We’ve all heard this line from our students before: “I don’t like to write. I’m not good at it.” Sometimes all it takes is a change of venue for students to realize that they can be strong writers and find their voice. Technology can provide this alternative setting for a student to realize that they are, indeed, strong writers.

One platform that I use in my own classroom is wikispaces.com, which is an academic message board where students answer a question, view a video posted by their teacher or present commentary on a photograph or image. The idea behind Wikispaces is that students create a username that only their teachers know and are able write a post and comment anonymously. This is an excellent vehicle for students who have a lot to say but may need to take their time forming ideas. A bonus is that the teacher is the moderator, so they can monitor discussions to ensure proper Internet etiquette. It also has restricted access, so only members of that online “classroom” can post and comment.

I have found that having students using text-based evidence in their responses also works well and allows students to “see” the successes and errors of their responses in a different forum. Students who are reluctant to write a paragraph about a passage from a novel willingly pick up their tablets to defend their points of view on Wikispaces.

iMovie is a wonderful app on the iPad that allows students to make short trailers or longer movies. This is an out-of-the-box approach to a final assessment that requires students to write out a detailed storyboard before they begin. Students who may not shine at writing traditional essays often thrive writing a “script” for a movie. The planning involved in writing a storyboard for a movie is very similar to the planning used when writing an essay, just in a different format.

A dictation app called Dragon is a great draw for students who struggle to pick up a pen and begin writing their thoughts. For many kids, the hardest part of writing is knowing how, and where, to begin. Dragon allows students to begin talking, while it translates their words into text. This is a great tool for letting students brainstorm ideas and seeing that their voices provide power to their thoughts. Once a child can see the beginning stages of their work, they won’t be so intimidated about completing a large writing assignment.

Students and teachers who utilize online tutoring sessions at Growing Stars can easily use these supplements for creating exciting lesson plans and ensuring optimal results when tackling writing assignments.