WRITING TO LEARN“I don’t know what I think until I write it down.” – Joan Didion

What is Writing to Learn?

• A writing-to-learn strategy is one that teachers employ throughout and/or at the end of a lesson to engage students and develop big ideas and concepts.

• Teaching writing skills starts in the classroom and is applicable to every grade level and subject area.

Definition of Writing to Learn:

• Writing-to-learn fosters critical thinking and learning. • It uses spontaneous, short/informal writing tasks

included throughout the lesson to help students think through key concepts and ideas.

• Attention is focused on ideas rather than correctness of style, grammar or spelling which is less structured.

• This approach frequently uses journals, logs, responses to written questions, “freewriting,” and other writing assignments that balance learning ideas and concepts.

Basic Principles of Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)

• Writing promotes learning.• The writing process promotes student participation, diversity

of student voices, and engages students as critical thinkers.

• Promotes their texts as important resources and thinking tools.• Effective writing instruction integrates disciplines.• Opportunities to write in every class develops good writers.• Writing as part of instruction can be used in every classroom.• Practicing thinking and writing conventions of an academic

discipline helps students begin to communicate effectively within that discipline.

Writing to Learn &21st Century SkillsThrough writing, students practice critical thinking, problem solving,

and communication skills.

They can learn to do the following:

1. Reason Effectively.

2. Make Judgments and Decisions. Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and

beliefs. Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view. Synthesize and make connections between information and arguments. Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis. Reflect critically on learning experiences and processes.

Writing to Learn & 21st Century Skills

Through writing to learn, they can learn to

3. Solve Problems. Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and

innovative ways. Identify and ask questions that clarify various points of view and lead to

better solutions.

4. Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively.

5. Use communication for a range of purposes.

*Source: Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Background• Writing across the curriculum is a pedagogical movement that began in the 1980s.• A. Gere (1985) of the National Council of Teachers of English, distinguishes between the terms

“writing across the curriculum” and “writing to learn”:– The main goal of writing across the curriculum is to improve the quality of writing. The main goal of

writing to learn is to use writing as a tool for thinking and learning.

• Marshall University’s website says: “writing across the curriculum” was “created to reinforce writing skills in classes outside of English composition.– This academic movement engages students directly in the subject matter of the course through a

variety of activities that focus on writing as a means of learning.”

• Generally, WAC programs share the philosophy that writing instruction should happen across academic classes and throughout a student's education.

• Students benefit greatly when teachers of all subject areas integrate reading and writing strategies into their instruction. – “These strategies, typical of ‘reading and writing to learn’ and ‘reading and writing across the

curriculum,’ are problem-solving activities designed to help students move from simply knowing a fact to understanding a fact's significance.

– Helping students make that leap – from knowing to understanding – represents the very heart of the educational enterprise.” -- Harvard Graduate School of Education lecturer Vicki A. Jacobs

Examples

Example: Using Writing in a World Language Classroom

• Tell what you would do with a million dollars.• Write about an airline trip.• Write a conversation where you ask questions about

medical problems.• Talk about emergency room procedures and accidents.• Pretend to fill out a medical form.• Talk about life in the city.• Talk about public transportation.• Talk about life in an interesting foreign city.

¡Qué bueno!

• Give your opinion about city life versus country life.• Talk about foods and food preparation.• Describe an ethnic dish that you like.• Write a conversation where you use commands.• Describe a dish you really liked.• Talk about cars and driving.• Write a conversation where you give directions to

someone.• Write directions to your house from your school.• Talk about all you have to do to get ready for a trip.

C’est super! • Discuss those chores you like or don’t like to do.• Write a conversation in which you are at the hairdresser.• Write a conversation where you are at the post office.• Write to a friend telling what country you would like him or her to visit.• Write a conversation where you give someone advice.• Talk about your favorite holiday.• Tell what you believe or doubt what one another will do.• Write an invitation.• Talk about the advantages of learning a world language for your future

employment.• Talk about professions.• Write your personal resume.

Example: Journals for English Using writing in English Classes is fun! Writing helps get what’s inside the student’s mind out. At Athens Drive, some teachers use journals. Journals can be used many ways:• Giving students a prompt and letting them write about it is

very common.• Giving students a quote from a select work helps them narrow

in on the author’s word choice; helps apply the quote to their own lives.

• Freestyle journaling gives students a creative outlet to discuss what they feel or give their opinion on things.

• This may be the only journal they are able to keep. It gives you (the teacher) a way to connect with your kids. Leave little them messages so they know you read it!

Sample Journal Questions• How are some people able to remain calm in bad situations

and some act out in violence or rebellion? (Recent incident with Ohio school shooting)

• Write a letter from Calypso to Penelope. What would this letter say, in your opinion, after reading the story Calypso? (English I)

• What is a hero? Who are your heroes today? (English 1) • Name two teachers that have changed your outlook on life?

