback as part of the process. Show students what authors think of their process.
Students might understand that they should provide feedback, but they should also understand that receiving feedback is important too.
Creative writing assignments for high school should include images! Pictures are a perfect scaffolding tool for teaching creative writing.
This brainstorming technique worked multiple times when students found a wall. Grab some pictures from the Internet and compile them into a presentation like I did for this character activity . You can also head outside or ask students to contribute pictures. I have many Pinterest boards that inspire my own writing. Encourage students to develop a process that inspires them as writers.
Now that you have pictures, try brainstorming. What colors, depths, and shadows do students see in these images? How can those descriptions better their writing?
Another opportunity for images is to head outside with your writers. You might focus students by providing certain images for them to analyze.
Dialogue confused my students, and I’m not sure I have a solid reason as to why. I’m guessing that the rules differ from citations in formal writing, and that is their typical writing assignment. I had my students bookmark this page . We reviewed and practiced dialogue frequently.
Practicing punctuation, reviewing grammar rules, and breaking grammar rules can be great addition to teach creative writing.
All those literary devices students find in literature? Now it is their turn to implement them! Some, like similes and direct characterization, come naturally. Students automatically include many literary devices. Don’t be afraid to read literature as you teach creative writing. Inspiration and examples help young writers, especially concerning literary devices.
Trickier literary devices? My class and I really worked with indirect characterization, conflicts , and setting . Students had too much telling and not enough showing. I’ve found that using pictures is a great scaffolding technique as I teach creative writing. Pictures inspire students to see angles they normally wouldn’t by simply imagining their story. Pictures provide a step for students as they implement literary devices in their creative writing activities.
As I teach creative writing, I realize the importance of pulling examples from literature. Students read creative writing! Emphasize that point with them.
Whatever your creative writing activities for high school students, you should include character development. Students really bloom when they craft characters. Sometimes students need prompting, so I created a brainstorming list for students, and you may download it for free .
Why did I do this? Creating and developing characters is hard! Students know interesting characters; in fact, I spent time brainstorming memorable ones with students. Then, we discussed why those characters stayed in their memories.
From our discussions, students realized that these characters have multiple levels. They have quirks and unlikable traits. No human is perfect; a realistic character isn’t either. We gave our characters mild obsessions (chewing nails), memorable habits (eating cheesy waffles for breakfast), and a unique style (red jean jacket). To do this, I asked characters to brainstorm more information for their character than they would ever include in their story. Creative writing assignments for high school can be analytical: Older students have years of viewing and reading characters!
Why? Well, students then had an image of the character which flowed into the development. The ideas were easier to weave into the story when students had this background information. Finally, students had a unique character they invested in before they began writing a story.
Teaching creative writing was rewarding in many ways. Students expressed their concerns and fears, joys and triumphs. When I took over this class, I wondered what the outcome would be. This was my first experience teaching creative writing, and I was nervous. Now as I prepare for the new semester, I’m excited to see what students develop and what I can create to help them.
You are welcome to download the characterization brainstorming sheet for free! Sign-up for Language Art Classroom’s library to download it and other freebies.
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Are you looking for more ideas for h ow to use pictures and other engaging materials for creative writers?
creative writing freebies writing lessons
Narratives build on and encourage the development of the fundamentals of writing. They also require developing an additional skill set: the ability to tell a good yarn, and storytelling is as old as humanity.
We see and hear stories everywhere and daily, from having good gossip on the doorstep with a neighbor in the morning to the dramas that fill our screens in the evening.
Good narrative writing skills are hard-won by students even though it is an area of writing that most enjoy due to the creativity and freedom it offers.
Here we will explore some of the main elements of a good story: plot, setting, characters, conflict, climax, and resolution . And we will look too at how best we can help our students understand these elements, both in isolation and how they mesh together as a whole.
A narrative is a story that shares a sequence of events , characters, and themes. It expresses experiences, ideas, and perspectives that should aspire to engage and inspire an audience.
A narrative can spark emotion, encourage reflection, and convey meaning when done well.
