Encourage your students to write about topics they find interesting. Allow them to select their own writing topics for assignments that are designed to reinforce writing mechanics such as punctuation, contractions, sentence structure, voice, grammar and other basics. After you have taught a lesson on a specific concept, ask the students to write a paper that demonstrates an understanding of the concept. Students can demonstrate an understanding of proper writing mechanics when writing about virtually any subject. The writing assignment will seem more fun and less like "work" when students are writing about an interest or experience.
Hold a class spelling bee. Spelling is a vital element of writing, and it's an area in which many students struggle. The competitive nature of a spelling bee is attractive to many students, and the bee enables kids to learn from others' mistakes as well as their own. Increase the fun factor by offering some sort of reward to the winner and finalists.
Grammar games will appeal to children who are competitive, and they enable students to engage the material in a fun manner. One common grammar game is similar to a spelling bee. Present a student with a flawed sentence and ask him to identify the error. The flaws you incorporate will vary depending on the students' age and what they're learning. If the children are learning about capitalization, then sentences could contain capitalization errors. To teach contractions, present a sentence and ask the child to change the appropriate words to a contraction -- for instance, he might need to replace "do not" with "don't." Play the game in the manner of a spelling bee, with each student taking a turn. Once a student gets a wrong answer, he is "out." The game continues until one student remains.
Incorporate an art project, display or demonstration into a writing assignment. This will appeal to children who enjoy art and working with their hands or body. For instance, ask children to write about their favorite hobby or activity. The students should write about the nature and history of the hobby and why they enjoy it. Then they can create a diorama, drawing or display to demonstrate their hobby. A paper and project combo can also be used for history lessons. For instance, the students may be asked to write about a specific Native American tribe and create a diorama or model of a village for that tribe.
Many students are motivated when there's a reward or prize involved. They are more apt to have fun when they're working toward a tangible reward. Consider offering a small prize or reward for students who write an "A" paper. Prizes can range from a piece of candy to an "extension pass" that affords students an extra day to work on an assignment. Students can also be rewarded with extra free time, an extended recess or exemption from a test or homework assignment.
Students may be intimidated by the prospect of writing a long paper. So instead of assigning three long writing assignments, opt for six shorter writing assignments or four short assignments and one long assignment.