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Quill.org, a non-profit, provides free literacy activities that build reading comprehension, writing, and language skills for elementary, middle, and high school students.

Writing Across the Curriculum: Quill's nonprofit mission is to now build both reading and writing skills through free, OER content across the curriculum. Over the coming years, we will be building a library of free ELA, social studies, and science activities that engage students in deeper thinking through writing prompts that provide immediate feedback.

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Quill Reading for Evidence

Provide your students with nonfiction texts paired with AI-powered writing prompts, instead of multiple-choice questions, to enable deeper thinking.

Students read a nonfiction text and build their comprehension through writing prompts, supporting a series of claims with evidence sourced from the text. Quill challenges students to write responses that are precise, logical, and based on textual evidence, with Quill coaching the student through custom, targeted feedback on each revision so that students strengthen their reading comprehension and hone their writing skills.

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Help your students advance from fragmented and run-on sentences to complex and well structured ones.

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The Quill Lessons tool enables teachers to lead whole-class and small-group writing instruction.

Teachers control interactive slides that contain writing prompts, and the entire class responds to each prompt. Each Quill Lessons activity provides a lesson plan, writing prompts, discussion topics, and a follow up independent practice activity.

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Quickly determine which skills your students need to work on with our diagnostics.

The diagnostics cover vital sentence construction skills and generate personalized learning plans based on the student’s performance.

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Proofreader teaches your students editing skills by having them proofread passages.

Students edit passages and receive personalized exercises based on their results. With over 100 expository passages, Proofreader gives students the practice they need to spot common grammatical errors.

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Students practice basic grammar skills, from comma placement to parallel structure.

Quill Grammar has over 150 sentence writing activities to help your students. Our activities are designed to be completed in 10 minutes so you have the freedom to use them in the way that works best for your classroom.

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20 Creative Writing Activities for Elementary Students

  • November 23, 2021

Did you know that November is National Novel Writing Month? While your young learners are probably not ready to write an entire book, this month is a great time to practice creative writing skills with your students. Not only can creative writing be helpful for teaching vocabulary and sentence structure, but it can also encourage students to use imaginative thinkin g —and even find a genuine love of writing!

All of these 20 creative writing activities can be used with elementary school students to practice reading and writing skills. We’ve included options for both early elementary students, who may still be learning to write, and elementary students in upper grades who are ready to work on projects of their choosing.

online writing activities for elementary students

1. Join the NaNoWriMo organization’s Young Writers Program (YWP) ! Together, your students can work on all sorts of age-appropriate writing challenges and activities throughout the year—including a project of their choice in November!

2. To practice pre-writing skills and collaborating on a project, try these shared writing project activities .

3. If you have any budding cartoonists in your class, this Finish the Comic activity from author Jarrett Lerner can be a great way for younger students to practice writing dialogue.

4. Teach your students about adjectives and writing descriptions with this Popcorn Adjectives activity .

5. Students can learn about creative writing by studying imagery and poetry by established authors. Using this writing worksheet , kids can write out their thoughts about a poem and draw images that stand out to them.

6. To teach creative thinking skills with kindergarteners and early elementary students, try this Mystery Seed writing activity .

7. Get families involved, too! Share these fun home writing activities with your student’s families to help them practice at home.

8. Print out and put together a Writing Jar with tons of creative writing prompts to inspire your students.

9. Check out this resource for even more writing prompts focused on imaginative thinking.

online writing activities for elementary students

10. Try blackout poetry , an activity that encourages students to make their own beautiful art from a work that already exists.

11. Creative writing isn’t limited to fiction. This narrative writing activity can teach students to write events clearly and in sequence from their real life.

12. For a creative writing project that’s just plain fun, try this Roll a Story activity.

13. This nonfiction project helps children learn to write a letter as they write to a loved one of their choice.

14. If you want to give your students some freedom in choosing a writing assignment, hang up this Writing Prompt Choice Board in your classroom and let them answer whichever prompt they’d like!

15. Encourage students to keep their own journal throughout the year. You could even give them time each morning to respond to a journal prompt .

16. Use this journal page template to help students structure and compile journal entries.

17. These printable Mad Libs can teach children different parts of a sentence while they use their imaginations to create a story.

18. Use this What? So What? Now What? exercise (#6 at the link) to help students structure their creative writing projects.

19. To teach children how to create descriptive sentences, play this Show, Don’t Tell writing activity .

20. If you’d like to hold a month-long creative writing activity, try this 30-Day Writing Challenge for kids .

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  • May 3, 2021

11 Online Tools to Engage Kids in Writing

Writing is one of the most important skills for anyone to learn. Your kids will have to use writing in their academic and professional lives all the time, so if you want them to succeed at studies, you must make sure that they will master writing. When in college, students need to deal with writing tasks especially frequently. Essays, research papers, coursework — being good at writing is not just an advantage, it’s a necessity.

Although writing is crucial for students’ success, not many students like to write papers. Perhaps one of the main reasons children don’t like to write is that it feels boring. Therefore, the best approach for teachers and parents is not to keep saying how important writing is, but to demonstrate that writing can be engaging and interesting. Writing can help kids express their creativity and personality. Fortunately, there are many online tools that can make writing more engaging for kids, and here are some of them.

online writing activities for elementary students

1. WritingFix

Here you can find many good teaching resources for K-12. The website is easy to use so you don’t need to be a teacher to figure out how it works. This service offers free monthly workshops and lessons, and here you can also find countless writing prompts. Kids can use these prompts as a source of inspiration, and they will also help children make writing a daily practice, without wasting time on figuring out what they should write about. There are also photo prompts, word game prompts, and notebook ideas.

2 . ReadWriteThink

On this website, you can find a whole variety of tools that will help kids organize their writing process. All tools are divided into categories, and some of these categories are intended for specific age groups. For instance, an interactive section offers tools aimed at improving kids’ literacy. There are also sections dedicated to writing and publishing prose, poetry, summarizing, and organizing, as well as useful materials about the language, in general.

3 . StoryJumper

Before kids start to write essays and other relatively complex papers, they should get used to the writing process, and the best approach is to make writing fun. Nothing makes writing more engaging and fun than a good story. You can read stories with your kid and then discuss them. Ask your kid to retell their favorite story, and then use StoryJumper. This tool will help kids create their online storybooks, adding photos, clip art, and other visual elements to their stories.

4 . Magnetic Poetry

Another thing that can make writing more engaging is rhymes. Magnetic Poetry will make the learning process fun, offering words and space where kids can organize these words so that they will rhyme. If kids get stuck, they can request new words and add them to the list. This tool can be used by kids along with their parents or teachers, creating an engaging interactive experience.

5 . Time4Writing

This website will help kids learn how to write sentences properly. They will also learn to write paragraphs and entire essays. Thanks to a step-by-step approach, students will be able to master writing without overwhelming writing assignments, gradually learning every step of the writing process. There are also many useful materials about the principles of writing and tips on developing writing skills.

6 . WriteAbout

This tool will be especially appreciated by parents who switch from in-person classes to online learning. There are many communities monitored by teachers where young writers can get feedback from an audience of readers. These communities can also offer a lot of inspiration for school projects. Generally, the website focuses on helping kids adapt to the digital world of writing, addressing such important topics as writing for a certain audience and making writing more engaging. Therefore, this source will be useful for everyone who decides to choose a writing-related career.

7 . JumpStart

Once your kid has mastered the basics of writing, they can visit this website and benefit from various guides and writing tips. Here kids can learn what traditional five-paragraph essays look like and download printable worksheets that require kids to answer specific questions in the written form. These worksheets can be a perfect solution for daily writing studies.

8 . Story Starters

This is an idea generator that will help kids get started, no matter what they’re going to write. Fantasy, sci-fi, adventure — there are all kinds of innovative prompts created for kids from different age groups, from kindergarten to the sixth grade. This tool is interactive and made in the form of a game so it will make kids’ studies engaging and fun. Besides, all prompts are creative enough to provide kids with lots of fresh ideas for their writing.

9 . BubbleUp

BubbleUp is an outline generator. Creating the right structure is a crucial part of any writing task, and BubbleUp can help kids optimize this process, saving a lot of time. Not only does it help create outlines, but it also enables kids to learn what structure their papers should have by using this tool regularly.

10 . 826 National

This website is intended for kids aged from six to 18 years, and the 826 Digital online platform is a great source of curriculum materials for parents and teachers. This is a good collaboration platform that also puts a lot of effort into publishing, which is one of the best ways to encourage young writers.

11 . MyStory

This is an iOS app for 8-12 years old children that will help them create their own illustrated books. It allows children to add not only pictures but also audio recordings. This app can be used as a self-publishing tool for children. They can collaborate with other kids working on the same publishing projects, rearrange pages, and even use sticker packs to make the process even more fun.

Wrapping Up

Many kids don’t like writing because it’s boring. Fortunately, there are many online tools that can help parents and teachers engage kids in writing and make the writing process fun. Different tools from our list will be useful for different age groups. They will help kids get some inspiration and fresh ideas, learn important principles of writing, or even create and publish their own stories.

About the Author:

online writing activities for elementary students

Rhonda Martinez is an English teacher, copywriter and contributor at Legitwritingservices , a website that reviews academic writing companies. She writes essays, reviews of essay writing services, short stories and articles on various topics. Rhonda loves writing articles about English grammar, psychology and parenting. Writing is her biggest passion in life, so she never skips an opportunity to improve her writing skills.

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Literacy Ideas

10 Fun Classroom Writing Games to Improve Literacy Skills

Writing Games

The best writing games to engage students

A colleague of mine recently shared these ten great writing game ideas to improve literacy skills in the classroom.  They are simple to play and can be applied to nearly all year levels. 

These are some of the best writing games that require minimal or no setup time and are an excellent option for substitute teachers looking to quickly break the ice with students or English teachers just seeking fresh ideas to brighten up their lessons. Enjoy.

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Remember that if you are looking for more excellent free resources and structured guides to teaching all aspects of English, especially writing, be sure to visit  literacyideas.com .

Sentence Stretching

Start with a short sentence or group of words.  Pass it around to about 6 people, with the rule that each person must add (a word or a group of words) or change ONE word ( to another word or a group of words) to make the sentence more specific and more enjoyable.

Rebus writing

Students write sentences or longer texts and substitute drawings for nouns.

COMPLETE DIGITAL AND PRINT FUN WRITING UNIT

Fun Writing Tasks

25 FUN and ENGAGING writing tasks your students can complete INDEPENDENTLY with NO PREP REQUIRED that they will absolutely love.

Fully EDITABLE and works as with all DIGITAL PLATFORMS such as Google Classroom, or you can PRINT them for traditional writing tasks.

It’s in the bag

Place an object in a bag- ensure the students don’t see it. Students feel the object in the bag and use words to describe how it feels. They take it out and add /alter their adjectives.

Touch and tell

An object is passed around a group of students. Each student suggests an adjective to describe it.

Alternative

Students provide an adjectival phrase or clause to describe the object

Students randomly select from a box a picture of an animal, person or object that moves. They brainstorm action verbs for the chosen object.

The students can supply verbs and adverbs

They can supply adjectives or adjectival groups

Read a text ( this case narrative ), and at a particular point, stop and ask students to select a character and suggest, for example:

  • What the character is doing, thinking, and feeling ( focus on processes)

Change the meaning- change one word

Students locate and change one word that will alter the sentence’s meaning.

They share their alterations and discuss which part of speech was the most important in changing the meaning .

Locate and classify

Read a text and ask students to write nouns on cards ( red), adjectives (blue), and articles in orange. Rearrange words to create different noun groups. Students can also locate verbs ( green card) and adverbs (yellow). Rearrange all the words to create new sentences.

Students can locate adjectival phrases, clauses, or adverbial phrases and write these on other coloured cards.

Grammar toss- Sentence making

Players must throw a 1 before they can begin. The winner is the first person to make a sentence that includes all of the following:

  • A group of words that tell what or who ( singular)
  • A group of words that tell when
  • A verb in the past tense
  • An adverb telling how
  • A group of words telling where

They can then rearrange the sentence parts to see how many ways they can make another meaningful sentence. 

Other parts of speech can be used for each number thrown.

Toss and write

Before the activity, a cube is prepared. Upon each face of the cube, a task is written that requires specific grammar knowledge. For example:

Make a sentence

Make a question

Provide two adjectives

Provide two verbs

Create a noun group (e.g. article, adjective/s noun)

Provide a noun and an adverb

Students select a subject ( noun) from a tin. They throw the cube, and whichever side of the cube faces up is the task they must attempt.

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO WRITING GAMES

Writing Games | 2 fun writing activities | 10 fun writing activities for the reluctant writer | literacyideas.com

10 fun writing activities for the reluctant writer

Writing Games | how to write a scary horror story | How to Write a Scary Story | literacyideas.com

How to Write a Scary Story

Writing Games | substituteteacherwriting | 7 Fun Writing Sub Plans for Substitute Teachers | literacyideas.com

7 Fun Writing Sub Plans for Substitute Teachers

The content for this page has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh.  A former principal of an international school and English university lecturer with 15 years of teaching and administration experience. Shane’s latest Book, The Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing , can be found here.  Editing and support for this article have been provided by the literacyideas team.

SplashLearn: Fun Math & ELA Program for PreK-Grade 5

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Writing Games for Kids

Explore our interactive writing games for kids! Our experienced language arts teachers have designed fun writing games to boost early writing skills and also improve kids' handwriting. This collection covers various writing activities like tracing uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet and ... Read more writing high-frequency words or sight words. Parents and teachers love these writing games as they guide kids from letter tracing to writing fluency! Start now for free!

online writing activities for elementary students

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Handwriting Games

Tracing Big Letters With Sleeping & Slanting Lines - A, V, W, X, Y & Z Game

Tracing Big Letters With Sleeping & Slanting Lines - A, V, W, X, Y & Z Game

Practice tracing big letters with sleeping & slanting lines - A, V, W, X, Y & Z.