Narratives are a popular genre for students and teachers as they allow the writer to share their imagination, creativity, skill, and understanding of nearly all elements of writing. We occasionally refer to a narrative as ‘creative writing’ or story writing.
The purpose of a narrative is simple, to tell the audience a story. It can be written to motivate, educate, or entertain and can be fact or fiction.
Teach your students to become skilled story writers with this HUGE NARRATIVE & CREATIVE STORY WRITING UNIT . Offering a COMPLETE SOLUTION to teaching students how to craft CREATIVE CHARACTERS, SUPERB SETTINGS, and PERFECT PLOTS .
Over 192 PAGES of materials, including:
There are many narrative writing genres and sub-genres such as these.
We have a complete guide to writing a personal narrative that differs from the traditional story-based narrative covered in this guide. It includes personal narrative writing prompts, resources, and examples and can be found here.
As we can see, narratives are an open-ended form of writing that allows you to showcase creativity in many directions. However, all narratives share a common set of features and structure known as “Story Elements”, which are briefly covered in this guide.
Don’t overlook the importance of understanding story elements and the value this adds to you as a writer who can dissect and create grand narratives. We also have an in-depth guide to understanding story elements here .
Narrative structure.
ORIENTATION (BEGINNING) Set the scene by introducing your characters, setting and time of the story. Establish your who, when and where in this part of your narrative
COMPLICATION AND EVENTS (MIDDLE) In this section activities and events involving your main characters are expanded upon. These events are written in a cohesive and fluent sequence.
RESOLUTION (ENDING) Your complication is resolved in this section. It does not have to be a happy outcome, however.
EXTRAS: Whilst orientation, complication and resolution are the agreed norms for a narrative, there are numerous examples of popular texts that did not explicitly follow this path exactly.
LANGUAGE: Use descriptive and figurative language to paint images inside your audience’s minds as they read.
PERSPECTIVE Narratives can be written from any perspective but are most commonly written in first or third person.
DIALOGUE Narratives frequently switch from narrator to first-person dialogue. Always use speech marks when writing dialogue.
TENSE If you change tense, make it perfectly clear to your audience what is happening. Flashbacks might work well in your mind but make sure they translate to your audience.
This graphic is known as a plot map, and nearly all narratives fit this structure in one way or another, whether romance novels, science fiction or otherwise.
It is a simple tool that helps you understand and organise a story’s events. Think of it as a roadmap that outlines the journey of your characters and the events that unfold. It outlines the different stops along the way, such as the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, that help you to see how the story builds and develops.
Using a plot map, you can see how each event fits into the larger picture and how the different parts of the story work together to create meaning. It’s a great way to visualize and analyze a story.
Be sure to refer to a plot map when planning a story, as it has all the essential elements of a great story.
This video we created provides an excellent overview of these elements and demonstrates them in action in stories we all know and love.
Now that we understand the story elements and how they come together to form stories, it’s time to start planning and writing your narrative.
In many cases, the template and guide below will provide enough details on how to craft a great story. However, if you still need assistance with the fundamentals of writing, such as sentence structure, paragraphs and using correct grammar, we have some excellent guides on those here.
USE YOUR WRITING TIME EFFECTIVELY: Maximize your narrative writing sessions by spending approximately 20 per cent of your time planning and preparing. This ensures greater productivity during your writing time and keeps you focused and on task.
Use tools such as graphic organizers to logically sequence your narrative if you are not a confident story writer. If you are working with reluctant writers, try using narrative writing prompts to get their creative juices flowing.
Spend most of your writing hour on the task at hand, don’t get too side-tracked editing during this time and leave some time for editing. When editing a narrative, examine it for these three elements.
The story’s setting often answers two of the central questions in the story, namely, the where and the when. The answers to these two crucial questions will often be informed by the type of story the student is writing.
The story’s setting can be chosen to quickly orient the reader to the type of story they are reading. For example, a fictional narrative writing piece such as a horror story will often begin with a description of a haunted house on a hill or an abandoned asylum in the middle of the woods. If we start our story on a rocket ship hurtling through the cosmos on its space voyage to the Alpha Centauri star system, we can be reasonably sure that the story we are embarking on is a work of science fiction.