(Study Skills Topic) • Name two things that you should have thought twice about

doing this year (Study Skills Topic)

Journal Rubric Source: readwritething.org

Criteria Exemplary Accomplished Developing Beginning Score

Purpose Strong voice and tonethat clearly addresses thepurpose for writing.

Appropriate voice andtone. The purpose islargely clear.

Attempts to use personalvoice and tone.Somewhat addresses theintended purpose.

Demonstrates limitedawareness of use of voiceand tone. Limitedevidence of intendedpurpose.

Understanding Many interesting,specific facts and ideasare included.

Many facts and ideas areincluded.

Some facts and ideas areincluded.

Few facts and ideas areincluded.

Conventions All grammar and spellingis correct.

Only one or twogrammar and spellingerrors.

A few grammar and spelling errors.

Many grammar andspelling errors.

21st Century Skill

Learning logs help students reflect critically on learning experiences and processes.

Example: Learning Logs for Social Studies

How do learning logs work?

At the beginning of the class, after students have read the day’s objectives, they

• Summarize the previous day’s learning. • Identify what is known about today’s topic. • Predict what will be taught based on what they know. • Write questions that they would like to have answered about

the day’s topic. Explain why. • Explain what they thought about the assigned homework. Did

they have any difficulty?• Describe uses for what they learned yesterday in real life

settings.

More Ways to Use Learning Logs

During class, • Pause to have students write a paraphrase in their

learning logs of the concepts being presented. • Stop to check comprehension. Have students write down

one thing that is puzzling about the discussion or reading. Have them share their questions.

At the end of the lesson, give students 10-15 minutes before the end of class to

• Compare the concept with a previous concept learned. • Summarize the lesson using the key vocabulary. • Provide an explanation of the most difficult part of the lesson.

Assessment of Learning Logs

• Collect the logs periodically to monitor progress. • Provide encouraging comments and ask questions in

the margins. • Remember that this is an informal writing assignment.

The purpose is to demonstrate engagement with the learning material rather than mastery of writing conventions.

• A simple check system (other than letter grade) may be more appropriate for this assignment.

Adapted from “Writing Across the Curriculum,” Michigan Dept. of Education

Example: Practicing Summary

• Relevant for all classes, especially Social Studies and English, for which students often have heavy reading requirements.

• How can students understand and retain information they read? First, they must be able to summarize.

Example Summary Exercise

1. Read the first sentence and summarize its contents in fifteen words or less.

2. Read the second sentence and summarize the two sentences in fifteen words or less.

3. Read the third sentence and summarize the three sentences in fifteen words or less.

4. Continue until the paragraph is read

5. Summarize the entire paragraph in fifteen words or less.

Source: Michigan, Dept. of Education

The teacher should begin with modeling the technique by coaching the class through a paragraph. After modeling assign a reading for students to do independently or in groups.

Assessment for Summary Exercise

How to assess student progress?

In class, have students to write their sentences on the board. Work as a group to evaluate the effectiveness of the summaries. Make sure that students have accurately and concisely conveyed the paragraph’s main idea, without unnecessary detail. Correct grammar to reinforce previous grammar lessons.

Conclusion

Can you see the advantages of this kind of writing?

Writing across the curriculum increases students’ knowledge of their subject matter while helping them develop critical thinking skills. To prepare for the assignment, they must do reading or research. As they take in information, brainstorm, and write, they gain a greater understanding of the topic.

Source: http://www.writeshop.com/article2.htm

Writing : Tool to UnderstandIn “Writing as a Method of Learning,” Janet Emig explains how writing

combines the three important elements of learning as discussed by both Jerome Bruner and Jean Piaget:

• enactive — learn by doing; • iconic — learn by depiction in an image; and • representational or symbolic — learn by restating in words

• Based on these and other studies, educators now often view writing as a means of evaluating what students “know” and– also as a powerful tool that fosters learning, the ability to understand new

material, and the ability to think critically.

Source: http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/NingandWritingtoLearn/192956

Why include writing in your courses?

• To communicate information (memos, textbook evaluations, email).

• To clarify thinking (when we work through an idea or problem in writing).

• To learn new concepts and information (taking notes on reading and research topics).

Students need practice to be able to use writing effectively to meet these goals.

What's in it for students?

• Helps students learn material and improve their thinking about ideas in the courses.

• Helps students prepare for the day-in and day-out communicative tasks they'll face on the job, no matter what the job is.

• Gives students practice with disciplinary forms and conventions.

Questions

• As a student, how did you feel about the classes for which you had to write a considerable amount? Do you think you learned more in those classes? Why or why not?

• Do you personally think that writing about a subject helps you understand it better?

• How do you think you could “sell” the idea of the benefits and pleasures of writing to your students who are resistant?

More Questions

• How do you think you could reduce anxiety about writing in your students?

• Do you think issues of grammar should be addressed in informal, writing-to-learn assignments? Why or why not?

• Responding to student writing is labor intensive. How do you think you could incorporate writing into your lesson plans without becoming overwhelmed with grading?