Time to Trace Uppercase A Game

Time to Trace Uppercase A Game

Learn language skills by practicing to trace uppercase A.

Tracing Small Letters With Standing & Curvy Lines - a, d & q Game

Tracing Small Letters With Standing & Curvy Lines - a, d & q Game

Practice tracing small letters with standing and curvy lines - a, d and q.

Let's Make the Letter A Game

Let's Make the Letter A Game

Let's take a look at how to make the letter A with this game.

Writing Sight Words Games

Learn to Write the Sight Words: like, the & likes Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: like, the & likes Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: like, the & likes.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: brown, their, our, now & ride Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: brown, their, our, now & ride Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: brown, their, our, now & ride.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: play, funny & many Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: play, funny & many Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: play, funny & many.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: his, down, baby, want & three Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: his, down, baby, want & three Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: his, down, baby, want & three.

All Writing Games

Time to Trace Lowercase a Game

Time to Trace Lowercase a Game

Get familiar with writing by learning to trace lowercase a.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: you, look, pretty, said & ball Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: you, look, pretty, said & ball Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: you, look, pretty, said & ball.

Tracing Big Letters With Standing & Curvy Lines - B, D, & P Game

Tracing Big Letters With Standing & Curvy Lines - B, D, & P Game

Practice tracing big letters with standing & curvy lines - B, D, & P.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: yes, four, there, her & came Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: yes, four, there, her & came Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: yes, four, there, her & came.

Tracing Small Letters With Standing & Curvy Lines - b & p Game

Tracing Small Letters With Standing & Curvy Lines - b & p Game

Enhance your language skills by tracing small letters with standing & curvy lines - b & p.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: were, garden, ate, please & help Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: were, garden, ate, please & help Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: were, garden, ate, please & help.

Let's Make the Letter B Game

Let's Make the Letter B Game

Let's take a look at how to make the letter B with this game.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: too, white, give, did & get Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: too, white, give, did & get Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: too, white, give, did & get.

Time to Trace Uppercase B Game

Time to Trace Uppercase B Game

Learn language skills by practicing to trace uppercase B.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: buy, for, yellow & not Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: buy, for, yellow & not Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: buy, for, yellow & not.

Time to Trace Lowercase b Game

Time to Trace Lowercase b Game

Get familiar with writing by learning to trace lowercase b.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: small, black, put, blue & went Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: small, black, put, blue & went Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: small, black, put, blue & went.

Tracing Big Letters With Curvy Lines - C, O & S Game

Tracing Big Letters With Curvy Lines - C, O & S Game

Practice tracing big letters with curvy lines - C, O & S.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: day, out, school, new & him Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: day, out, school, new & him Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: day, out, school, new & him.

Tracing Small Letters With Curvy Lines - c, o, & s Game

Tracing Small Letters With Curvy Lines - c, o, & s Game

Practice tracing small letters with curvy lines - c, o, & s.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: and, where & find Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: and, where & find Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: and, where & find.

Let's Make the Letter C Game

Let's Make the Letter C Game

Let's take a look at how to make the letter C with this game.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: time, good, ran, away & them Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: time, good, ran, away & them Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: time, good, ran, away & them.

Time to Trace Uppercase C Game

Time to Trace Uppercase C Game

Learn language skills by practicing to trace uppercase C.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: this, they, are & here Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: this, they, are & here Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: this, they, are & here.

Time to Trace Lowercase c Game

Time to Trace Lowercase c Game

Get familiar with writing by learning to trace lowercase c.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: and, see & what Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: and, see & what Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: and, see & what.

Let's Make the Letter D Game

Let's Make the Letter D Game

Let's take a look at how to make the letter D with this game.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: jump, eat & she Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: jump, eat & she Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: jump, eat & she.

Time to Trace Uppercase D Game

  • Time to Trace Uppercase D Game

Learn language skills by practicing to trace uppercase D.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: from, was, under & can Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: from, was, under & can Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: from, was, under & can.

Time to Trace Lowercase d Game

Time to Trace Lowercase d Game

Get familiar with writing by learning to trace lowercase d.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: one, that, saw & two Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: one, that, saw & two Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: one, that, saw & two.

Tracing Big Letters With Standing & Sleeping Lines - E, F, H, I, L & T Game

Tracing Big Letters With Standing & Sleeping Lines - E, F, H, I, L & T Game

Practice tracing big letters with standing & sleeping lines - E, F, H, I, L & T.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: make, water & run Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: make, water & run Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: make, water & run.

Tracing Small Letters With Curvy & Sleeping Lines - e Game

Tracing Small Letters With Curvy & Sleeping Lines - e Game

Have fun tracing small letters with curvy & sleeping lines - e.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: have, has, all & come Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: have, has, all & come Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: have, has, all & come.

Let's Make the Letter E Game

Let's Make the Letter E Game

Let's take a look at how to make the letter E with this game.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: your, some & very Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: your, some & very Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: your, some & very.

Time to Trace Uppercase E Game

Time to Trace Uppercase E Game

Learn language skills by practicing to trace uppercase E.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: front, take, will, does & with Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: front, take, will, does & with Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: front, take, will, does & with.

Time to Trace Lowercase e Game

Time to Trace Lowercase e Game

Get familiar with writing by learning to trace lowercase e.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: front, could & first Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: front, could & first Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: front, could & first.

Tracing Small Letters With Standing, Sleeping & Curvy Lines - f, h, m, n & r Game

Tracing Small Letters With Standing, Sleeping & Curvy Lines - f, h, m, n & r Game

Practice tracing small letters with standing, sleeping & curvy lines - f, h, m, n & r.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: over, goes, but, how & after Game

Learn to Write the Sight Words: over, goes, but, how & after Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: over, goes, but, how & after.

What Is Writing for Kids?

Learning to write involves acquiring the ability to form letters, words, and sentences using various techniques like tracing and practicing sight words. It's a developmental process where kids enhance their fine motor skills and build a foundation for effective communication through written expression.

Writing for kids is the process of learning how to put thoughts and ideas into words on paper. It's an essential skill that helps children express themselves and communicate effectively. Learning to write can be challenging for young learners, as it involves coordination and practice. However, incorporating games and interactive activities can make the learning journey more enjoyable and easier. 

Kids gradually develop their writing skills, starting with basic letters and progressing to forming sentences and paragraphs, fostering creativity and communication along the way.

Foundational Writing Skills for Kids

Let's look at a few important writing skills that kids need to learn for effective communication through writing.

Letter Tracing

Letter tracing for kids involves following the shapes of letters with a pencil or finger. It helps children learn the correct formation of letters and improves fine motor skills. Tracing also enhances letter recognition and reinforces the connection between visual and motor skills, setting a strong foundation for writing. 

Do you want to make letter tracing fun for kids? Try our interactive Letter Tracing Games covering all A-Z letters for engaging and effective writing exercises!

Writing Sight Words

Sight words are words that children instantly recognize by sight or learn as a whole by sight without needing to sound them out. Identifying words by sight accelerates their reading speed and fluency. Writing sight words for kids involves practicing and memorizing common words that appear frequently in texts. 

A few examples of sight words are he, she, they, his, you, yes, day, and, see, etc.

Writing sight words aids in building a strong reading foundation as sight words often can't be sounded out. Writing them repeatedly enhances recognition, spelling, and fluency, facilitating smoother reading. 

Elevate the learning experience with our interactive Writing Sight Words Games , making learning enjoyable and fun.

How to Support and Promote a Love for Writing in Kids

  • Reading Together : Immerse children in stories to ignite their imagination and storytelling abilities. Reading enhances their capacity to envision characters, settings, and plots, which translates into their own writing.
  • Collaborative Writing : Begin with joint story creation, inspiring kids with diverse ideas and techniques. This collaborative approach paves the way for more independent writing endeavors.
  • Start Small : Commence with concise sentences or brief paragraphs before progressing to more extensive compositions. 
  • Incorporating fun prompts like pictures: Incorporating visual elements through picture stories can facilitate comprehension and creativity.
  • Supportive Guidance :
  • Acknowledge Effort : Celebrate even the smallest writing accomplishments, recognizing the effort invested by young writers.
  • Constructive Feedback : Offer valuable feedback to help them improve, sharing your writing insights and encouraging their progress.
  • Motivation : Instill confidence and motivation, emphasizing that skill development takes time and practice.

Explore SplashLearn's curated collection of engaging online educational games and activities. These resources combine entertainment with learning, fostering your child's growth as a creative thinker and proficient writer.

Importance of Teaching Writing to Kids through Games

Utilizing online ELA games to improve writing skills is the best way to help kids fall in love with reading and writing. Here are a few notable benefits:

  • Tracing Letters with Fun : Online writing games incorporate tracing letters in a playful manner, helping kids practice forming letters accurately and enhancing muscle memory.
  • Sight Words Integration : Writing games online for kids integrate sight words into challenges, aiding kids in recognizing and recalling frequently used words effortlessly.
  • Colorful Visuals : Vibrant visuals and interactive characters in games capture kids' attention, making the learning process more engaging and memorable.
  • Interactive Characters : Interactive writing games with fun characters create a relatable learning environment, encouraging kids to write and communicate in a friendly, interactive setting.

What Are the 5 Best Fun Writing Games and Activities for Kids?

Here are a few fun writing games for elementary students by SplashLearn:

  • Learn to Write the Sight Words Game
  • Let’s Make the Letter E Game
  • Tracing the Small Letters with Standing and Curvy Lines - b and p Game
  • Tracing the Small Letters with Sleeping and Curvy Lines - e Game

Trace and Learn the Shape Worksheet

How do you help kids practice writing?

  • Printable Worksheets : Provide printable Writing worksheets and other writing learning resources for tracing letters, forming words, and practicing writing skills.
  • Online Games : Provide interactive and engaging Writing games to play online that focus on letter formation, sight words, and creative writing exercises. 
  • Activities : Suggest writing activities for kids like journaling, creating stories, writing letters to family members, or using sensory writing trays to encourage regular writing practice.

How do you teach writing effectively to kids?

  • Understand each child's writing level and needs, offering tailored activities and challenges to cater to their progress.
  • Ask kids to write about their favorite superhero, a dream adventure, or their happiest memory. Such attractive prompts spark creativity and interest in learning.
  • Integrate apps and online tools for engaging learning. Explore educational writing games for kids online for additional hands-on practice.
  • Practicing daily is the key. Help kids set aside a specific time each day for practicing writing. Use writing practice games to check their understanding.

What are some specific skills and concepts that children can develop through writing games?

  • Tracing Practice: Writing games involving tracing activities enhance fine motor skills and help in letter formation, ensuring neat handwriting. It helps kids practice forming letters accurately.
  • Sight Words Mastery : Writing games reinforce recognition and usage of sight words, improving reading and writing fluency.
  • Vocabulary Building : Games encourage the use of diverse words and expand vocabulary.

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Making writing fun with interactive writing activities.

How to make your writing fun with Interactive Writing Activities

Today’s blog focuses on making writing fun and interactive for students using interactive writing activities. I am going to outline the three big types of writing pieces: narrative, opinion, and informative. Then, I’ll show you how to make each piece of writing interactive. These interactive writing activities will let your kids have fun and show off their creativity.

The three sets you’ll see are for the 3 standards in common core. If you are a non-Common Core state, these are still important skills to hit with your students! You’ll see informational writing, opinion writing, and narrative interactive writing activities below.

Making Opinion Writing Interactive

With the opinion interactive writing activities, students are going to be given two options. First, Students pick the topic they like better, cut it out,  write reasons why they like it better, add an introduction and conclusion, then transfer it over to a final draft. Below, I will show you a closer step by step look at how to make opinion interactive writing activities in your classroom.

Interactive writing activities - How to make writing interactive with choices and ownership over the narrative writing, opinion writing, and informative writing

Students will start by receiving their options page. This is going to show students two objects or ideas, which they have to choose between. They will cut out the object they choose for the opinion writing piece.

Interactive writing activities - How to make writing interactive with choices and ownership over the narrative writing, opinion writing, and informative writing

Then, students will glue the object they choose onto their brainstorming, pre-writing paper. On the front, they will list out three reasons why they chose that particular object. And on the back, the students will state their opinion and practice writing their conclusion draft. This will help frame their final writing piece because they will have their opinion writing introduction, their three reasons, and a conclusion ready to be put on their final papers.

Interactive writing activities - How to make writing interactive with choices and ownership over the narrative writing, opinion writing, and informative writing

Which is where step 3 comes in. They will cut out their images again and glue them onto their writing papers. Then, they will complete their opinion interactive writing activities by writing a final draft.

Opinion writing in the elementary classroom

Opinion Interactive Writing Link

Informative Interactive Writing Activities

For informative interactive writing activities, students get to write about a nonfiction topic of their choice. They’re given two topics to choose from and they can pick which one they think is more interesting. Then, students pick the topic they want to research, spend time researching with books or the internet, write 3 facts, add a conclusion and introduction, then transfer it into a final draft.

Interactive writing activities - How to make writing interactive with choices and ownership over the narrative writing, opinion writing, and informative writing

First, students will choose the topic they’d like to do research on. They will cut out the word and the images.

Interactive writing activities - How to make writing interactive with choices and ownership over the narrative writing, opinion writing, and informative writing

After they have chosen their topic to focus on, they will start their pre-writing and their brainstorming activities. Students will look up three facts about the topic they chose. then write their topic sentence and conclusion on the back. The front and back of this paper will act as their pre-write paper or their draft before their final writing piece.

