A tutor helps a child who hates writing by finding the real barrier, ideas, spelling, handwriting or structure, and then breaking writing into small, manageable steps with lots of encouragement. Writing combines many skills at once, so it can feel overwhelming. This guide explains what helps.

Written by Tutopiya, an online tutoring company that teaches students one-to-one.

Key takeaways

• Find the specific barrier.
• Planning makes writing less scary.
• Separate ideas from spelling at first.
• Short, successful tasks build confidence.

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Why do children dislike writing?

Writing asks children to think of ideas, organise them, spell, punctuate and handwrite all at once, which can overload them. The National Literacy Trust shares research on children’s writing enjoyment.

Barrier	What it looks like
Ideas	”I don’t know what to write”
Structure	Writing wanders
Spelling	Avoiding interesting words
Handwriting	Slow, tiring
Confidence	Fear of mistakes

How a tutor helps: step by step

1. Find the barrier through a short assessment.
2. Talk before writing to build ideas.
3. Plan together with a simple frame.
4. Write short pieces first.
5. Fix spelling and punctuation separately.
6. Celebrate finished work.

Browse our Cambridge IGCSE English tutors, PSLE English tutors and Singapore primary tutors.

What should a good tutor offer?

What to check	Why it matters
Patience	Builds trust
Planning tools	Reduces overwhelm
Encouragement	Confidence
Clear feedback	Steady progress

What does a good lesson look like?

1. A fun talk about a picture or topic.
2. Brainstorm ideas together.
3. Plan with a frame.
4. Write a short paragraph.
5. Praise and one improvement.

Talking before writing

Many children write better when they first say their ideas aloud. A tutor can ask questions, note ideas and help organise them before the child picks up a pen. This removes the “blank page” problem and makes writing feel achievable. Over time, children learn to do this planning themselves.

Separating ideas from accuracy

When children worry about spelling, they choose simpler words and write less. A tutor can encourage a first draft focused on ideas, then a second step to check spelling and punctuation. Children produce richer writing and still learn accuracy, without the fear.

Handwriting and typing

If handwriting is slow or painful, typing practice and occasional typed work can help, but many exams need handwriting. Short handwriting practice and access arrangements, where eligible, can both help. See tutoring for a child with dyspraxia.

How to tell tutoring is working

• your child starts writing more easily;
• longer, organised pieces;
• more adventurous vocabulary;
• less frustration.

How parents can help

• write together: lists, cards, messages;
• praise ideas before accuracy;
• display finished writing.

Questions to ask a tutor

1. How do you help children who dislike writing?
2. How do you teach planning?
3. How will we track progress?

A sample term plan

Weeks	Focus
1–3	Ideas and talk
4–8	Planning and paragraphs
9–12	Longer pieces and editing

How much tutoring is enough?

One weekly lesson plus short writing at home suits most children.

Online lessons for writing

Tutors can share pictures, plan on a whiteboard and type alongside the child, which makes writing collaborative. Children can photograph handwritten work for feedback.

Writing frames and sentence starters

Writing frames, such as “First… Then… Finally…”, give structure without taking away creativity. Sentence starters like “In my opinion…” or “This shows that…” help children begin each paragraph. A tutor can introduce these gradually and remove them as confidence grows, so children learn to structure writing independently. For older students, frames for essays, such as point, evidence and explanation, work the same way.

Making writing purposeful

Children write more willingly when writing has a real purpose, such as a letter to a grandparent, a review of a game or a story for a younger sibling. A tutor can choose topics linked to interests, which makes writing feel worthwhile rather than a chore.

Spelling support

A personal spelling list of commonly misspelled words, practised regularly, builds accuracy over time. Children should be encouraged to use ambitious words even if unsure of spelling, then check them afterwards.

Tip: let your child choose the topic for one piece of writing each week.

Building stamina gradually

Children who hate writing often tire quickly. Starting with five-minute writing bursts and slowly lengthening them builds stamina without frustration. A tutor can set small targets, such as one more sentence than last time, so progress is steady and visible. Over a term, many children write twice as much with less complaint.

Tip: keep a “best writing” folder your child can look back on.

How Tutopiya tutoring works

Tutopiya offers one-to-one online tutoring.

• A tutor matched to your child’s subject, level and exam board.
• A free first trial lesson, with no card needed.
• From 4 hours a month per subject. Each tutor sets their own rate, shown before booking.
• AI lesson analysis gives a written summary, flashcards and quiz questions after each lesson.

See our online tuition page.

Common mistakes

• Long tasks too soon → start short.
• Correcting everything → focus on one thing.
• No planning → plan first.
• Criticism → praise effort.

Talk to us

For related guides, see a tutor for a child behind in English and tutoring for reluctant readers. Or contact our team.

Summary: a tutor helps a child who hates writing by finding the barrier and breaking writing into small, successful steps.

Frequently asked questions

Why do some children hate writing? +

Common reasons include difficulty generating ideas, spelling or handwriting struggles, fear of mistakes and not knowing how to structure writing.

Can a tutor help a reluctant writer? +

Yes. A tutor can break writing into steps, teach planning, reduce the pressure of spelling and build confidence with short tasks.

Should my child type instead of handwrite? +

Typing can help some children focus on ideas, but handwriting still matters for many exams. Ask the school about access arrangements if handwriting is very difficult.

When should I worry? +

If writing is far behind other skills or very slow, talk to the school about whether an assessment, for example for dyslexia or dyspraxia, would help.

Does Tutopiya help children with writing? +

Yes. Tutopiya offers one-to-one online English tutoring, including writing support. The first trial lesson is free with no card required.

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