Reading to Learn is when students have become fluent enough readers and can take in information they’ve read at a steady pace. This ability quickly leads them to be able to comprehend knowledge and obtain new concepts. Students move to Reading to Learn when they are not focusing on the process of sounding out words or trying to figure out how to read. On the flip side, have you heard of Writing to Learn?
Writing to Learn is an educational approach in which writing is used as a tool for understanding and reinforcing concepts, and can be used across ALL subjects. Plus, it is not a new trend.
It’s an educational concept that many teachers already use. However, sadly most writing done in the classroom is currently utilized as an assessment tool instead of a way for students to make connections and process what they’re learning.
“Students learn more from writing than from our responses to their writing.” – Peter Elbow
Benefits of Writing to Learn
Writing to Learn is a truly cross-curricular approach. By merging writing with other subjects, students become stronger in a plethora of skills.
Writing promotes critical thinking skills. Writing allows students to express their thoughts, prior knowledge, new information, and questions on paper. As they do this, they analyze information, draw conclusions, and support ideas with evidence.
Writing also activates the fifth tier of Bloom’s Taxonomy: synthesis. Students must synthesize knowledge and concepts to create their writing pieces.
In addition, it also stimulates all parts of the brain. Reasoning, problem-solving, organizational, and sequencing skills are all activated when you write. The brain itself is not a muscle, but writing, when practiced often, forms more and more neural pathways.
Just like a muscle in our body, if we don’t use the parts of our brain that are activated through writing, we will “lose” it. Writing “grows” our brain so to speak. By writing about math, science, history, and more, students are creating neural pathways that not only activate knowledge but also help them hone the craft of writing.
Writing is a real-world application skill. The ability to convey ideas in writing is used more and more as students move into middle, high school, and college. Most careers require writing skills to communicate and to record and report information. By writing more, students learn how to express themselves in coherent ways, which is not only valuable in academic settings but real life.
Now that we know writing is an important, lifelong skill that can be used as a tool to grow the brain, how do we implement Writing to Learn?
How to Incorporate Writing to Learn in the Classroom
How can we incorporate writing to learn in the classroom?
Writing to learn is super simple once you wrap your head around what you’re trying to accomplish in students.
In addition, Writing to learn has the following goals for students:
- Think Deeply
- Activate Knowledge whether Prior or Current
- Record Thoughts While Reading or Learning
- Extend Thinking
Writing to Learn is meant to be short and informal. It can be easily incorporated into your lesson plans. Here are some simple and effective ways to do just that.
Paragraph Responses
Just like in Reading to Learn, students should have the basics of reading down pat before they can become fluent readers who are learning about what they’re reading instead of concentrating on sounding out words.
Writing to Learn is similar in that the basic skills of writing should be down pat before incorporating Writing to Learn; however, students don’t have to be expert writers. That’s the beauty of this concept. Struggling writers can benefit from Writing to Learn because the more they write, the more they improve this skill.
“If writing is assigned purely for evaluative purposes, students will come to see it as a narrow, hoop-jumping task unrelated to learning. Their potential to see writing as a valuable learning tool and a necessary life-long skill will be diminished.” –Blummer et. al.
Simple Paragraph Responses
Simple paragraph responses help students analyze and sum up what they’ve learned. For instance, when learning about the differences between pandas and polar bears in science this week, I tasked students with the following:
Write one paragraph about the basic differences between pandas and polar bears from their unique characteristics to their diets and habitats.
Additionally, write two new facts you’ve learned and 2 further questions you also have about pandas and polar bears.
The above paragraph touched on all four goals of Writing to Learn but also helped practice their writing skills. Paragraph responses can be utilized in all subjects. For example, students can write a paragraph explaining the steps to long division, or a paragraph summarizing a chapter in a novel.
Another paragraph response I used this week was for students to summarize the reasons that led to the start of WWII, and how if one of those reasons changed, how they think it would’ve changed the course of events.
Students can write paragraphs about questions they would like to research when it comes to a new topic. Think outside the box of just summarizing. Ask them to analyze and predict.