Interactive writing activities - How to make writing interactive with choices and ownership over the narrative writing, opinion writing, and informative writing

Finally, students will take all the information they learned and their topic sentence/conclusion, and they will write their final interactive writing piece.

Informative writing in the elementary classroom

Informative Writing Link

Narrative Interactive Pieces

Finally, we are going to take a look at our interactive narrative writing! This is where students can get super creative. They’re going to create their own stories. Students cut three pictures out and arrange them in a way that makes sequential sense for their narrative story. They’ll write their beginning, middle, and end, then rewrite it into final draft mode.

Interactive writing activities - How to make writing interactive with choices and ownership over the narrative writing, opinion writing, and informative writing

Once the students cut out their three pictures, they will rearrange these pictures into any order they want and glue it down onto the beginning, middle, and end blocks. These blocks will help students with their story structure. Then, they will write about what happens in each of the images to help set up their beginning, middle, and end.

Interactive writing activities - How to make writing interactive with choices and ownership over the narrative writing, opinion writing, and informative writing

After their pre-writing and drafting process, students will take their beginning, middle, and end and put it into a final draft!

Narrative writing in the elementary classroom

Narrative Writing Unit

Interested in the full writing units?

I have a unit for each type of writing. Plus, if you want to focus on narrative writing, I have seasonal narrative interactive writing units, too.

Opinion interactive writing

Opinion Writing Unit

Narrative Writing unit

Informative Writing unit

Interactive Writing Activities Bundle

Narrative Seasonal Interactive Writing Bundle

Narrative Seasonal Interactive Writing Bundle

Need more writing help? Check out these blogs!

Using a Writing Warm Up Time in the Classroom

Incorporating Writing Into your MATH Time

How to Run “Work on Writing” Daily 5 Structure

Interactive writing activities - How to make writing interactive with choices and ownership over the narrative writing, opinion writing, and informative writing

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Student Interactives

 student interactives .

Engage your students in online literacy learning with these interactive tools that help them accomplish a variety of goals -- from organizing their thoughts to learning about language -- all while having fun.

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Digital Writing Activities for Elementary Students

online writing activities for elementary students

This blog post shares favorite NO PREP digital writing activities for elementary students that can be used in Google Classroom for distance learning.

As a teacher you’ve always had to be flexible. Though you may try to plan your weeks, days and lessons, (sometimes down to the minute!) you do so knowing things won’t go exactly as planned.  Each day is filled with little things that require us to adjust our plans to ensure students’ needs are met, content is covered, and everyone is safe and happy!  

But the year 2020 has given this term “flexibility” a whole new meaning!  You have not just adjusted and shifted, but you’ve absolutely TRANSFORMED the way you teach!  

It has taken a tremendous amount of time, and creative thought and energy to figure out how to provide quality instruction and engaging activities that students can complete at home without you by their side.  

online writing activities for elementary students

I know it hasn’t been easy, so to help you I have created digital versions of some of my most popular reading , math , and writing activities! These digital activities are most appropriate for students in grades k-3.  They are motivating for students, provide proper support through natural differentiation, and are ZERO PREP for you!  

Today I am excited to share details about the DIGITAL VERSIONS of FOUR of my favorite writing activities!  The Writing Picture Prompts , Life Cycles Sequence Stories , Sequence Writing and Story Retell and Seasonal Writing Prompts are now all available with digital updates so you can use them in this time of distance learning!  

Let’s take a closer look at each of them…. 

Writing Picture Prompts

In this writing activity, students create a story based on the simple picture they see at the top of their page.  Each prompt includes a story specific vocabulary word bank to assist with spelling and support writers who have difficulty getting started. Your more proficient writers can be challenged to find ways to incorporate the vocabulary words into their work. Finally, each prompt also includes a self-editing checklist to help students refine their skills and build independence. 

online writing activities for elementary students

The awesome news is that the Writing Picture Prompts product now includes DIGITAL SLIDES FOR YOU TO USE IN GOOGLE™ AND SEESAW™ !  If you have already purchased the printable version, the digital update is FREE for you! 

The bundle includes 25 picture prompts/slides for each season!  With 100 different slides to choose from, this is one writing resource that will last you ALL YEAR long! 

Writing Picture Prompts BUNDLE - printable & digital

Life Cycles Sequence Stories 

In this activity, writers use the 5 sequence picture cards to order events, then use transition words and specific story vocabulary words to tell their story. The pictures focus on the life cycle of 11 different plants and animals, making it a great way to incorporate science into writing.  

butterfly life cycle writing prompts

This resource now includes DIGITAL slides formatted for students to use with Google Drive on tablets and desktops!  You’ll get 11 slides, each which focuses on a different plant or animal life cycle! 

Sequence Writing Prompts - Plant and Animal Life Cycles

Sequence Writing and Story Retell  

For this activity, students arrange four sequence picture cards in the correct order. Once the pictures are placed in order, students use the word bank to help them brainstorm ideas or spell tricky words they want to use to describe the events in their story. 

online writing activities for elementary students

This activity now includes DIGITAL slides formatted for students to use with Google Drive on tablets and desktops!  You’ll get 24 Google slide activities- six for each season!  That’s enough to keep kids practicing sequence writing all year long!  

online writing activities for elementary students

Seasonal Writing Prompts

All students are successful using these picture writing prompts!  For this activity, students will find an adorable, seasonal picture at the top of the page.  Along with the picture, there is a story specific vocabulary word bank and self-editing checklist to support students as they write about the picture.  

online writing activities for elementary students

This resource now includes 40 digital slide activities that can be used with GOOGLE™ AND SEESAW™!   Ten different prompts for every season means you’re set for the year! 

online writing activities for elementary students

These four digital writing resources would make a wonderful addition to your distance learning!

For one, they require ZERO prep work ! All you have to do is clearly model how to use complete each activity.  The structure of the activities remains the same for each resource, so once they’ve successfully completed one they can independently work through the slides at whatever pace you assign them!  Each of the bundles I’ve shared include enough activities to last you the ENTIRE YEAR!  

Secondly, each activity is naturally differentiated . When we are with our students in the classroom we work hard to differentiate our instruction and ensure all needs are met. It’s more challenging to do so when teaching from afar, but these activities were created with supports that help ensure students of ALL LEVELS will find enjoyment and success in writing.  

And remember…. If you have previously purchased any of the printable versions of these resources, the DIGITAL VERSION is FREE !!  Simply re-download the product and the digital updates will be included!  

I hope you’ll find these writing resources and digital updates to be helpful!  The activities require very little prep work from you, but offer students many ways to practice writing in meaningful and engaging ways!  That’s a WIN-WIN!!

– PIN for LATER –

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online writing activities for elementary students

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A Grade Ahead Blog

5 Free Online Writing Games for Students

Free Online Writing Games for Kids

Much like my previous post on free online reading resources for students, I am here once again to save the day with another list of…wait for it… FREE online writing GAMES for students. Not only will these sites supplement your child’s writing practice, but I also believe that your student will like doing them, won’t be bored, and won’t notice how long the games take (I can hope, anyway!).

Free Online Writing Games for Kids

  • Fun English Games : “Fun English Games” has a variety of games and activities for students that go beyond simply writing, but their writing games are perfect for middle elementary school students, English language learners, or ESL students. These games include debate practice, story writing, and even an advertising activity!
  • Read Write Think : “Read Write Think” is a great writing resource for all ages. The site contains student interactives that can be filtered by preferred grade level and activity, giving you a range of free options to choose from. Activities include poetry writing, summarizing, and publishing!
  • Quill : “ Quill” is another awesome resource for students, parents, and teachers alike. Set up a class (even from home – you do not have to be a teacher to participate!), choose a grade level for your student, and assign activities to him or her chosen from a range of writing exercises designed by other teachers!
  • Learning Games for Kids : Much like “Fun English Games,” “Learning Games for Kids” has games for students in a variety of subjects beyond writing; however, visit their specific writing section for games such as “Paragraph Burger,” “Sentence Stems,” and “Comic Strip.”
  • Language is a Virus : “Language is a Virus” is a great writing resource for any writer or anyone who has an interest in improving his or her writing – especially creative writing! The site contains various text generators , writing prompts and exercises , and even an area to post your writing (Can you tell that I am really excited about this site?)! However, I know this is a post about writing games, and this site has you covered in that area as well , allowing you to create a visual poem, a poem collage, or even complete a mad lib! I don’t think that anyone with an interest in writing would be disappointed in visiting this site, and I also think that for those who think writing is “boring” that this site might just make it a little more interesting. Do check it out!

What do you think? Does your child struggle with writing? Love it? Have you visited any of these sites to supplement your child’s writing practice? Do you have your own favorite resources that were not mentioned on this list? Let us hear from you in the comments!

Author: Emily Karth, Writer and Teacher at A Grade Ahead

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22 Writing Activities To Help Kids Hone Their Writing Skills

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Written by Maria Kampen

Prodigy English is here! Get your students playing — and learning — today.

Fun writing activities

Creative writing activities, academic writing activities, at-home writing activities, daily writing activities, simple writing prompts for kids.

  • How writing activities can bring reluctant writers out of their shells

Try some other educational activities

When kids start writing, they’re unlocking a whole new world of imagination to explore. It’s a great way for them to be creative, express themselves and practice key reading and writing skills. 

But as most kids — and adults — will tell you, writing is hard! It can be intimidating to put pen to paper for the first time, and sometimes the challenge of a blank page seems like too much to overcome. 

Writing shouldn’t be scary for kids. These 22 fun writing activities can help them:

  • Use their imagination
  • Think up new stories and ideas
  • Share their writing with friends and family

Use them in your classroom or at home to get kids excited about writing!

Three students complete fun writing activities at school.

Writing is supposed to be fun! Use these activities to help kids stretch their imagination and record their thoughts on paper in a fun, low-stress environment.

1. Try online ELA games like Prodigy English

Great for: Grades 1 to 6

Online games are a great way to engage students in the learning process — and Prodigy English is bringing the power of game-based learning to language and reading skill practice!

As students build and create, they’re always practicing key reading and language skills that help them write clearly and effectively. Every correct answer gives players more energy to gather resources, complete daily tasks and earn Wishcoins.

Plus, you can send questions about the topics you want them to practice and collect insights about their learning.

2. Poetry scavenger hunt

Great for: Middle and high school students

Words are all around us, so encourage your students to take inspiration from the real-life writing they see every day. Have students collect printed words and phrases from the world around them, including:

  • Magazine ads
  • Graphic novels
  • Newspaper headlines
  • Social media captions

Students can collect and arrange their words on a piece of paper to make a unique piece of poetry. Encourage them to find a key idea and expand on it in creative ways, then have students share their work with the class. 

3. Create your own comic strip

Great for: Grades 4 to 10

Students learn in all sorts of ways. For visual learners, creating a comic strip to accompany their story can help them express themselves in a visual medium. 

Give students a set number of panels and challenge them to come up with a quick story — just a few sentences. Then, they can illustrate their scene in the style of comic books. 

Remind students the point isn’t to be the best artist — it’s to write a story that’s short and exciting. 

4. Create your own Madlib

Great for: Elementary and middle school students

Give students vocabulary practice and help them write a silly story at the same time!

Fill a sheet with the outline of the story, then remove key words like:

For younger students, add a word bank to get them started. As students fill in words, they’ll craft a unique story filled with unexpected twists and turns.

Young student sits at a table with pencil and paper during creative writing activities.

Once students start getting in the habit of writing, these creative writing activities can pull new ideas out of their heads and encourage them to experiment with different genres. 

5. Acrostics

Great for: Grades 3 to 8

Acrostic poems are a great way to introduce your students to poetry! Start with a meaningful word or name and use it as a theme for the poem. 

Writing the word vertically, students can go down the letters and write a short word or phrase that starts with each letter. Acrostic poems help students write within a structure and theme, so it’s easier for them to get started. 

6. A letter to your future self

Great for: Middle school and high school

Where do your students see themselves in a year? Five years? Ten years?

A letter to their future selves is a great way for students to explore their own story, and brainstorm what they want to achieve. Not only can students practice their letter-writing skills, they can use their imaginations to develop a growth mindset . 

For extra nostalgia, store the letters for students and mail them out once the right amount of time has passed. 

7. Write a “Choose your own adventure” story

Great for: Grades 5 and up

Whether it’s a fairy tale, detective story or drama, chances are you’ve had a student tell you they don’t know how their story is supposed to end. 

A “Choose-your-own-adventure” story lets students brainstorm different storylines and endings. Once they’re done, encourage them to share their stories with the class so their peers can go on the adventure too.

8. Write a fake advertisement

Great for: Grades 6 and up

Good writing doesn’t just happen in books — it’s all around us!

Whether students are writing advertisements on their own or as part of a project-based learning assignment , this activity helps them build key media literacy skills and practice their snappy storytelling. 

Have students make up a new product and advertisement, or encourage them to re-imagine an ad for something they love. It’s also a great way to bring media literacy and interdisciplinary learning to your classroom. 

9. Make a story map

Great for: Grades 2 to 8

Not every student is going to be comfortable putting pen to paper right away. Story maps can help students brainstorm details like plot, characters and setting in a way that makes sense for visual learners. 

Have students use charts to set out the beginning, middle and end of their stories. Mind maps can also help them plot out details about their characters or setting. 

Encourage students to present their story map as a finished product or use it to start writing!

Students works with a textbook, pencil and paper in the classroom.

Writing isn’t all fairy tales and short stories — it’s also an important part of learning in middle school, high school and college. Use these academic writing activities to help students understand proper essay structure, grammar and more. 