Such conventions are well-worn clichés true, but they can be helpful starting points for our novice novelists to make a start.
Having students choose an appropriate setting for the type of story they wish to write is an excellent exercise for our younger students. It leads naturally onto the next stage of story writing, which is creating suitable characters to populate this fictional world they have created. However, older or more advanced students may wish to play with the expectations of appropriate settings for their story. They may wish to do this for comic effect or in the interest of creating a more original story. For example, opening a story with a children’s birthday party does not usually set up the expectation of a horror story. Indeed, it may even lure the reader into a happy reverie as they remember their own happy birthday parties. This leaves them more vulnerable to the surprise element of the shocking action that lies ahead.
Once the students have chosen a setting for their story, they need to start writing. Little can be more terrifying to English students than the blank page and its bare whiteness stretching before them on the table like a merciless desert they must cross. Give them the kick-start they need by offering support through word banks or writing prompts. If the class is all writing a story based on the same theme, you may wish to compile a common word bank on the whiteboard as a prewriting activity. Write the central theme or genre in the middle of the board. Have students suggest words or phrases related to the theme and list them on the board.
You may wish to provide students with a copy of various writing prompts to get them started. While this may mean that many students’ stories will have the same beginning, they will most likely arrive at dramatically different endings via dramatically different routes.
A bargain is at the centre of the relationship between the writer and the reader. That bargain is that the reader promises to suspend their disbelief as long as the writer creates a consistent and convincing fictional reality. Creating a believable world for the fictional characters to inhabit requires the student to draw on convincing details. The best way of doing this is through writing that appeals to the senses. Have your student reflect deeply on the world that they are creating. What does it look like? Sound like? What does the food taste like there? How does it feel like to walk those imaginary streets, and what aromas beguile the nose as the main character winds their way through that conjured market?
Also, Consider the when; or the time period. Is it a future world where things are cleaner and more antiseptic? Or is it an overcrowded 16th-century London with human waste stinking up the streets? If students can create a multi-sensory installation in the reader’s mind, then they have done this part of their job well.
Now that your student has created a believable world, it is time to populate it with believable characters.
In short stories, these worlds mustn’t be overpopulated beyond what the student’s skill level can manage. Short stories usually only require one main character and a few secondary ones. Think of the short story more as a small-scale dramatic production in an intimate local theater than a Hollywood blockbuster on a grand scale. Too many characters will only confuse and become unwieldy with a canvas this size. Keep it simple!
Creating believable characters is often one of the most challenging aspects of narrative writing for students. Fortunately, we can do a few things to help students here. Sometimes it is helpful for students to model their characters on actual people they know. This can make things a little less daunting and taxing on the imagination. However, whether or not this is the case, writing brief background bios or descriptions of characters’ physical personality characteristics can be a beneficial prewriting activity. Students should give some in-depth consideration to the details of who their character is: How do they walk? What do they look like? Do they have any distinguishing features? A crooked nose? A limp? Bad breath? Small details such as these bring life and, therefore, believability to characters. Students can even cut pictures from magazines to put a face to their character and allow their imaginations to fill in the rest of the details.
Younger students will often dictate to the reader the nature of their characters. To improve their writing craft, students must know when to switch from story-telling mode to story-showing mode. This is particularly true when it comes to character. Encourage students to reveal their character’s personality through what they do rather than merely by lecturing the reader on the faults and virtues of the character’s personality. It might be a small relayed detail in the way they walk that reveals a core characteristic. For example, a character who walks with their head hanging low and shoulders hunched while avoiding eye contact has been revealed to be timid without the word once being mentioned. This is a much more artistic and well-crafted way of doing things and is less irritating for the reader. A character who sits down at the family dinner table immediately snatches up his fork and starts stuffing roast potatoes into his mouth before anyone else has even managed to sit down has revealed a tendency towards greed or gluttony.
