NEXT:

I found some great story starters on the TKI website made specifically for boys in mind.  They use well-known personalities, that boys can relate to, and they have written their own short stories.  The videos stop at an exciting spot and the students have to finish the story off before seeing the celebrities end to the adventures.  These were very popular.  The boys find creative writing very challenging and often 'don't know' what to write.  These take away the pressure and give the boys immediately a base with which to start.  They are also extremely humorous and silly.  It was during this activity that I came to the realisation that I have to let go of my own problem about the boys writing what they want, even if it is silly and not my 'cup of tea'.  At least they are writing and the rest of the class think it's hilarious.They can practise their surface features on this writing and they still have to have the correct structure and language features.

Example:

Bret McKenzie, comedian, actor, musician: Big vs Bigger

"Sean was the biggest kid on the street. I'm talking huge, as big as a bus. He actually lifted a bus once with his bare hands. Sean ruled the neighbourhood. He was kind of a big deal. That was until Big Steve, an even bigger kid, moved in next door..."

View Bret McKenzie's Story Starter >>

Here is a typical sample of one of the first story starters we did:

Steve and Sean ate self-inflating chicken nuggets and they were floating in the sky.  So one of the kids told his dad, a hunter.  So the hunter grabbed his rifle and found them with his scope and shot them down.  So Sean and Steve are really skinny now.  They vowed never to eat chicken nuggets again.  But a chicken never forgets, so an evil chicken killed and ate Steve and Sean.

(This was read to the class and received much laughter)