All of our fourth graders publish a book using a writing program called Storybook Weaver Deluxe where they write a book, which essentially becomes a narrative. Without them even knowing what they are doing, they are writing a narrative. They also get to illustrate it using computer graphics. When they're done, we mount them and they color them, and they have created a book. At the very beginning of the year, they all are published authors.
Technology makes a huge difference.
They want to do that. It is not a chore. Writing has to be something they enjoy, as opposed to a chore. The computer is one way to get the children really active and enjoying it. And if they see you do it, then they' ll think of it as more of a fun thing, instead of having them saying, 'Oh no, we have to write again.'.