Again, there is room here for some fun and profitable prewriting activities. Give students a list of character traits and have them describe a character doing something that reveals that trait without ever employing the word itself.
It is also essential to avoid adjective stuffing here. When looking at students’ early drafts, adjective stuffing is often apparent. To train the student out of this habit, choose an adjective and have the student rewrite the sentence to express this adjective through action rather than telling.
When writing a story, it is vital to consider the character’s traits and how they will impact the story’s events. For example, a character with a strong trait of determination may be more likely to overcome obstacles and persevere. In contrast, a character with a tendency towards laziness may struggle to achieve their goals. In short, character traits add realism, depth, and meaning to a story, making it more engaging and memorable for the reader.
We have an in-depth guide to creating great characters here , but most students should be fine to move on to planning their conflict and resolution.
This is often the area apprentice writers have the most difficulty with. Students must understand that without a problem or conflict, there is no story. The problem is the driving force of the action. Usually, in a short story, the problem will center around what the primary character wants to happen or, indeed, wants not to happen. It is the hurdle that must be overcome. It is in the struggle to overcome this hurdle that events happen.
Often when a student understands the need for a problem in a story, their completed work will still not be successful. This is because, often in life, problems remain unsolved. Hurdles are not always successfully overcome. Students pick up on this.
We often discuss problems with friends that will never be satisfactorily resolved one way or the other, and we accept this as a part of life. This is not usually the case with writing a story. Whether a character successfully overcomes his or her problem or is decidedly crushed in the process of trying is not as important as the fact that it will finally be resolved one way or the other.
A good practical exercise for students to get to grips with this is to provide copies of stories and have them identify the central problem or conflict in each through discussion. Familiar fables or fairy tales such as Three Little Pigs, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Cinderella, etc., are great for this.
While it is true that stories often have more than one problem or that the hero or heroine is unsuccessful in their first attempt to solve a central problem, for beginning students and intermediate students, it is best to focus on a single problem, especially given the scope of story writing at this level. Over time students will develop their abilities to handle more complex plots and write accordingly.
Conflict is the heart and soul of any good story. It’s what makes a story compelling and drives the plot forward. Without conflict, there is no story. Every great story has a struggle or a problem that needs to be solved, and that’s where conflict comes in. Conflict is what makes a story exciting and keeps the reader engaged. It creates tension and suspense and makes the reader care about the outcome.
Like in real life, conflict in a story is an opportunity for a character’s growth and transformation. It’s a chance for them to learn and evolve, making a story great. So next time stories are written in the classroom, remember that conflict is an essential ingredient, and without it, your story will lack the energy, excitement, and meaning that makes it truly memorable.
The climax of the story is the dramatic high point of the action. It is also when the struggles kicked off by the problem come to a head. The climax will ultimately decide whether the story will have a happy or tragic ending. In the climax, two opposing forces duke things out until the bitter (or sweet!) end. One force ultimately emerges triumphant. As the action builds throughout the story, suspense increases as the reader wonders which of these forces will win out. The climax is the release of this suspense.
Much of the success of the climax depends on how well the other elements of the story have been achieved. If the student has created a well-drawn and believable character that the reader can identify with and feel for, then the climax will be more powerful.
The nature of the problem is also essential as it determines what’s at stake in the climax. The problem must matter dearly to the main character if it matters at all to the reader.
Have students engage in discussions about their favorite movies and books. Have them think about the storyline and decide the most exciting parts. What was at stake at these moments? What happened in your body as you read or watched? Did you breathe faster? Or grip the cushion hard? Did your heart rate increase, or did you start to sweat? This is what a good climax does and what our students should strive to do in their stories.
The climax puts it all on the line and rolls the dice. Let the chips fall where the writer may…
After the climactic action, a few questions will often remain unresolved for the reader, even if all the conflict has been resolved. The resolution is where those lingering questions will be answered. The resolution in a short story may only be a brief paragraph or two. But, in most cases, it will still be necessary to include an ending immediately after the climax can feel too abrupt and leave the reader feeling unfulfilled.
