Distance Learning Writing Ideas

Teaching writing through distance learning can be hard. Mainly because they aren’t right in front of you! 🙂 But here are some ideas to keep your students writing and creating ideas even when they are on the other side of the screen!

 

Daily Writing Digital Prompts

I have been sending my kiddos fun writing prompts to do on Google slides. These topics include opinion, persuasive, informational, narrative, creative, and more!

Their favorite is for sure the would you rather prompts!

They writing a prompt and then add a picture! They LOVE them. They love to type and add pictures and it is a great way to connect with the kids.

Check out the 100 digital writing prompts here!

Google Classroom Questions

We are using Google Classroom and I like to post a question that requires some writing for an answer. This helps them to write out their ideas and gives me a great way to connect with them. The other students will comment on each others answers. More writing and more connection!

Question Examples:

How are you feeling right now?

What is something amazing that happened this week? Why was it amazing?

Describe your typical day during this quarantine time.

YouTube Narrative Writing Lessons

Have you seen Susan Jone’s Youtube Channel?! It is amazing!

She does a 5 day writing lesson that focuses on narrative writing. I have my students watch each lesson and do the activities that she assigns. It is perfect because it is like they are actually learning in a classroom, plus again they are using paper and pencil!

Letter Writing with the Teacher

Do you send your students letters?! It is such a fun way to connect and the kids love it. I let the parents know that if their kiddos wanted to send me a letter they can and I will mail them back. I did warn them it might take me a little while to get back to them because I do have a lot going on, but that they would for sure get a letter back from me at some point! Such an easy way to get kids writing and to connect with them.

Class Pen Pals

Have students become pen pals!! Ask parents if they want their kid to be a pen pal with another student in the class. Then, randomly set up students with one and other. Exchange addresses and have them write back and forth. Yes, you will not be seeing this writing. But it is a great way to keep kids writing and keep them connected with the classroom and each other. Plus, it would be SO.MUCH.FUN.

Directed Drawing with Writing

I am a HUGE fan of directed drawings. They require students to follow directions, be creative, and are super fun. Each time I do a directed drawing I usually follow it up with some writing.

Have kids write a creative story to go with their drawing, have them write about an informational topic and then draw it. Art Hub for kids on YouTube has a TON of great drawings to go with writing. (For this example, we did the doctor and nurse directed drawing)

I also love this because it requires students to do some writing on paper, which we all know they need.

Helping Your Community Through Writing

I have asked my kids to do different writing assignments that help out our community.

For example, I had them write letters to people in the hospital and draw a picture. We had them write letters to our grocery store workers, truck drivers, and nurses. Anything to bring happiness to people in your community while helping them write!

 

I hope these ideas helped you to get creative for ways that you can keep kids engaged in writing digitally!