Encouraging creativity, reading and writing

I have used this twice with great success. ALL the students loved it.

Topic 1. X-files

	The children made their own x-files stories at home and we all went to the
computer room and they wrote it down using the spelling program in Word.
NO CORRECTIONS WERE MADE BY ME.
We copied everyone's stories and made a book that everyone got and read.
This is a perfect way to get poor students to try. This is not an exercise
for traditional teachers because you have to accept pretty horrible stories
and language from some of the boys.
But it is a great way to make the students love text work and you.  My
students begged me to do it again.
The students felt it was relevant for them, they got writing and reading
practice, and they learnt how to use text programs on a PC which is very
useful for dyslexic and weak students.

Topic 2. Ghost stories

	This time we worked with other texts before they made their own. I even
found some texts on the net with symptoms of haunting which they read and
used as ideas for their own stories.
This was a rather complicated text but they read it happily.
Then they wrote their texts in Word, after making a draft at home. 
We then used some time in response groups where they gave each other ideas
on how to improve the stories before they made the final draft in Word
again. They were allowed to find pictures and use them to make their
presentation look nice. This encouraged the weak students a lot.
They were so proud. As in topic 1, everybody got a book with everyone's 
stories.
The last thing we did was that everyone had to find something good and ONLY
GOOD in everyone's stories. I didn't correct spelling, grammar or anything
this time either because this is NOT the goal for this kind of work. The
goal was to get the students to enjoy using the language no matter what
level they were at. So if you use this idea, DON'T CORRECT!
We ended this theme by seeing the film "Scream" with the Norwegian text
hidden.
(We never dub films in Norway)

Topic 3. War

	It will combine The civil war in USA, Kosovo and human rights as pre writing 
work and the students will use Internet and Word, articles from Time and newspapers 
and TV as sources.
Some of my students never read voluntarily so this is a great way to make
them want to read.
I plan to do this as a project and I will use drama as well (A reporter in
a war zone etc.)
Ideas from the students will play a great part in planning this.