Paragraph responses can be bellringers or warm-up activities to help students connect with the previous lesson or to engage them in the lesson for the day. Have students question ideas and explain thought processes. Paragraph responses are easily incorporated in all subjects.
Graphic Organizers
When we think of Writing to Learn, we might think of complete sentences and essays, but it can also be about short phrases. As long as students are writing and completing one of the four goals, then students are still learning.
Utilize any graphic organizer to record and analyze information, ask questions, sequence events, and compare and contrast. The following are some common graphic organizers that allow students to Write to Learn.
- Venn Diagrams
- KWL Charts
- Cause & Effect Charts
- Bubble/Double Bubble Maps
- Circle/Concept Maps
- Timelines
- T-Charts
- Story Maps
There are a plethora of graphic organizers that can be used in all subjects that incorporate writing to learn.
Post-It Annotating
Annotating text, whether it’s a textbook, article, or novel has several benefits. If a student cannot readily write in the text, they can use Post-it notes to record their responses, thoughts, questions, and connections.
Annotating perfectly encapsulates Writing to Learn as students actively engage, think critically, enforce new knowledge, and comprehend what they’re reading. We think of annotating in literature, but post-it annotating can take place with science and history articles, textbooks, and more. Annotating not only increases writing skills but also enhances reading skills as well.
Interactive Notebooks
Interactive notebooks don’t always have to mean cutting and pasting a million little slips of paper. They were all the rage a couple of years ago but lost steam in the implementation process. I remember at one point when teaching third grade, it took half the lesson just to cut and paste cute pockets into a notebook. Through the years, I’ve learned that “interactive” doesn’t have to mean cutting and pasting paper into a notebook. It means so much more and can summarize the Writing to Learn approach.
Keep an interactive notebook simple to use as a tool for Writing to Learn. Students can record the scientific method during an experiment, summarize and reflect on new information, write connections to new readings, and personalize their notes. Students can keep related drawings and write captions. In addition, students can interact with new information by asking questions, reflecting on research, and recording information in graphic organizers drawn in their notebooks.
Exit Slips
Students can write what they learned from the lesson on exit slips. You can even give it a fun twist like name it Fun Facts, and students write 3-4 facts they learned from that lesson. Another fun twist could be for students to write a comic book strip to summarize what was learned or draw an “Instagram” photo with a detailed caption.
Also, it doesn’t necessarily have to require a summary of what was learned. Students can write connections they made to the lesson or even write about their favorite part. Have students write about further questions they may have or further topics they are interested in studying based on what they learned.
Supportive Environment for Students to Express Themselves
No matter how you choose to incorporate Writing to Learn, create an environment in which students feel able to express themselves in their writing. Below are some tips to do so.
- You do not have to always supply a written response or especially, an edit.
- If you choose to respond, provide positive feedback on written work, including personal connections and questions you have for them as their teacher.
- Don’t grade the work for spelling or grammatical errors. Yes, there is a time and place for focusing on spelling and grammar, but for most Writing to Learn activities, focus on how they are connecting with what they’re learning.
- In class discussions, allow students to share their opinions and ideas, so they feel they can then share it openly in their writing pieces.
- Create a collaborative and “safe space” classroom where discussion takes place often, so writing is an extension of the discussion. This helps the writing aspect feel less like a chore.
- Provide opportunities for creative expression. Allow students to express their creativity in multimedia presentations or to choose any way to show understanding. Foster their creativity to encourage a sense of pride and accomplishment.
For more information concerning multimedia, please visit:
Bonus: Writing to Learn Biographies
Looking for a cross-curricular activity that embodies writing to learn? Grab our Biography In a Can Research Project.
Students read a biography of their choice and use research graphic organizers to write and record learned information about the person. Next, they write their report on index card templates. These templates fit into a chip or coffee can that the student creates and designs based on the person they learned about.
Conclusion
By incorporating the Writing to Learn approach into your teaching practices, you can create a dynamic learning environment that promotes student engagement, critical thinking, and communication skills across all subject areas.