10. Story chains

Great for: Grades 4 to 8

Stories are better when they’re enjoyed with friends and classmates. And story chains encourage every student to get involved!

Put students in small groups of three to six. Give each student a blank piece of paper and have them write the beginning of a story. Then, pass it to the next student in the group so they can write what happens next. 

For extra educational value, have students work together to summarize a story from your lesson or an important historical event. 

11. Persuasive essays

Sometimes writing is about more than just telling a story. It’s about convincing your readers of your point of view. 

Have older students practice their debate skills with persuasive essays. Start with a prompt, then let students make their case. Some of our favorite prompts for this writing assignment include:

  • Is it more important to be right or to not hurt someone else’s feelings?
  • What important historical figure do you think belongs on the ten-dollar bill and why?
  • Do you think you’re born with your personality traits, or do you gain them as you grow up?

Most importantly, make sure students back up their opinions with solid facts and arguments that convince readers to care. 

12. Solve a real-world problem

Great for: Grade 6 and up

Climate change, litter, bullying, bad cafeteria food — no matter what students pick, there are lots of real-world problems for them to solve. 

Challenge students with a writing assignment that addresses a problem they see in their world. How would they fix it? Whether it’s a short paragraph or a longer essay, encourage them to find something they’re passionate about. After all, that’s where good writing comes from!

13. Vocabulary challenge

Great for: Elementary school students

Vocabulary challenges combine vocabulary strategies with student writing to make your next language arts lesson plan even more engaging. 

Give students a new word (or two or three). Once you’re done practicing it and they know what it means, challenge them to use it in a story as creatively as possible. 

14. Teach citations

Great for: Grades 1 to 12

Footnotes, endnotes and bibliographies are the least exciting part of writing, but they’re essential skills. As students write more complex research papers, they need to know how to give credit where credit is due. Thankfully, there are lots of online resources to help!

The Purdue Online Writing Lab offers teachers and students resources for all stages of the writing process, including citations. To practice, students can write an annotated bibliography as part of a project-based learning assignment or the first step in writing a longer research paper. 

Young girls works with her father on writing activities on their couch.

Writing isn’t just something happening in the classroom. These at-home writing ideas can help you support your child as they experiment with prose and poetry.

15. Write letters to a pen pal

Great for: Grades 3 and up

Everyone likes getting mail! Got a friend with kids in a different part of the country, or far-away family members? A pen pal can be a great way for kids to build friendships and practice their writing skills at the same time. 

16. Bring a home object to life

“It’s as big as a mountain!”

“That’s the fluffiest thing I’ve ever felt!”

The ways kids describe things can crack us up sometimes. Full of wonder and hyperbole, it’s the perfect spark for creative writing, too.

Encourage kids to practice their figurative language skills with a description of something in your home. Let them pack as much alliteration and exaggeration into the description as they can, then do a dramatic reading out loud.  

17. Write reading reactions

If you want to boost reading comprehension and writing skills at the same time, this is the perfect activity. After your child is done reading, encourage them to write a few sentences about what they just read. 

Did they like it? What do they think happens next? Which character was their favorite and why? Learning how to express opinions in writing is a valuable skill. 

18. Document family stories

Great for: Grades 4 and up

Every family has a unique story, including yours. Make memories with your child when you share stories about important family events or your childhood. 

Kids can even interview grandparents, aunts and uncles to record their memories. When you’re done, store them in a shared space so everyone can go back and reminisce.

A person sits at a desk with a notebook, paper, pen and coffee cup.

Writing is a muscle, and you have to flex it every day to get stronger. Use these daily writing activities to make writing part of your everyday routine. 

19. Journaling

Great for: Everyone

Sometimes, you’ve just gotta write it out. 

Whether you’re trying to make sense of life or just need a place to organize your thoughts, journaling is a great way to unwind, practice mindfulness and build social emotional skills . 

All kids need to get started is a notebook and a pen. Let them know you’re not going to read it, but they’re welcome to come to you if there’s something they want to talk about. 

20. Blog about your interests

Great for: High school and up

Everyone’s passionate about something. Whatever your students love, encourage them to share it with the world! Blogging is an accessible and fun way to express themselves, nerd out about the things that bring them joy and share their opinions with the world. 

Sites like WordPress and Wix offer free website builders to help students get started. This is a great way for kids to build computer skills and digital literacy .

21. Free writing

Write, write, write and don’t stop. That’s the premise behind free writing, a writing practice that can help unlock creativity, discover new ideas and take the pressure out of a blank page. 

Give students a five-minute timer and challenge them to write continuously, without worrying about formatting, spelling or grammar. They can write about whatever they want, but there’s only one rule: don’t stop. 

22. Answer daily writing prompts

Make time to exercise your brain with daily writing prompts! At the start of the day or as a quick brain break , set aside time for students to respond to a quick daily writing prompt. 

Students should have a dedicated journal or binder to make it a seamless part of your lessons. Whether or not you choose to read their writing is up to you, but it’s important to build good daily habits. 

Teacher and child sit in the classroom and work on writing activities together.

A blank page can be a scary sight for a student who doesn’t know what to write about. 

Use writing prompts to:

  • Kickstart a student’s imagination
  • Start your lesson with a fun writing activity
  • Give students a topic to debate in writing

Some of our favorite simple writing prompts include:

  • Write a story about a wooden door, a can of soda and a blue shoe. 
  • If you met a monster looking for new friends, what would you do?
  • What’s your favorite season? What makes it the best?
  • If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
  • Describe your dream birthday cake. 
  • Write a story about being cold without using the word “cold.”
  • If you could decorate your bedroom any way you wanted, what would it look like?
  • Is it better to have lots of friends or just a few really good friends?
  • Write a story in 10 words or less.
  • Write a story about the best surprise you’ve ever received. 

For more writing prompts you can use in and out of the classroom, check out our full list of 225 writing prompts for kids .

Writing activities can bring reluctant writers out of their shells

Writing is hard and can be intimidating for a lot of students. 

But even the quietest and most reluctant students have lots of stories to tell! You just have to encourage them to get their words out. 

Writing activities help remove some of the pressure and give students:

  • A fun way to approach writing 
  • A starting point for their stories
  • Chances to share their writing with students

No two stories are the same, just like your students. Every story can start in a different way, and that’s the beauty of writing prompts.

Whether it’s writing activities or math problems, there are lots of ways to get reluctant learners excited about your lessons with educational activities. 

Here are some of our favorites:

  • 37 Quick & Easy Brain Breaks for Kids
  • 30 Virtual School Activities Students & Educators Love  
  • 27 Best Educational Games for Kids to Play Sorted by Subject  
  • 15 Geometry Activities to Engage Students Across Grade Levels
  • 36 Fun Word Games for Kids To Help with Vocabulary & Literacy
  • 15 Fun, Free & Effective Multiplication Games For Your Classroom
  • 20 Exciting Math Games for Kids to Skyrocket New Math Skills On-The-Go
  • 21 Classroom Games to Boost Teacher Effectiveness and Student Learning
  • 25 Social Emotional Learning Activities & How They Promote Student Well-Being

Which ones can you use in your next lesson?

Prodigy English is a brand-new game-based learning platform helping students build key math skills. As students explore and build a world of their very own, they’ll answer curriculum-aligned reading and language questions that help build essential skills and encourage a love of learning. 

Sign up for your free teacher account and get access to teacher tools that help you differentiate learning and track student progress as they play.

  • Grades 6-12
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☘️ St. Patrick's Day Activities: Books, art ideas, experiments, and more!

Improve Students’ Writing With This Free “Show, Don’t Tell” Game

“I’m loving the descriptive writing I’m seeing in my students’ work!”

Image of the first slide of the "Show, Don't Tell!" writing game

NoRedInk’s comprehensive writing platform provides standards-aligned activities and instructional resources for the entire writing process, from pre-writing through revision. It gives students real-time support in the form of interactive tutorials, exemplars, and scaffolded remediation, freeing up teachers to focus their attention where it’s needed most.  Check out how easy it is for you and your students to get started today!

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Teaching students how to progress from writing simple statements to crafting engaging narratives that incorporate descriptive language is a key step in helping them develop as creative thinkers and communicators. While many of us have used some sort of basic “show, don’t tell” lesson to introduce and reinforce the value of descriptive language, We Are Teachers has worked with our friends at NoRedInk to develop an exciting new way to teach students how to write more engaging, more sophisticated stories. We know you and your students are going to love it!

How does the game work?

Each teacher gets their own copy of the Google Slides-based game on their Google Drive. In the game, NoRedInk’s adorable characters walk students through the pillars of descriptive writing—including using action words and words that appeal to the five senses—and explain how these techniques make writing more interesting and unique. Then, students get to practice these skills themselves, moving words around the screen to create sentences that show instead of tell.

How can I use the game in my classroom?

Whole-group learning.

  • Project the game on a screen and have your class work together to decide which words best complete each sentence.
  • Invite students up to your computer to drag and drop the words into the correct spots.

Independent or at-home work

  • Give each student a copy of the game for their own device and have them practice independently. Then, review each student’s screen individually or check the answers as a class.
  • Set up the interactive game as a station for small-group work.
  • Share the interactive game with families as a resource for extra at-home practice.

My students loved the game! Now what?

There’s no reason the learning and fun should stop after your students have mastered the use of descriptive language. In fact, this is the perfect opportunity to follow NoRedInk’s animated characters over to their site to check out their free online writing curriculum that’s designed specifically for upper elementary learners. There you’ll find:

  • Standards-aligned activities for Grades 3–5.
  • Skills broken down into easily digestible pieces perfect for the age group.
  • Engaging Quick Write prompts that include eye-catching pictures.
  • Colorful, video-based instructional tutorials.
  • Targeted scaffolding and step-by-step remediation.

Create a free NoRedInk account today to help your students unlock the power of the written word!

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online writing activities for elementary students

20 Creative Writing Activities for Elementary Students

online writing activities for elementary students

1. Storytelling with Illustrations: Have students draw their own illustrations and then create a captivating story based on their artwork.

2. Sensory Writing: Encourage students to write descriptive stories by focusing on their five senses.

3. Collaborative Writing: Divide students into groups and have them write a story together, with each member contributing to different sections.

4. Alphabet Stories: Have students create stories using words that begin with each letter of the alphabet in sequence.

5. Picture Prompts: Provide interesting images as a starting point for creative stories or descriptions.

6. Diary Entries: Help students develop personal writing skills by having them write journal entries from the perspective of a fictional character.

7. Postcard Stories: Ask students to write and design postcards detailing the adventures of their characters in different locations.

8. Poetry: Introduce various poetic forms such as haikus, limericks, and acrostic poems for students to experiment with and express themselves creatively.

9. Rewriting Classics: Have students rewrite a classic fairytale or fable, giving it their own unique twist.

10. Character Interviews: Students can pretend to be their favorite book character and answer interview questions from their classmates.

11. Comic Strips: Encourage visual storytelling by having students create comic strips featuring original characters and plotlines.

12. Six-Word Stories: Challenge students to tell compelling stories using just six words, emphasizing the importance of carefully chosen language.

13. Group Sentence Story: Starting with a single sentence provided by the teacher, have each student contribute one sentence at a time, building an unexpected and collaboratively written story.

14. Adjective Mash-Up: Have students create new adjectives by combining different words or inventing entirely new terms to describe things in their stories.

15. Cross-Curricular Writing: Encourage writing skills practice across subjects by incorporating creative writing responses into science, social studies or other academic topics.

16. Adventure Maps: Students can create imaginary maps and write descriptive stories about the features, landforms, and inhabitants found within their created worlds.

17. Tactile Writing: Provide students with various textured materials (e.g., sandpaper, fabrics) to inspire tactile descriptions in their stories.

18. Time Capsules: Have students create stories as if they’re leaving time capsules, with each written artifact sharing a unique aspect of their life or culture.

19. Mystery Boxes: Place interesting objects inside a closed box and have students write detailed stories about what they imagine might be inside.

20. Letter Writing: Have students practice writing letters on various topics, such as friendly letters to distant pen pals or persuasive letters for a cause they care about.

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online writing activities for elementary students

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online writing activities for elementary students

55 Creative Writing Activities and Exercises

Creating writing activities

Have you ever heard these questions or statements from your students?

  • I don’t know where to begin.
  • How can I make my story interesting?
  • I’m just not creative.
  • What should my story be about?

If so, you won’t want to miss these creative writing activities. 

What Are Creative Writing Activities?

Activities that teach creative writing serve as drills to exercise your student’s writing muscle. When used effectively, they help reluctant writers get past that intimidating blank paper and encourage the words to flow. 

When I think of creative writing exercises , writing prompts immediately come to mind. And, yes, writing from a prompt is certainly an example of a creative writing activity (a highly effective one). 

However, writing prompts are only one way to teach creative writing. Other types of activities include games, collaboration with others, sensory activities, and comic strip creation to name a few.

Unlike writing assignments, creative writing activities aren’t necessarily meant to create a perfectly polished finished project. 

Instead, they serve as more of a warmup and imagination boost.

Picture-based writing exercises are especially fun. You can download one for free below!

Creative Writing Exercises

get this picture prompt printable for free!

How to use creative writing exercises effectively.

When teaching creative writing , the most effective exercises inspire and engage the student. 

Remember that worn-out prompt your teacher probably hauled out every year? 

“What I Did This Summer…” 

Cue the groaning. 

Instead of presenting your student with lackluster topics like that one, let’s talk about ways to engage and excite them. 

For Kids or Beginners

Early writers tend to possess misconceptions about writing. Many picture sitting down for hours straight, polishing a story from beginning to end. 

