Writing can be challenging for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (or students with limited English language skills) for a variety of reasons. But as with anything, the more opportunities a student has to practice something, the easier it becomes over time.

What's included:

• This downloadable PDF file includes 24 writing prompts for January.
• A variety of question types are included such as narrative, opinion, descriptive, imaginative, and informational.
• Most of the 24 prompts are related to events and activities in January, while others are simply meant to be fun and silly. Several prompts are related specifically to hearing loss.
• Please note I did not include a grade level for this resource because it's meant to be used based on a student's individual writing level. However, most questions are geared around a 1-3 grade level. If you have any questions about the prompts, please post in the "Q & A" tab above and I will be happy to help.

Suggested use:

I use these daily with my deaf/hard-of-hearing students. They have 10 minutes to write uninterrupted. I encourage them to continue writing for the entire time, even if they think they're done sooner. When kept in a binder or folder, these entries are a phenomenal (and easy) way to clearly see their growth.

After they've finished writing, we go over it together, targeting 1-2 writing elements they are working on while ignoring any other errors they may make. We use different colored markers to circle the elements (correct tenses, use of pronouns, prepositions, etc.). It's even better when they can point these out themselves. For example, I'll ask "where are the different tenses you used?". Then they point out all the tense endings and circle them in orange. Then, we look for all the pronouns they used and circle those in green, etc.

I have found this a favorite way to practice writing skills with my students because it's non-intimidating and fun. students are proud to share their work and start to see themselves as writers.

Other Details: