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How do you motivate students who just simply don't want to write?We've all been there. We came up with the most brilliant writing project in the history of education. We envisioned a boisterous ovation of enthusiasm as creativity sparked to life in the minds and on the papers of our students. We've all felt that glorious triumph slowly wither and die as protest after complaint after objection drowned out the fading cheers in our heads. We asked ourselves, "Jiminy Cricket! What's the big deal? Why don't these kids want to write?" This website has the solutions you need to motivate your reluctant writers.
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Teresa Eleanor Giner Home Learn More Standards Inspiration About the Author
The 21st Century Writing Classroom“To be college- and career-ready writers, students must take task, purpose, and audience into careful consideration, choosing words, information, structures, and formats deliberately. They need to know how to combine elements of different kinds of writing — for example, to use narrative strategies within argument and explanation within narrative — to produce complex and nuanced writing."
Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2010 
How We Teach Writing Must ChangeAfter the State of California consecutively implemented the Common Core State Standards, the 21st Century Skills and the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) throughout it's public school system, it became apparent to educators and policy-makers that writing instruction needed to change.
In the present academic climate, students are expected to exemplify strong independent writing skills, while demonstrating even stronger collaboration skills. In preparation for a successful future in a globalized world, it is imperative that students master their critical thinking skills and creativity. Unfortunately, many teachers find that despite their best efforts to create comprehensive lesson plans, their students are not completing writing projects without a great deal of protesting. Much like cleaning out desks and backpacks, writing is a chore; something that needs to be checked off a list before the real fun starts. During the course of my initial study Encouraging Active Student Engagement Through Digital Writing Tools and 21st Century Skills, a new driving question developed. I wondered how online writing platforms, like Writereader and Storyboardthat, could be used to motivate my reluctant student writers. I felt that using online writing tools throughout the writing process, from inspiration to publication, my students would be see that writing was not only relevant and beneficial, but also a lot of fun. 
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Click on the video for a 90 second snapshot of my action research project.
Inspiration and Motivation is Found Online
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Action Research
After years of observing students working on writing assignments, I came to the realization that far too many students failed to produce a written composition longer than a skimpy paragraph. I noticed that students' behavior during a writing session bounced from initial enthusiasm to obvious frustration and finally to complete avoidance. The suggested activities from textbook companies to bolster active student engagement hinged on the ludicrous. Creating an acrostic poem based on an important historical figure cannot substitute a well-developed, well organized, well-researched informative paper. While these types of writing activities do play significant roles in the writing curriculum, they do not fully prepare students for the rigorous demands of the standardized tests, like the CAASPP test. In addition, students are required to successfully navigate the word-processing features common on today's standardized assessments.
I felt that as we moved closer to educational reformation, it was important to research what the experts had to say about the implementation of 21st Century Skills and digital writing tools and platforms into my writing program. I wanted a direct look at how adding these two innovative approaches to writing would play out in my own classroom.
I felt that as we moved closer to educational reformation, it was important to research what the experts had to say about the implementation of 21st Century Skills and digital writing tools and platforms into my writing program. I wanted a direct look at how adding these two innovative approaches to writing would play out in my own classroom.
Round One
For the first round of research, Google Docs was added to the writing process. Students were explicitly taught the various word-processing features of the app. They worked on their planning, rough drafts and final drafts entirely in Google Docs. Findings revealed that students initially were enthusiastic about using a digital tool instead of traditional pencil and paper, however students quickly lost interest after only two writing sessions. Through interviews with students, it was discovered that students became frustrated with Google Docs because they didn't see an ending to the page. The never ending white space made them anxious and disheartened.
Round Two
For the second round of research, Google Slides was introduced as the writing platform. Students were explicitly taught the features of the app. Unlike before, students planned their composition on paper before transferring to Google Slides. Findings revealed that students' enthusiasm for the writing project continued until completion. Student interviews revealed that the use of background colors and images in addition to the shorter "pages" of Google Slides made the experience more enjoyable.
Round Three
For the third round of research, the graphic novel writing platform Storyboardthat.com was introduced. First, students were taught how to create traditional storyboards with rulers, pencils and construction paper. They used these paper versions as a planning tool. They were also taught the basic features of Storyboardthat, and were encouraged to learn the detail features through exploration and collaboration with each other. The findings revealed that students not only produced the assigned writing activity, they independently wrote several other graphic novels. Students shared in interviews that they enjoyed writing assignment very much.