Even for experienced writers, this is next-to-impossible to do. It’s preconceived ideas like these that overwhelm and discourage students before they’ve even started. 

Instead of assigning an essay to complete, start with simple, short writing exercises for elementary students such as:

  • Creating comic strips using a template
  • Talking out loud about a recent dream
  • Writing a poem using rhyming words you provide
  • Creating an acrostic from a special word

Creative writing exercises don’t have to end in a finished piece of work. If the exercise encouraged creative thinking and helped the student put pen to paper, it’s done its job. 

For Middle School

Creative writing activities for middle school can be a little more inventive. They now have the fundamental reading and writing skills to wield their words properly. 

Here are some ideas for middle school writing exercises you can try at home:

  • Creating Mad Lib-style stories by changing out nouns, verbs, and adjectives in their favorite tales
  • Storyboarding a short film
  • Writing a family newsletter
  • Creating crossword puzzles

For High School 

Your high school student may be starting to prepare for college essays and other important creative writing assignments. 

It’s more critical than ever for her to exercise her writing skills on a regular basis. 

One great way to keep your high schooler’s mind thinking creatively is to have her make “listicles” of tips or facts about something she’s interested in already. 

Another fun and effective creative writing exercise for high school is to have your student retell classic stories with a twist. 

List of 55 Creative Writing Activities for Students of All Ages

No matter what age range your students may be, I think you’ll find something that suits their personality and interests in this list of creative writing ideas. Enjoy! 

  • Using only the sense of hearing, describe your surroundings. 
  • Write a paragraph from your shoes’ point of view. How do they view the world? What does a “day in the life of a shoe” look like?
  • Imagine what the world will be like in 200 years. Describe it. 
  • Write a letter to someone you know who moved away. What has he or she missed? Should he or she move back? Why? 
  • Make up an imaginary friend. What does he or she look like? What does he or she like to do?
  • Create a story about a person you know. Use as many details as possible.
  • Write a poem that describes a place you have been.
  • Soak up the season you’re in with seasonal creative writing prompts. Here are some ideas for fall and winter .
  • Write a song where each line starts with the next letter in the alphabet. 
  • Create a list of words related to something you love.
  • Write a short story based on a true event in your life.
  • Rewrite a chapter of your favorite book from the antagonist’s point of view. 
  • Write a letter to your future self. What do you want to make sure you remember?
  • Go on a five-senses scavenger hunt. Find three items for each sense. Create a story using the items you found. 
  • Create a story around an interesting picture ( try these fun picture writing prompts! )
  • Find an ad in a magazine or elsewhere and rewrite the description to convince people NOT to buy the advertised item.
  • Write a story using the last word of each sentence as the first word of the next.
  • Describe everything you’re sensing right now, using all five senses.
  • Write a list of animals A to Z with a one-sentence description of each one. Feel free to include imaginary animals.
  • Design your dream room in detail.
  • Write a script of yourself interviewing a famous person. Include his or her answers.
  • Describe what high school would be like if you lived on the moon. What would you be learning about? How would you be learning it?
  • Describe a day in the life of a famous person in history. Include both mundane and exciting details of things they may have experienced on a normal day.
  • Pick up something on a bookshelf or end table nearby. Now write a commercial script for it to convince your audience that they absolutely must own this thing.
  • Plan a birthday party for your best friend. Describe the decorations, food, and everything else.
  • Write a very short story about three siblings fighting over a toy. Now rewrite it twice, each time from a different character’s perspective.
  • Tell a story from the point of view of a pigeon on a city street.
  • Create a menu for a deli you’ll be opening soon. Name each sandwich after something or someone in real life and list the fillings and type of bread.
  • Pretend you just became famous for something. Write 3 exciting newspaper headlines about the topic or reason behind your newfound fame.
  • Keep a one-line-a-day journal. Every day, write down one thought or sentence about something that happened that day or how you felt about the day.
  • Have you ever had a nightmare? Write what happened but with a new ending where everything turns out okay (perhaps the monster was your dad in a costume, preparing to surprise you at your birthday party).
  • Write a “tweet” about something that happened to you recently, using only 140 characters. 
  • Take an important event in your life or the life of someone in your family. Write one sentence answering each of the 6 journalistic questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.
  • Set a timer for 5 minutes and write nonstop, starting with the words “I remember.” If you get stuck, write “I remember” again until you get unstuck.
  • Pick something you use often (a toothbrush, your desk, etc). Then tell the story of how it was invented. If you don’t know, make something up.
  • Choose a princess or hero and write a one-paragraph story about him or her traveling to a distant land.
  • Pretend you are a tour guide for a local attraction. It can be a library, a park, or a museum, but it could also be a place that wouldn’t normally hold tours (such as an arcade). Write a speech about what you tell your tour group as you walk around the attraction.
  • Create a marketing brochure for your favorite activity or fun place to go.
  • Make a list of 10 future story settings. Write one sentence describing each. For example, “ in the dark, musty cellar of my grandmother’s house, surrounded by dried-up jars of canned peaches… ”
  • Make a list of foods included in a dinner party catered by the world’s worst cook, describing how each course looks, smells, and tastes. Include your reactions while eating it.
  • Write out your own version of instructions for playing your favorite game.
  • Pretend you’ve lost your sight for one night. Describe going out to eat at a restaurant, using smells, textures, and sounds to tell your story.
  • Write a script for an interesting phone conversation in which the reader can only hear one side. 
  • Tell the story of an object someone threw away from the perspective of the person who tossed it out. Then tell the story of that same object from the perspective of a person who finds it and deems it a treasure.
  • List your 3 least favorite chores. Pick one and write a one paragraph detailing why you can’t possibly complete that chore ever again.
  • Write an excerpt from your dog’s diary (pretend he keeps one).
  • Write the script for a movie trailer—real or imagined.
  • Create an acrostic for a holiday of your choice. 
  • Pretend you’re the master of a role-playing game, describing a sticky situation in which the other players now find themselves. Describe the scenario in writing.
  • Compose a funny or dramatic caption for a photo.
  • Parents, place a textured object in a box without letting your student see it. Have him or her reach in, touch the object, and then describe how it feels.
  • Write lyrics for a parody of a song.
  • Make a list of 10-20 songs that would be played if a movie was made about your life.
  • Describe the sounds, smells, sights, and textures you’d experience if you went to the beach for the day.
  • Write an election speech with ludicrous and impossible campaign promises.

One of the best ways to encourage students to write regularly is by providing fun creative writing activities . 

They serve to encourage both the habit and mindset of writing with imagination. If you need extra help with that, check out Creative Freewriting Adventure :

Creative Freewriting Adventure

bring excitement into your student’s writing – no prep required!

About the author.

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Elementary / English/Lang Arts / Guest Post

Teach Elementary Students with Writing Games

What can teachers and homeschool parents learn from games?

For starters, gaming is something that children are especially fond of. On the other hand, it can be difficult for them to focus on learning, especially on lessons they think are boring. However, it’s quite possible to bring the two together and make effective lessons from games.

This process, called gamification , can get your students interested in learning through writing games. The reason behind this is simply because students find games fun, and are more willing to engage in it.

Fortunately, it’s flexible for all types of learning environments – whether it’s in and out of the four walls of a classroom, or even for homeschooling.

Gamifying the Writing Process

There are four main problems with writing, at least in terms of how students perceive it. Younger students easily get bored with something that’s too technical and unengaging.

This is pushed further whenever teachers give writing assignments that are more difficult than needed. You might think you’re doing the student a favor by giving them an assignment they can’t handle, but the truth is you’re just killing their drive.

Richard Watts, Head Content Strategist at EduGeeksClub, says, “Fostering creativity requires running your student through the basics and working with them on their own pace. In a home-schooling environment, this is a great way to connect with and really interact with your student.” There are more avenues in this setting to instill in them a love of learning, since a face-to-face and one-on-one arrangement is more intimate, letting you really focus on teaching the student.

However, you may need to get through a few major roadblocks first to get a child interested in your topic.” The most common of these are the following:

  • General lack of enthusiasm – whether it’s due to a bad experience in the past, or they just don’t see the value of writing in their future yet, plenty of elementary students will find writing assignments boring. To remedy this, avoid giving generic writing assignments. Also try to steer it more towards their areas of interest. This gives you an opportunity to learn more about the student as well.
  • Writing for themselves – novice writers are often told that they should start first of thinking what they want to read so they can write for others. But the problem with this idea with elementary students is that they won’t take into consideration the quality of their content. You want to be able to instill in them quality writing from the very beginning, so avoid giving them the mindset of selfish writing.
  • Difficulty in overall research, brainstorming, and actual writing – it can be difficult to organize all your thoughts. For younger writers this is very overwhelming and can turn them off from the process for good.
  • No Impact on their daily lives – as discussed earlier, sometimes students just dislike writing because they don’t think grammar, research, or the like would really matter in the working world.
  • Lack of Acknowledgement – since every learning process requires a certain amount of time and effort before you truly see their payoffs, it can frustrate young learners who are eager to see a huge improvement right away. Be the voice of reason and patience for them and assure them that in the end, all their efforts will amount to something.

Applying your solutions through gamification will make things easier for both you and your students. Fun activities are more susceptible to becoming valuable lessons than plain old workload. You’ll be able to engage a single student better, though you may want to occasionally get them to participate in group games with their friends as well.

Mechanics of Gamification

Like any game, it’s important to set clear guidelines before starting. Here are the main points you need to polish before introducing the game:

  • Goals – are part and parcel of motivating a student. When they achieve a certain goal they feel more accomplished and confident about what they’ve done. To make it agreeable to them, make sure they also participate in goal-setting. Ask the student what they want to achieve, and add a bit of your insight.
  • Rules – will also guide them on the do’s and dont’s of your writing assignment. You’d want to foster creativity and imagination in writing, but similar to keeping students grounded in quality content, setting guidelines to follow will also help them come up with polished output.
  • Feedback Process – this works great either as a peer-to-peer system or even just with you giving the student direct feedback. Establishing what kind of outcome they should expect from the writing game gives them an idea on how to polish their writing next time.

Top the entire fun assignment off with a few handy tools that students can relate to. Here are a few tools to help you and your student track their progress in a fun and engaging way:

  • Socrative – this incorporates visual appeal into real-time feedback that helps your students understand how to improve writing
  • Rezzly – create and design fun quests for students that they can bring with them wherever they go through their personal digital devices.

Find Writing Games

  • Fun English Games  – Check out these fun writing games for kids. Enjoy a range of free activities, resources and practice exercises related to writing letters, stories, newspapers, debates, advertising and instructions.
  • Reading & Writing Games
  • Games for Writing – About this book: “Children will maneuver through mazes to improve their handwriting, learn the alphabet by baking pretzels, play rhyming games to stretch their vocabulary, and crack secret codes while practicing their spelling. Even the most hesitant young authors will warm to writing when creating menus for monsters, thinking up orders that parents must obey, and composing stories – long, long stories – on adding-machine tape. The games are easy to play, requiring few or no materials, and are remarkably effective. While playing, children develop the skills needed to write clear and lively prose. Better yet, they may discover a true love of writing.”
  • Mad Libs – Have fun playing this creative “fill in the blank” word game while learning nouns, adjectives, adverbs and more!
  • Online Word Games – Funbrain offers a host of online word games for kids.

The Takeaway

Engage students’ imaginations and instill in them a better love of learning through gamification. This breaks down even extremely complex assignments into something everyone can enjoy and relate to.

Author Bio: Joan Selby is an ESL teacher and blogger. Former CalArts graduate and fancy shoelover. Giving creative touch to everything A writer by day and reader by night. Check out her new FREE  Guide to Essay Writing . Find her on  Twitter  and  Facebook

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This is a great read!! There are also more great essays of similar and different topics at EssayPros. Thanks for this.

This is a really great post!!

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ESL Activities

ESL Games, Activities, Lesson Plans, Jobs & More

ESL Writing Activities, Games, Worksheets & Lesson Plans

If you’re teaching writing and are looking for some of the best ESL writing activities, along with worksheets, lesson plans and more then you’re in the right place. Keep on reading for everything you need to know about teaching English writing.

esl-writing-activities

ESL writing exercises and games

Let’s check out the top ESOL writing exercises and activities to consider trying out with your students.

ESL Writing Activities and Games for All Ages

Are you ready to get into the ESL writing exercises? Then let’s get to the best English writing ideas. Also, check out some great writing prompts ideas to use in your writing lesson.

#1: 3 Things ESL Writing Activity

I’m ALL about simple and easy for writing activities in emergency situations when you don’t have a lot of time to prep. 3 Things is ideal because it requires nothing except a pen and paper and also requires no prep time.

The way it works is that students think of 3 random things. Then, they give those words to a partner who has to write a short story using them. It can be serious or silly and kind of depends on the words chosen.

Do you want to give it a try with your students? Check out all the details here: 3 Things English Writing Activity .

#2: Journaling for English Learners

When I teach ESL writing classes, I always have students keep a journal. It can either be with pen and paper or online. It’s a fun way for students to work on writing fluency and have some freedom to write about topics they want to write about, not just the ones that I assign.

If you want to see how I set up this ESL writing exercise, check out the following: Journaling for ESL Students . It makes a nice free write activity.

#3: Postcards ESOL Writing Exercise

If you’re looking for a simple, fun ESL writing activity, then you may want to consider having your students write some postcards. Ideally, you could get your hands of a stack of blank, unused postcards. But, if not, students can design their own and then trade with someone else who can fill in the back.

Learn more about this fun writing activity here: ESL Postcard Writing Activity .

#4: A to Z Alphabet Game

Remember that writing is more than a 5-paragraph essay. It’s any time a student is writing something, even one word. With that in mind, you may want to try out this ESL writing game for beginners.