An easy way to explain resolution to students struggling to grasp the concept is to point to the traditional resolution of fairy tales, the “And they all lived happily ever after” ending. This weather forecast for the future allows the reader to take their leave. Have the student consider the emotions they want to leave the reader with when crafting their resolution.
While the action is usually complete by the end of the climax, it is in the resolution that if there is a twist to be found, it will appear – think of movies such as The Usual Suspects. Pulling this off convincingly usually requires considerable skill from a student writer. Still, it may well form a challenging extension exercise for those more gifted storytellers among your students.
Once students have completed their story, they can edit for grammar, vocabulary choice, spelling, etc., but not before!
As mentioned, there is a craft to storytelling, as well as an art. When accurate grammar, perfect spelling, and immaculate sentence structures are pushed at the outset, they can cause storytelling paralysis. For this reason, it is essential that when we encourage the students to write a story, we give them license to make mechanical mistakes in their use of language that they can work on and fix later.
Good narrative writing is a very complex skill to develop and will take the student years to become competent. It challenges not only the student’s technical abilities with language but also her creative faculties. Writing frames, word banks, mind maps, and visual prompts can all give valuable support as students develop the wide-ranging and challenging skills required to produce a successful narrative writing piece. But, at the end of it all, as with any craft, practice and more practice is at the heart of the matter.
Below are a collection of student writing samples of narratives. Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail. Please take a moment to read these creative stories in detail and the teacher and student guides which highlight some of the critical elements of narratives to consider before writing.
Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of story writing.
We recommend reading the example either a year above or below, as well as the grade you are currently working with, to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.
When students have a great journal prompt, it can help them focus on the task at hand, so be sure to view our vast collection of visual writing prompts for various text types here or use some of these.
Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.
When teaching narrative writing, it is essential that you have a range of tools, strategies and resources at your disposal to ensure you get the most out of your writing time. You can find some examples below, which are free and paid premium resources you can use instantly without any preparation.
THE STORY TELLERS BUNDLE OF TEACHING RESOURCES
A MASSIVE COLLECTION of resources for narratives and story writing in the classroom covering all elements of crafting amazing stories. MONTHS WORTH OF WRITING LESSONS AND RESOURCES, including:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (92 Reviews)
Subject: English
Age range: 14-16
Resource type: Lesson (complete)
Last updated
11 November 2018
A double (two hour) GCSE lesson, practising creative writing using a simple structure. Objective: students will practise the skills of planning and structuring a piece of timed creative writing in response to an image. Outcome: A piece of peer-assessed and corrected creative writing.
Powerpoint with prompt image and prompt questions / instructions.
Lesson plan which includes starter, plenary and collaborative activities.
Minimal preparation: one slide to be printed in advance if possible.
Prompt questions can be stuck into books for future reference and re-used.
Lesson designed to take two hours; lesson plan includes suggestions for shortening / omitting activities.
Creative Commons "Sharealike"
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We've outlined a seven-step method that will scaffold your students through each phase of the creative process from idea generation through to final edits. 7. Create inspiring and original prompts. Use the following formats to generate prompts that get students inspired: personal memories ("Write about a person who taught you an important ...
Teach Creative Writing to High School Students Step #6: Use Clear and Structured Expectations. While showing students excellent prose or perfect poetry should help inspire students, your writers will still need some hard parameters to follow. Academic writing is often easier for students than creative writing.
1. Creative writing fosters creativity and imagination. It encourages you to think outside the box, broaden your perspective, and explore new ideas. It also enhances your ability to communicate effectively, as it involves conveying thoughts, emotions, and narratives in a clear and compelling manner. 2.
3. Avoid teaching a story "formula.". One of the most important things to remember when teaching creative writing is to dispense with the idea that stories should follow certain arcs or formulas. While formulaic writing can aid students who need direction, it can also bind students and limit their imaginations.
