Research
and experience tells us the best teaching practices for writing
instruction are those that produce student learning.
Big surprise, right?
Sometimes, however, we get wrapped up in teaching and trying
to make lessons enjoyable and lose sight of the goal of teaching:
learning.
Above all, do no harm
Far too much of what passes for teaching writing turns students
off writing. The best teaching practices convey the impression
that . . .
-
Writing is a useful skill.
-
Each student can learn to write competently.
-
Good writing can give pleasure.
If you imply imaginative writing is the only writing worth doing
or that writing is a talent only a few rare people possess, you
may do more harm than good.
Tattoo this on your writing hand or write it in indelible marker
on your lesson plan book:
The overview below tells you what is on this thread. Use the
navigation menu at the left to find best teaching practices for
specific aspects of teaching writing located on other threads
on this site.
Or, if you'd like a summary of all this site's information, get
a free copy of The A, B, C's of Best Practices
in Teaching Writing.
Teach less in more depth.
Focus on helping students master essentials. In English language
arts, the essentials are the skills and knowledge necessary
for upper level work or for everyday use.
-
Incorporate college
and workplace standards
in your definition of writing competence.
-
Teach 21st century skills
that use writing.
-
Incorporate training in critical
thinking and problem solving as part of your teaching
of writing.
-
Teach grammar
and composition together so students learn to apply grammar
rules to their own writing.
-
Make writing competence by the end of high school
your goal.
-
When teaching writing, use teaching
strategies and assessment strategies appropriate for skills.
-
Use writing as a tool for teaching both writing and
other course content.
-
Use multiple approaches, repeated exposure, and consistent
practice to assure students learn your essential course
content.
Teach writing; don't just assign it.
Writing must be taught. Almost no students learn the writing
basics from reading. And assigning writing is not teaching writing.
You must:
-
Teach writing as a process, not as a string of isolated
activities.
-
Match the writing process you teach to the
genre of the writing students must do.
-
Give extra practice in a
problem area (like one specific grammar rule) as a writing
aid.
Be a coach, not a presenter.
If you want to know how to improve writing skills, take your cue
from good sports coaches. The way they teach skills are best teaching
practices for writing teachers, too.
-
Define writing skill clearly and teach toward it single-mindedly.
-
Encourage and suggest options instead of merely criticizing.
-
Don't rush to keep students from mistakes; trial and
error is a great learning tool.
Teach to the middle
Plan your writing instruction for students who have no particular
interest in writing and are willing to put out only a modest
effort on most writing assignments.
Require a medium amount of work on a regular basis. Distributed
practice is far more effective (and far less stressful) than trying
to cram writing skill into students.
Other pages on this thread about best teaching practices
Make students correct
their own spelling errors.
Make editing the last activity
at every step of the writing process.
Use analogies to teach; make
analogies part of student writing.
Read what Stephen Graham
has to say about teacher preparation and teaching kids to write.
Learn what critical
thinking is and why it matters to writers.
