Brain storm- some ideas about teaching writing

I found it's quite hard to teach writing at the early stage. Students don't have a lot of vocabulary, they can't think in Chinese. One of my students wrote a whole story in English and came to ask me the translation in Chinese.

I insist that my students should use the vocabulary they have learned when they write.It forces them to think in Chinese.But for writing, I really don't have good ideas. My colleague asks her students to keep diary everyday, it's a good idea.But at the same time, students don't really write about many topics except for complaining to much homework, being happy or not happy.

So how to make them thinking beyond the boxes? Our drama teacher gave me an idea. He gives students a word, asks them to sit together in groups and write down words which are related to each other.

It reminds me of a picture book I read in Hangzhou, each picture has a connection. For example, the picture of grass is related to man's beard.

I was teaching the lesson about seeing a doctor. I wrote "生病（get sick）" on the white board, and I wrote an example word "妈妈（mom)", I told them when I am sick, I think about my mom, and my mom always take care of me. I ask them to come to the white board and write down a word each. They have to tell me the connections. It's a good exercise for them to review the words and practice speaking as well. Some of the students are very creative, they came up with words like: apple,travel,party,weather,clothes. After that, I asked them to write a short story of being sick. Most of them took the ideas from the words they wrote on the board.