Contents: Tip 1: Crossing out. Tip 2: Explicitly teach sentence stems. Tip 3: Build a planning routine. Tip 4: Go big or go home. The end. A blank page can be a fearful thing. As I sit typing this (cocooned in the corner of a bustling coffee shop), it seems a fearful thing to me, too. One by one, words tentatively appear, and yet the whiteness ...
One, it is a great opportunity for the teacher to model the structures and functions of different types of writing while also weaving in lessons on spelling, punctuation, and grammar. It is a ...
In this blog post, we'll delve into the art of teaching creative writing and explore strategies to inspire and empower budding writers. Understanding the Fundamentals: Before diving into the creative process, it's essential to establish a solid foundation of the fundamentals of writing. This includes grammar, sentence structure, punctuation ...
In this interview, Lauralee has graciously offered to share some of the valuable lessons she has grasped early on about teaching and assessing creative writing at the high school level. Keep reading to discover what she has to say about building teenagers' confidence, making assessment meaningful, and obtaining student buy-in.
Teaching Creative Writing Tip #6: Use Hands-On Activities. If you're teaching a class full of students who are excited to write constantly, you can probably get away writing all class period. Many of us, however, are teaching a very different class. Your students may have just chosen an elective randomly.
Teaching writing is complex and research related to approaches that support students' understanding and outcomes in written assessment is prolific. Written aspects including text structure, purpose, and language conventions appear to be explicit elements teachers know how to teach. However, more qualitative and nuanced elements of writing such as authorial voice and creativity have received ...
With interest piqued from the read out stories, I introduced the process: Provide images as prompts with the intention of slowly removing them so eventually only worded prompts are necessary. Provide writing structure scaffold. Provide a written story with comprehension questions to build structural knowledge.
This powerful and inspiring seminar will transform the way you teach writing to children (and perhaps your own writing as well)! You'll learn how to incrementally teach students to write with clear structure and compelling style. Begin with the basics—rewriting a paragraph—and continue all the way into advanced creative and essay writing.
ps of three to four people. Give each student three small pieces of paper: one b. ue, one red and one yellow. Each student should write the name of an interesting place on the blue paper, the name of an interesting person or thing on the red paper and an action o. event on the yellow paper. Have students fold and to.
Step 2: Setting and genre. The next step in your child's creative writing process is to choose where it takes place. They should also decide the genre of their story, as some settings won't work for some specific genres (for example, a sunny beach wouldn't pair well with a moody mystery). This story's setting could be a real location ...
Creative writing assignments for high school must include discussions of structure, organization, and clarity. Remind students that at the end of a book, the author thanks a list of people who provided feedback and encouragement. The list of readers is long. Professional writers gladly accept feedback. Train students to think of feedback as ...
Creative Writing is a video-based, self-paced course designed to teach careful readers to become confident writers using beloved classics. Each of the brief seminar-style videos is accompanied by a writing prompt that asks the writer to develop a concept covered in the lecture. The videos are viewed through our Learning Management System, a ...
The distinction between beginning and intermediate writing is provided for both students and instructors, and numerous sources are listed for more information about fiction tools and how to use them. A sample assignment sheet is also provided for instructors. This resource covers the basics of plot, character, theme, conflict, and point-of-view.
Due to the significance of creative writing instruction, there has been significant focus on creative writing practices in primary schools (Graham et al., 2012(Graham et al., , revised 2018Göçen ...
Probably one of the easiest type of poem to start with, the only rule is that each line must start with a letter that, when looking diagonally, spells a word. The amount of lines depends on the length of the word, and there aren't any rules on line length or rhyming. These are great to use during topical writing and great to use with a word mat.
A narrative can spark emotion, encourage reflection, and convey meaning when done well. Narratives are a popular genre for students and teachers as they allow the writer to share their imagination, creativity, skill, and understanding of nearly all elements of writing. We occasionally refer to a narrative as 'creative writing' or story writing.
A double (two hour) GCSE lesson, practising creative writing using a simple structure. Objective: students will practise the skills of planning and structuring a piece of timed creative writing in response to an image. Outcome: A piece of peer-assessed and corrected creative writing. Powerpoint with prompt image and prompt questions / instructions.