Let struggling students watch as you
Model positive self talk

One way to give reluctant and struggling writers a glimpse of what competent writers do is through modeling. Modeling employs a real person (often the teacher) to show what writing looks like.

Think of watching a one-character play and you'll have a fairly good picture of what writing-modeling looks like from the students' perspective.

Rather than leaving the commentary on the model's activity to an onlooker, the model personally describes what she or he is doing.

(Thinking about how you are thinking is known as metacognition. Metacognition is a hot topic in education.)

Model commentary needs two parts

The model's commentary has two components. One is the rehearsal of a particular writing strategy, such as how to prepare a working thesis.

The other is positive self talk scripts that individuals in the class can use as models for coaching themselves in their own writing assignments.

When you start out teaching writing, you will probably have to be the model. After you have trained some students in how to write, you may be able to have students do the modeling.

Self talk scripts you will need

You won't need the same scripts in every class, but you almost always will need language to:

• Affirm competence.

• Accept responsibility.

• Deal with procrastination.

• Manage time wisely.

• Reduce perfectionism.

• Manage stress.

• Deal with information overload.

• Handle anger.

• Break up big projects into manageable bits.

• Handle failure.

• Set realistic goals.

• Seek help.

• Avoid distractions.

• Adapt to change.

Learn how to turn negative scripts into positive ones.