The way it works is that you name a topic. Jobs or animals for example. Then, students have to think of one word for each letter. I give my students a certain amount of time and the team with the most words is the winner.

Do you want to give this writing activity for beginners a try? Check it out here: A-Z ESL Writing Activity .

#5: Conjunctions and Transitions

Words like but, so, and, however, etc. are key in English writing because they join ideas, sentences and paragraphs together. This makes writing easier to understand and helps it to flow better. Even beginners can learn about using things like and or but.

Here are some of the ideas for teaching these words: ESL Conjunction and Transition Activities .

ESL Listening Activities for Teenagers and Adults: Practical Ideas for English Listening for the...

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#6: Whiteboard Games for ESL Writing Practice 

I don’t know why, but students really love to write on the whiteboard. There are a ton of relay type ESL writing activities that you can do. Here are some of the best ones:

ESL Whiteboard Activities .

#7: Dictogloss ESOL Writing Exercise

If you want to challenge your students with some serious listening and writing, then consider this dictogloss ESL activity. The way it works is that you find a passage or write one at an appropriate level for your students.

Then, put the student into pairs and read out the passage at a slightly faster pace than normal. Students have to take notes and then attempt to recreate what they heard by writing. Read the passage again and students add to what they have. Finally, they can compare their version with the original one.

Do you want to give it a try? Read this first: Dictogloss ESL Writing and Listening Activity .

#8: How to Teach English Writing to Beginners

Back when I did the CELTA course, my tutor told me that writing doesn’t have to be a 5 paragraph essay. It can actually be any time the students are writing something in English. With this in mind, here are some of the best activities for absolute beginners to English writing:

Teaching ESL Writing to Beginners .

#9: Fill out an Application Form

One very practical writing activity that we can do with our students is getting them to fill out an application form. If they plan on living in an English speaking country, they’ll certainly have to do this. And, there’s often some very specific vocabulary and expected answers that you can help them with.

More details here: ESL Writing Application Form .

#10: Sentence Structure Activities

Try out these activities to give students some ESL writing practice opportunities.

In speaking, our students can sometimes get away without having great sentence structure. This is because people often speak in sentence fragments and rarely in full sentences.

However, in writing, sentence structure is key and vital to helping our students get their ideas across on paper. Here are some of the best activities to help our students practice this:

ESL Sentence Structure Games and Activities .

esl-write

ESL writing games and activities

#11: Is that Sentence Correct?

A simple reading and writing activity is this one that focuses on error correction. The way it works is that you make some sentences, some of which have errors and some that do not. Students have to decide which ones are incorrect and them correct them. It’s ideal for review at the end of class or the beginning of the next one.

Learn more about this writing activity here: ESL Error Correction Activity .

#12: Proof-Reading and Editing

A key part of writing well is proof-reading and editing. Everyone does it, even professional writers! Instead of the students relying on me to correct their errors for them, I like to teach them do to edit their own work. It’s a key skill in the writing process but often overlooked by many English teachers.

Check out this activity for helping students with this writing skill: ESL Proofreading and Editing .

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Spending some time working on self-editing skills, instead of relying on the teacher-editing model is a nice way to improve student autonomy in English writing classes.

#13: Focus on Fluency Activity

Many ESL writing textbooks (and teachers too) focus on accuracy in English writing at the expense of fluency. However, both are needed if students are to become proficient in English essay writing. After all, no employer is going to appreciate an employee who can write a simple, but perfect email in half a day! Most would expect it to happen in a few minutes. But, this nice free write activity helps students with writing more quickly.

Check out this ESOL writing exercise to help our students out with this: Fluency ESL Writing Activity .

#14: How to Teach ESL Writing on the Let’s Talk TEFL Podcast

#15: Word Association

I like to use this quick writing activity if I know that students have studied the topic of the day before. For example, jobs and weather are very common in almost all ESL textbooks and if students are at a high-beginner or intermediate level, I guarantee that they already know some of these vocabulary items.

You can find out how to do it right here: ESL Word Association Activity .

#16 : ESL Surveys

I love to use surveys in my classes. They are a super versatile activity that covers all 4 skills, including writing. It’s also easy to make a survey for just about any topic or grammar point. See why I love them so much?

If you want to know more, then you’ll want to check this out: TEFL Surveys.

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#17: Opinion Activities and Games

Opinion essays are a classic writing activity for both English learners and students in high school or university. That’s why I like to give my students some chances to practice writing and supporting their opinions in my classes. Do you want to try out some of the best ones? You can find out all the details right here:

ESL Opinion Activities .

#18: Parts of Speech Activities for ESL

English writing is ALL about parts of speech. After all, if you don’t know where the verb, subject, object, adjectives and adverbs go, how can you have any chance of making a coherent English sentence? It’s nearly impossible!

That’s why I like to do some worksheets and practice with my students related to this. If you want to try it out too, here are some of the best ideas:

ESL Parts of Speech Activities .

esl-writing-game

Top 17 ESL writing games and activities

#19: Spelling Challenge Game

Spelling is an important, but often neglected part of writing. In my opinion, it’s worth spending some classroom time on and one way to do that is with this word challenge game. Because it’s done on the whiteboard, it’s ideal for smaller classes.

Want to find out what it’s all about? You can right here: ESL Spelling Challenge Activity.

#20: Dictation 

A nice TEFL writing activity that you might want to try out is dictation. It covers not only writing, but also listening, spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary in a big way. Is it obvious why I like it so much?

Try it out with your students today. Learn more here: ESL Dictation Writing Activity .

#21: Write an Interesting Story in English

It can be fun to get students to write their own stories in English. Check out these 6 simple steps to get started:

Writing and Interesting English Story .

#22: TEFL Writing Activities and Games

#23: Brainstorm Games and Activities

One of my favourite, simple ESL writing activities is to get students to brainstorm words or things related to a certain topic or category. It’s a nice way to get some creative juices flowing and can also be used for a quick warmer or review activity.

There are a number of engaging, student-centred activities to consider. Here are some of my favourites: Brain Storming Games.

#24: Freeze Writing Activity

Group writing activities for TEFL classes are few and far between. However, freeze is one of the best ones to consider. Students have to work collaboratively to make stories, line by line is a fun and engaging way.

Want to give it a try? Find out how: Freeze Activity .

#25: Five-Paragraph Essay Writing

For higher-level students, it can be a worthwhile activity to teach students how to write academic essays. Here’s an outline and some tips for how to do that:

Five-Paragraph Essay Template . 

#26: More Ideas for TEFL Writing

#27: fill in the blank sentences games.

A nice option for beginners in English writing is to use fill in the blanks. This adds a bit of structure to it and makes it much easier for students! Have a look at some of my favourite options:

Fill In The Blank Sentences Games .

#28: Round Robin Story

Try out this simple story writing activity that can be used for speaking & listening, or writing. Learn more:

Round Robin Story .

#29: Five Senses

Try out this simple activity that involves a lot of adjectives. It can be done with speaking or writing.

#30: Story Starters ESOL Writing Exercise

Provide students with a sentence or a short paragraph to serve as a story starter. Students then continue the story, adding their own ideas and developing the plot. This game encourages creativity, storytelling, and writing fluency. Try out one of my favourite ESOL writing exercises!

#31: Picture Prompts

Show students a captivating image or provide them with a set of pictures. Ask them to choose one or a combination of pictures and write a story, description, or dialogue based on the visuals. Pictures can stimulate imagination and inspire students to write.

#32: Sentence Relay

Divide the class into teams. Give each team a writing prompt or topic. The first student from each team writes a sentence based on the prompt, then passes the paper to the next student, who adds another sentence. The relay continues, and students build a coherent piece of writing. The team with the most creative and well-structured writing wins.

#33: ESL Writing Olympics

Create a series of writing challenges that test different writing skills, such as grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, or creative writing. Set a time limit for each challenge, and award points to students based on their performance. Students can compete individually or in teams, making it a lively and competitive writing activity.

ESL Writing FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about teaching English writing. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

What is ESL Writing?

ESL technically refers to English as a Second Language but the more common usage is anyone who is a non-native speaker of English, whether or not it’s their second, third or fourth language. ESL writing focus specifically on writing skills.

How can ESL Students Improve Writing?

There are a number of ways that ESL students can improve their writing skills:

  • Practice, both in class and outside of class is key.
  • Give students a reason to write.
  • Use peer correction.
  • Offer self-editing checklists.
  • Give students some freedom to choose what to write about.
  • Use a variety of writing activities and games.
  • Give students a chance to revise their work based on feedback.
  • Strive to make English writing fun and engaging
  • Make it relevant to real-life.
  • Ensure that your ESL writing classes target the level of the students.

How Can ESL Beginners Learn to Write?

Remember that ESL beginners will not be able to write a 5-paragraph academic essay. Instead, you may want to focus on things like filling in the blanks on a worksheet or writing very simple sentences with a subject, verb, and object.

Why is Writing Difficult for ESL Students?

Writing can be a little bit difficult for ESL students because it not only involves vocabulary and grammar, but things like punctuation, capital letters as well as style and other writing conventions. What does make it easier is that it doesn’t happen in real time like with speaking.

What types of writing assignments are suitable for English learners?

Start with simple assignments like journal writing, personal narratives, and gradually progress to more complex assignments such as essays and reports.

How can I make writing more engaging for English learners?

Make it engaging by using interesting prompts, creative assignments, and real-life scenarios that connect to their experiences and interests.

Should I focus on grammar and vocabulary in writing instruction?

Yes, grammar and vocabulary are essential components of writing. Students should learn to use them correctly to convey their ideas effectively.

What’s the role of peer review in teaching writing to English learners?

Peer review helps students develop critical reading and editing skills, and it allows them to receive feedback from peers before finalizing their work.

How can I help English learners overcome writer’s block?

Encourage them to start with a simple outline, use writing prompts, and create a supportive, low-pressure writing environment in the classroom.

What strategies can I use to assess English learners’ writing effectively?

Use rubrics and clear criteria for assessing content, organization, grammar, and vocabulary. Offer specific feedback to help students understand their strengths and weaknesses.

Did you Like these ESOL Writing Exercises?

ESL Writing Activities, Games & Teaching Tips: Practical Ideas for the Classroom (ESL Activities for...

  • 72 Pages - 12/09/2019 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)

Yes? Thought so. Then you’re going to love this book you can easily find on Amazon: ESL Writing Activities, Games & Teaching Tips . It’s the first and only ESL activity book dedicated exclusively to teaching writing and it’s a must-have if you’re teaching these kinds of classes.

You can easily get these ESL writing activities in both digital and print formats. Consider keeping a copy on the bookshelf in your office and using it as a handy reference guide. Or, bring the digital version with you on your phone or tablet to your favourite coffee shop for some serious lesson planning for your English writing classes.

It really is that easy to have ESL writing classes! Check out the book on Amazon, but only if you want to get yourself a serious dose of ESL teaching awesome in your life:

check-price-on-amazon

Do you Have an ESL Writing Grading Rubric?

If you’re looking for a bit of guidance on how to evaluate your students’ writing, then you’re in the right place. We strongly recommend using a simple rubric that’ll save you a ton of time. Plus, students will understand why they got the grade that they did. All the details can be found here:

ESL Writing Grading Rubric .

ESL Writing Lesson Plans

If you’re looking for some ready-made writing lesson plans that can help your students improve their skills in a big way, you’ll want to check out our top recommendations:

One Stop English

ESL Library

esl-writing

Writing practice for English learners

ESL Writing Worksheets

The good news for English teachers is that there are a ton of English writing worksheets to help you out with just about anything! Why reinvent the wheel if another English teacher has already done the hard work, right? Here are some of the best ESL writing worksheets:

Busy Teacher

ESL Writing Assignments

If you’re not sure about writing assignment options for your ESL/EFL students, here are some of the best ideas that you’ll want to check out:

Tips for Teaching Writing to English Learners

Teaching writing to ESL learners requires a combination of strategies to develop their skills and confidence. Here are some tips to enhance your ESL writing lessons:

Provide Clear Instructions

Begin each writing task by clearly explaining the objectives, requirements, and expectations to the students. Break down the task into smaller steps to make it more manageable.

Model Writing

Show students examples of well-written texts in the target genre or format. Analyze the structure, language features, and organization. Model the thought process and decision-making involved in writing.

Teach the Writing Process

Introduce students to the writing process, which includes prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Emphasize the importance of brainstorming, organizing ideas, and revising for clarity and coherence.

Develop Vocabulary and Language Skills

Help students expand their vocabulary and language skills by providing word banks, relevant phrases, and sentence starters. Teach them how to use transition words and cohesive devices to enhance the flow of their writing.

Focus on Grammar and Sentence Structure in TEFL Writing Games and Activities

Address common grammar errors and sentence structure issues that students may encounter. Incorporate targeted grammar exercises and provide feedback on their writing to improve accuracy.

Encourage Pre-writing Activities

Engage students in pre-writing activities, such as brainstorming, mind mapping, or outlining, to generate ideas and organize their thoughts before starting to write. This helps students structure their writing more effectively.

Provide Writing Prompts

Offer a variety of engaging and relevant writing prompts to spark students’ creativity and interest. Ensure the prompts are aligned with their language proficiency level and encourage critical thinking and personal expression. Here are some ideas:

Peer Feedback and Revision

Incorporate peer feedback sessions where students exchange their writing with classmates for constructive feedback. Encourage students to revise their work based on the suggestions provided, promoting collaboration and revision skills.

Offer Individualized Support

Provide one-on-one guidance and support to students who may require additional assistance. Offer personalized feedback and suggestions for improvement based on their individual writing challenges.

