Discussing Writing Topics with Your Students

Topics

Do you have a tough time finding good topics to talk about in your letters? 

     Talk about yourself, talk about your school. Talk about what you may have done in the last week or month, any movies you have seen, what type of music you like to listen to, what clubs you belong to, etc. When writing to a pen pal, your letters should be less awkward to write after the first few. This is because you will get to know who your pen pal is and what they like from their letters. Also, you and your pen pal will start a conversation through your letters, and topics will start to develop naturally.

     If you find regular topics boring to talk about in your letters, then try posing a question to your pen pal. Discuss a topic you have been thinking about or learning about lately and at the end of the letter ask a question that relates to what you have been talking about. The best types of questions are ones that require more than 'yes' or 'no' answers. If you ask them what their opinion is on a subject then this will encourage them to frame their next letter around this topic.