Celebrate Progress

Recognize and celebrate students’ progress in writing. Highlight their strengths and areas of improvement, and provide specific feedback on their achievements. Encourage a growth mindset and foster a positive writing environment.

Encourage Frequent Writing Practice

Assign regular writing assignments to give students ample opportunities to practice their writing skills. Provide a variety of writing tasks, such as descriptive essays, opinion pieces, narratives, or reflective journal entries.

Use Authentic Materials for ESL Writing Activities

Integrate authentic materials like newspaper articles, short stories, or blog posts to expose students to real-life writing and develop their understanding of different writing styles and genres.

Have your say about these ESL Writing Activities and Exercises

What do you think about these writing ESL activities? Did you try out one of them from this or have another that you’d like to recommend? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.  We’d love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’ll help other busy English teachers, like yourself find this useful resource for teaching English writing.

Last update on 2022-07-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 15 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 60 books for English teachers and English learners, including Business English Vocabulary Builder and 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities for Teenagers and Adults . She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

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Home » Blog Posts » ELA » Effective Editing Practice for Upper Elementary Students

Effective Editing Practice for Upper Elementary Students

How do you teach editing skills to elementary students? What are some strategies for revising writing? If you have ever asked these questions or anything similar, you’re in the right place! This post shares ideas that help with effective editing practice for upper elementary students. These revision exercises can be used for in-person and online learning.

PLUS you can grab some FREE editing and proofreading worksheets to use in your classroom.

online writing activities for elementary students

The Main Problem with Editing Practice for Upper Elementary

Why do we need to teach revising in the writing process? Well, in a nutshell, it’s because every writer makes mistakes during the process.

Since our students are still learning important grammar rules, they are bound to make mistakes.

This makes editing practice for upper elementary essential!

But there’s one huge problem I’ve run into when teaching proofreading: getting students to apply it to their own writing.

Usually the process flows like this:

  • my kiddos learn a grammar skill with a mentor sentence (WHOO-HOO!)
  • they practice the skill in isolation and become masters at correcting that mistake (YAY!)
  • then they turn around and make the same mistake in their own writing (UGHH!)

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not against mentor sentences or practicing grammar apart from writing.

In fact, I LOVE having daily grammar practice to sharpen those skills.

But in this post, I want to share effective ways to connect editing with writing. Not only that, but these ideas go beyond simple sentences with editing longer paragraphs.

Provide a Checklist of What Errors to Look For

Even though I adore using guessing games in the classroom, I don’t think they work for budding proofreaders.

For students who especially struggle with editing, having guidelines boost their confidence because they know what they are looking for.

So when I start teaching revising, I give my students a checklist of the types of errors they should correct.

We begin this process by focusing on paragraph correction worksheets before applying the checklist to their own paragraph writing.

This editing practice for upper elementary students works whether we are doing a whole group lesson or literacy centers.

edited-weekly-paragraph-editing-printable

By using these editing checklists consistently, students build “proofreading habits” that become second nature when they are correcting their own writing later.

The one caveat I will give here is that you must MODEL for your students how to use the checklist correctly!

Don’t just assume that they will refer to it on their own the very first time.

For this activity, I love the “I Do, We Do, You Do” approach. It allows me to demonstrate the correct editing technique, then monitor their practice before allowing them to use it independently.

Consistently Include Revising Practice Activities

In the first section, I mentioned a little word that leads to big results: HABITS.

After reading Atomic Habits by James Clear , I started looking for ways to apply his theories about habit building in my teaching.

Instead of being overwhelmed by one big writing unit, I make time for smaller editing assignments each day.

Around 10-15 minutes works for me.

I started asking myself, “In what ways am I allowing editing practice for my students?”

This question led to a list of ideas that can be used for upper elementary students:

  • weekly paragraph editing worksheets during literacy centers
  • proofreading task card activities
  • putting students in small groups to correct writing on anchor charts
  • peer editing activities
  • finding memes, Tweets, and other “grammar mistakes” on the internet to correct

This is not the full list, but they are some of my favorite examples that have worked over the years.

Give Spiraled Grammar Editing Practice

To piggyback off the previous section, I have found amazing results with my students in the past when I spiraled my grammar lessons.

So first of all, what does it mean to “spiral” your lessons?

Spiral review in the classroom means that you are addressing skills and concepts repeatedly throughout the school year.

It is the opposite of just teaching a unit or academic standard once, testing students, then moving on.

When I spiral my grammar lessons, students complete weekly paragraph editing worksheets that revisit the revising skills we’ve already practiced.

Since they are combining this with editing checklists, they are getting effective practice every single week.

This video clip shows all of the academic standards that are covered in my 40-week grammar editing worksheet set which is available HERE in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Remember when I talked about building small habits?

This is why spiraling works wonders during editing practice for upper elementary students!

By consistently applying the same proofreading skills over time, students build stronger “editing muscles” when they revise their own writing.

Be Sure to Connect Editing with Writing

So far, I’ve shared quick tips on how to help students master revising and editing.

We started with editing checklists, moved on to consistent practice that includes spiraling grammar skills.

Now for the final piece of the puzzle: connecting editing with writing.

To solve the main problem with proofreading practice, students must immediately apply corrections to writing.

It’s not enough to just revise and edit grammar mistakes in isolation.

In the past, when I only gave proofreading worksheets, students would ace those activities, but then make the same grammar mistakes in their own writing.

Even though it takes extra time, I now have students rewrite the entire paragraph immediately after revising it!

This ensures that they make the connection between the work they did on editing with the skill of writing.

Then when they are writing their own paragraphs and essays, they are more likely to apply these grammar rules.

Don’t Leave Out the FUN!

Let’s face it, with all this editing practice, upper elementary students may get bored or burned out!

Which defeats the purpose.

So I make sure to give them paragraph proofreading topics that are engaging and interesting to read.

edited-weekly-paragraph-editing-printable-with-hand

This is actually a bonus win-win they are getting practice editing AND practice reading informational text passages .

Once I teach students how to use our editing checklists and how to rewrite the paragraph correctly, then they can complete these independently while I focus on teaching a small group.

That’s the power of a good no-prep, spiraled grammar activity!

As long as I choose high-interest topics, students are free to consistently work on building their editing and writing skills.

To give you more insight into the types of topics I use, here’s a YouTube video that shows my Weekly Paragraph Editing Set with 40 weeks of spiraled revising and writing practice:

If you are interested in purchasing this resource for your class, it’s available HERE in my TpT store.

You can also grab this FREE sample of the editing resource–also from my TpT store.

But wait, what about the online learning part mentioned in the intro?

I wasn’t going to leave my online teacher friends hanging. All of my proofreading exercises come in a Google Slides version!

Your virtual learning students can slide the highlighting bar over each grammar mistake. Then they can type the entire paragraph with all of the corrections.

In-person teachers who are 1-to-1 can also use this digital feature in class.

Hopefully these simple tips give you some ideas for how to keep your students engaged with editing practice.

Let me know in the comments your biggest frustrations when teaching grammar.

Happy Teaching

Tanya G. Marshall The Butterfly Teacher Transforming Learning for all students

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online writing activities for elementary students

Classroom Q&A

With larry ferlazzo.

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

How to Help Students With Their Writing. 4 Educators Share Their Secrets

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Teaching students to write is no easy feat, and it’s a topic that has often been discussed on this blog.

It’s also a challenge that can’t have too much discussion!

Today, four educators share their most effective writing lessons.

‘Three Practices That Create Confident Writers’

Penny Kittle teaches first-year writers at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. She was a teacher and literacy coach in public schools for 34 years and is the author of nine books, including Micro Mentor Texts (Scholastic). She is the founder and president of the Book Love Foundation, which annually grants classroom libraries to teachers throughout North America:

I write almost every day. Like anything I want to do well, I practice. Today, I wrote about the wild dancing, joyful energy, and precious time I spent with my daughter at a Taylor Swift concert. Then I circled back to notes on Larry’s question about teaching writers. I wrote badly, trying to find a through line. I followed detours and crossed out bad ideas. I stopped to think. I tried again. I lost faith in my words. I will get there , I told myself. I trust my process.

I haven’t always written this easily or this much. I wouldn’t say I’m a “natural” writer because I don’t believe they exist. Writing is work. When I entered college, I received a C-minus on my first paper. I was stunned. I had never worked at writing: I was a “first drafter,” an “only drafter.” And truthfully, I didn’t know how or what to practice. I was assigned writing in high school and I completed it. I rarely received feedback. I didn’t get better. I didn’t learn to think like a writer; I thought like a student.

I’ve now spent 40 years studying writing and teaching writers in kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school, as well as teachers earning graduate degrees. Despite their age, writers in school share one remarkably similar trait: a lack of confidence. Confidence is a brilliant and fiery light; it draws your eyes, your heart, and your mind. But in fact, it is as rare as the Northern Lights. I feel its absence every fall in my composition courses.

We can change that.

Confidence blooms in classrooms focused on the growth of writers.

This happens in classrooms where the teacher relies less on lessons and more on a handful of practices. Unfortunately, though, in most classrooms, a heap of time is spent directing students to practice “writing-like” activities: restrictive templates for assignments, with detailed criteria focused on rules. Those activities handcuff writers. If you tell me what to do and how to do it, I will focus on either completing the task or avoiding it. That kind of writing work doesn’t require much thinking; it is merely labor.

Practice creating, on the other hand, is harder, but it is how we develop the important ability to let our ideas come and then shaping them into cohesive arguments, stories, poems, and observations. We have misunderstood the power of writing to create thinking. Likewise, we have misunderstood the limitations of narrow tasks. So, here are my best instructional practices that lead to confidence and growth in writers.

1. Writing Notebooks and Daily Revision. Writers need time to write. Think of it as a habit we begin to engage in with little effort, like serving a tennis ball from the baseline or dribbling a basketball or sewing buttonholes. Writers need daily time to whirl words, to spin ideas, to follow images that blink inside them as they move their pen across the page. In my classroom, writing time most often follows engagement with a poem.

Likewise, writers need guidance in rereading their first drafts of messy thinking. I’ve seen teachers open their notebooks and invite students to watch them shape sentences. They demonstrate how small revisions increase clarity and rhythm. Their students watch them find a focus and maintain it. Teachers show the effort and the joy of writing well.

Here’s an example: We listen to a beautiful poem such as “Montauk” by Sarah Kay, her tribute to growing up. Students write freely from lines or images that spring to them as they listen. I write in my notebook as students write in theirs for 4-5 minutes. Then I read my entry aloud, circling subjects and detours ( I don’t know why I wrote so much about my dog, but maybe I have more to say about this … ). I model how to find a focus. I invite students to do the same.

2. Writers Study Writing . Writers imitate structures, approaches, and ways of reaching readers. They read like writers to find possibilities: Look what the writer did here and here . A template essay can be an effective tool to write for a test, but thankfully, that is a very small and insignificant part of the whole of writing for any of us. Real writing grows from studying the work of other writers. We study sentences, passages, essays, and articles to understand how they work, as we create our own.

3. Writers Have Conversations as They Work . When writers practice the skills and embrace the challenges of writing in community, it expands possibilities. Every line read from a notebook carries the mark of a particular writer: the passion, the voice, the experiences, and the vulnerability of each individual. That kind of sharing drives process talk ( How did you think to write about that? Who do you imagine you are speaking to? ), which showcases the endless variation in writers and leads to “writerly thinking.” It shifts conversations from “right and wrong” to “how and why.”

Long ago, at a local elementary school, in a workshop for teachers, I watched Don Graves list on the chalkboard subjects he was considering writing about. He read over his list and chose one. From there, he wrote several sentences, talking aloud about the decisions he was making as a writer. Then he turned to accept and answer questions.

“Why do this?” someone asked.

“Because you are the most important writer in the room,” Don said. “You are showing students why anyone would write when they don’t have to.” He paused, then added, “If not you, who?”

confidenceblooms

Developing ‘Student Voice’

A former independent school English teacher and administrator, Stephanie Farley is a writer and educational consultant working with teachers and schools on issues of curriculum, assessment, instruction, SEL, and building relationships. Her book, Joyful Learning: Tools to Infuse Your 6-12 Classroom with Meaning, Relevance, and Fun is available from Routledge Eye on Education:

Teaching writing is my favorite part of being a teacher. It’s incredibly fun to talk about books with kids, but for me, it’s even more fun to witness students’ skills and confidence grow as they figure out how to use written language to communicate what they mean.

A lesson I used to like doing was in “voice.” My 8th graders had a hard time understanding what I meant when I asked them to consider “voice” in their writing. The best illustration I came up with was playing Taylor Swift’s song “Blank Space” for students. Some students groaned while others clapped. (Doesn’t this always happen when we play music for students? There’s no song that makes everyone happy!) But when they settled down, I encouraged them to listen to the style: the arrangement, her voice as she sang, the dominant instruments.

Then, I played a cover of “Blank Space” by Ryan Adams. Eyes rolled as the song unfurled through the speakers, but again I reminded students to listen to the arrangement, voice, and instruments. After about 60 seconds of the Adams version, heads nodded in understanding. When the music ended and I asked students to explain voice to me, they said it’s “making something your own … like your own style.” Yes!

The next step was applying this new understanding to their own writing. Students selected a favorite sentence from the books they were reading, then tried to write it in their own voice. We did this a few times, until everyone had competently translated Kwame Alexander into “Rosa-style” or Kelly Link into “Michael-style.” Finally, when it was time for students to write their own longer works—stories, personal essays, or narratives—they intentionally used the words and sentence patterns they had identified as their own voice.

I’m happy to report this method worked! In fact, it was highly effective. Students’ papers were more idiosyncratic, nuanced, and creative. The only change to this lesson I’d make now is trying to find a more zeitgeist-y song with the hope that the groans at the beginning die down a little faster.

itsfun

Teaching ELLs

Irina McGrath, Ph.D., is an assistant principal at Newcomer Academy in the Jefferson County school district in Kentucky and the president of KYTESOL. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Louisville, Indiana University Southeast, and Bellarmine University. She is a co-creator of the ELL2.0 site that offers free resources for teachers of English learners:

Reflecting on my experience of teaching writing to English learners, I have come to realize that writing can be daunting, especially when students are asked to write in English, a language they are learning to master. The most successful writing lessons I have taught were those that transformed the process into an enjoyable experience, fostering a sense of accomplishment and pride in my students.

To achieve this, I prioritized the establishment of a supportive learning environment. At the beginning of each school year, I set norms that emphasized the importance of writing for everyone, including myself as their teacher. I encouraged students to write in English and their native language and I wrote alongside my English learners to demonstrate that writing is a journey that requires hard work and dedication, regardless of age or previous writing experiences. By witnessing my own struggles, my students felt encouraged to persevere.

My English learners understood that errors were expected and that they were valuable opportunities for growth and improvement. This created a comfortable atmosphere where students felt more confident taking risks and experimenting with their writing. Rather than being discouraged by mistakes, they viewed them as steppingstones toward progress.

In my most effective writing lessons, I provided scaffolds such as sentence stems, sentence frames, and word banks. I also encouraged my students to use translation tools to help generate ideas on paper. These scaffolds empowered English learners to independently tackle more challenging writing assignments and nurtured their confidence in completing writing tasks. During writers’ circles, we discussed the hard work invested in each writing piece, shared our work, and celebrated each other’s success.

Furthermore, my most successful writing lessons integrated reading and writing. I taught my students to read like writers and utilized mentor texts to emulate the craft of established authors, which they could later apply to their own writing. Mentor texts, such as picture books, short stories, or articles, helped my students observe how professional writers use dialogue, sentence structure, and descriptive language to enhance their pieces.

Instead of overwhelming students with information, I broke down writing into meaningful segments and taught through mini lessons. For example, we analyzed the beginnings of various stories to examine story leads. Then, collaboratively, my students and I created several leads together. When they were ready, I encouraged them to craft their own leads and select the most appropriate one for their writing piece.

Ultimately, my most effective lessons were those in which I witnessed the joyful smiles on my English learners’ faces as they engaged with pages filled with written or typed words. It is during those moments that I knew my writers were creating and genuinely enjoying their work.

To access a self-checklist that students and EL teachers can use when teaching or creating a writing piece in English, you can visit the infographic at bit.ly/ABC_of_Writing .

iprovided

‘Model Texts’

Anastasia M. Martinez is an English-language-development and AVID Excel teacher in Pittsburg, Calif.:

As a second-language learner, writing in English had not always been my suit. It was not until graduate school that I immersed myself in a vast array of journals, articles, and other academic works, which ultimately helped me find my academic voice and develop my writing style. Now, working as an ESL teacher with a diverse group of middle school multilingual learners, I always provide a model text relevant to a topic or prompt we are exploring.

When students have a model text, it gives them a starting point for their own writing and presents writing as less scary, where they get stuck on the first sentence and do not know how to start.

At the start of the lesson, prior to using a model text, I create a “do now” activity that guides my students’ attention to the topic and creates a relevant context for the text. After students share their ideas with a partner and then the class, we transition to our lesson objectives, and I introduce the model text. We first use prereading strategies to analyze the text, and students share what they notice based on the title, images, and a number of paragraphs. Then, depending on the students’ proficiency level, I read the text to the class, or students read the text as partners, thinking about what the text was mostly about.

After students read and share their ideas with partners and then the whole class, we transition to deconstructing the text. These multiple reengagements with the text help students become more familiar with it, as well as help students build reading fluency.

When deconstructing the model text, I guide my students through each paragraph and sentence. During that time, students orally share their ideas determining the meaning of specific paragraphs or sentences, which we later annotate in the model text using different colored highlighters or pens. Color coding helps visually guide students through similar parts of the model text. For instance, if we highlight evidence in paragraph 2 in one color, we also highlight evidence in the same color in the following paragraph. It helps students see the similarities between the paragraphs and discover the skeleton of the writing. Additionally, color coding helps students during their writing process and revision. Students can check if they used all parts of the writing based on the colors.

Furthermore, one of the essential pieces during deconstructing model texts that I draw my students’ attention to is transition words and “big words,” or academic vocabulary. We usually box them in the text, and I question students about why the author used a particular word in the text. Later, when students do their own writing, they can integrate new vocabulary and transition words, which enhances their vocabulary and language skills.

As the next step, I invite students to co-create a similar piece of writing with a partner or independently using our model text as their guide. Later, our model text serves as a checklist for individual and partner revisions, which students could use to give each other feedback.

Model texts are an essential part of the writing process in any content-area class. As educators, we should embrace the importance of model texts, as they provide a solid foundation upon which students can develop their unique writing skills, tone, and voice.

modeltexts

Thanks to Penny, Stephanie, Irina, and Anastasia for contributing their thoughts!

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email . And if you missed any of the highlights from the first 12 years of this blog, you can see a categorized list here .

The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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  1. Digital Writing Activities for Elementary Students

    online writing activities for elementary students

  2. writing worksheets for elementary students

    online writing activities for elementary students

  3. 4th Grade Writing Prompts, Elementary Writing, Creative Writing Prompts

    online writing activities for elementary students

  4. Creative Writing Activities For Elementary Students : Sign up for the

    online writing activities for elementary students

  5. Digital Writing Activities for Elementary Students

    online writing activities for elementary students

  6. Draw and Write #2

    online writing activities for elementary students

VIDEO

  1. Pre writing activity

  2. Interactive writing lesson

  3. Independent Kindergarten Smartboard Center

  4. Crazy Study HACK For STUDENTS! #shortsindia #millionairemindset #viralvideo

  5. 6- Teaching Writing Activities- Unchained Story

  6. How To Help Your Struggling Writers in Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade

COMMENTS

  1. Quill.org

    Quill.org | Interactive Writing and Grammar Free tools to make your students better writers and readers. NEW Quill.org, a non-profit, provides free literacy activities that build reading comprehension, writing, and language skills for elementary, middle, and high school students. Student Teacher Administrator Guardian

  2. Elementary School Writing Apps and Websites

    20 TOOLS Elementary School Writing Apps and Websites By getting kids writing early and often, we prepare them to succeed across all subjects. And we know that engaging kids' creativity and imagination can help motivate them to use their writing skills.

  3. Writing Learning Games • ABCya!

    ABCya's writing games are the first step toward writing your own story. It's as easy as ABC...ya! Advertisement | Go Ad-Free! Fun Factory - Punctuation & Capitalization Grades 1 - 6+ Letter & Number Tracing Grades PRE-K - K Storymaker Grades K - 2 Type a Friendly Letter Grades 2 - 5 Write a Letter to Santa Grades K - 3

  4. 20 Creative Writing Activities for Elementary Students

    1. Join the NaNoWriMo organization's Young Writers Program (YWP)! Together, your students can work on all sorts of age-appropriate writing challenges and activities throughout the year—including a project of their choice in November! 2. To practice pre-writing skills and collaborating on a project, try these shared writing project activities. 3.

  5. 11 Online Tools to Engage Kids in Writing

    1. WritingFix Here you can find many good teaching resources for K-12. The website is easy to use so you don't need to be a teacher to figure out how it works. This service offers free monthly workshops and lessons, and here you can also find countless writing prompts.

  6. 10 Online Tools to Engage Kids in Writing

    These categories are suitable for K-12 students: Kids' Word Game Writing Prompts, Writer's Notebook Lesson Ideas, RAFT Writing Prompts, and Digital Photo Prompts. StoryJumper Before your kid can start writing essays and other complex written structures, you should try to make writing as fun as possible for him.

  7. 27 Great Writing Activities for Elementary Students

    Writing Activities for Elementary Students 1. Create a Glossary. Have your elementary students compile glossaries for specific topics or subjects. This activity improves vocabulary acquisition and organization skills, as students define and explain terms in a clear and concise manner. 2. Write a Book Recommendation.

  8. 10 Quick and Fun Writing Games Students and Teachers Love

    The best writing games to engage students A colleague of mine recently shared these ten great writing game ideas to improve literacy skills in the classroom. They are simple to play and can be applied to nearly all year levels.

  9. Best Websites for Teaching & Learning Writing

    StoryboardThat is an easy drag-and-drop creation platform with cross-curricular applications for writers K-12. With over 3,000 lesson plans and activities, teachers can create materials and lessons for their classes which will help students can take ownership of their voice and learning. Cost: Free trial, subscription.

  10. Free Online Writing Games for Kids

    Handwriting Games View all 124 games Letter Tracing Tracing Big Letters With Sleeping & Slanting Lines - A, V, W, X, Y & Z Game Practice tracing big letters with sleeping & slanting lines - A, V, W, X, Y & Z. PREK K L.K.1.A VIEW DETAILS Letter Tracing Time to Trace Uppercase A Game Learn language skills by practicing to trace uppercase A.

  11. Making Writing Fun with Interactive Writing Activities

    Holidays Digital Learning Making Writing Fun with Interactive Writing Activities Today's blog focuses on making writing fun and interactive for students using interactive writing activities. I am going to outline the three big types of writing pieces: narrative, opinion, and informative.

  12. Student Interactives

    Engage your students in online literacy learning with these interactive tools that help them accomplish a variety of goals -- from organizing their thoughts to learning about language -- all while having fun. Featured Grades 3 - 12 Student Interactive Type: Organizing & Summarizing Compare & Contrast Map Read More Grades 3 - 6

  13. Digital Writing Activities for Elementary Students

    Digital Writing Activities for Elementary Students - Mrs. Winter's Bliss - Resources For Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade Digital Writing Activities for Elementary Students This blog post shares favorite NO PREP digital writing activities for elementary students that can be used in Google Classroom for distance learning.

  14. Writing practice

    In this section you can practise writing different types of texts with an example to help you. Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments! Level 1 writing. Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments! For learners at level 1. Level 2 writing. Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments! For ...

  15. GrammarFlip: The Interactive Online Grammar and Writing Program

    Read all about it! Differentiated grammar instruction empowers diverse learners. Flexible grouping, multimodal learning, scaffolding, and peer collaboration are key strategies. Read all about it! GrammarFlip is an interactive online grammar and writing program designed to individualize student learning while saving time for English teachers.

  16. 5 Free Online Writing Games for Students

    Fun English Games: "Fun English Games" has a variety of games and activities for students that go beyond simply writing, but their writing games are perfect for middle elementary school students, English language learners, or ESL students. These games include debate practice, story writing, and even an advertising activity!

  17. 22 Writing Activities To Help Kids Hone Their Writing Skills

    1. Try online ELA games like Prodigy English Great for: Grades 1 to 6 Online games are a great way to engage students in the learning process — and Prodigy English is bringing the power of game-based learning to language and reading skill practice!

  18. This Free "Show, Don't Tell!" Game Will Improve Students' Writing

    In fact, this is the perfect opportunity to follow NoRedInk's animated characters over to their site to check out their free online writing curriculum that's designed specifically for upper elementary learners. There you'll find: Standards-aligned activities for Grades 3-5.

  19. Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers

    Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers The recommendations in this guide cover teaching the writing process, teaching fundamental writing skills, encouraging students to develop essential writing knowledge, and developing a supportive writing environment.

  20. 20 Creative Writing Activities for Elementary Students

    15. Cross-Curricular Writing: Encourage writing skills practice across subjects by incorporating creative writing responses into science, social studies or other academic topics. 16. Adventure Maps: Students can create imaginary maps and write descriptive stories about the features, landforms, and inhabitants found within their created worlds. 17.

  21. 55 Creative Writing Activities for All Ages

    Go on a five-senses scavenger hunt. Find three items for each sense. Create a story using the items you found. Create a story around an interesting picture ( try these fun picture writing prompts!) Find an ad in a magazine or elsewhere and rewrite the description to convince people NOT to buy the advertised item.

  22. Teach Elementary Students with Writing Games

    This process, called gamification, can get your students interested in learning through writing games. The reason behind this is simply because students find games fun, and are more willing to engage in it. Fortunately, it's flexible for all types of learning environments - whether it's in and out of the four walls of a classroom, or even ...

  23. ESL Writing Exercises, Games, Activities & Lesson Plans

    ESL Writing Activities, Games, Worksheets & Lesson Plans. If you're teaching writing and are looking for some of the best ESL writing activities, along with worksheets, lesson plans and more then you're in the right place. Keep on reading for everything you need to know about teaching English writing. Let's check out the top ESOL writing ...

  24. Effective Editing Practice for Upper Elementary Students

    This question led to a list of ideas that can be used for upper elementary students: weekly paragraph editing worksheets during literacy centers. proofreading task card activities. putting students in small groups to correct writing on anchor charts. peer editing activities.

  25. How to Help Students With Their Writing. 4 Educators Share Their

    Long ago, at a local elementary school, in a workshop for teachers, I watched Don Graves list on the chalkboard subjects he was considering writing about. He read over his list and chose one. From ...

  26. Thomas Blakemore on Instagram: "9 FREE ENGLISH Websites Teachers MUST

    1,310 likes, 8 comments - thomasblakemore on February 15, 2024: "9 FREE ENGLISH Websites Teachers MUST know - @getepic Reading: Digital library for kids with a v..."