Writing to Learn

Writing to Learn: Using In-Class Writing Assignments
Across the Disciplines
by Jerry Alexander, English Department

"We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand." C. Day Lewis

   When I first read the phrase writing to learn, I thought the author had made a mistake. "Learning to write is what he meant," I said to myself. Once I read on and discovered what the author meant by writing to learn, I was forced to reflect further on the idea. As a teacher, I use writing myself as a means of increasing my own understanding of complex subjects; indeed, for most teachers and scholars, the basic impulse to write about what we are studying is a strong one; doing so helps us better understand our subject; we use personal, informal writing as a learning tool.

   As if this unspoken understanding of the benefits of writing weren't enough, composition theorists were arguing for the benefits of using writing as a learning tool long ago (see Janet Emig's 1977 article "Writing as a Mode of Learning," for example). Yet, as a literature teacher, I often found myself in the past reverting to an almost exclusive lecture format to deliver information in the classroom. Although I always required formal papers in literature classes, I rarely incorporated informal writing assignments into my classes. Perhaps I assumed that students would write on their own, making notes on their reading, keeping a journal of questions their reading posed, or writing reactions to what I taught in class.

   I'm not so sure, however, that all students see writing as a learning tool; indeed many see it as a burden, something done to receive a grade, not to help them better understand a subject. I have found that by integrating brief, informal, often ungraded writing activities into my classes, I motivate students to write more frequently. As a result they retain more course information, and they perform better on tests. I also find here a chance to model to students how they should study--by combining reading, discussion, and writing.

   Composition theorists (Emig, Fulwiler, and others) and psychologists (Emig refers to Lev Vygotsky, A.R. Luria, and Jerome Bruner) offer explanations for why writing can increase learning. Rebecca Brent and Richard Felder, two teachers whose work on teaching styles I greatly admire, summarize some of the practical benefits of writing when incorporated into classes. Their ideas here (in bold) are accompanied by some specific ways that they and I use these ideas in classes. As Brent and Felder explain (Writing Assignments), writing tasks encourage students to do the following:

Explore their initial attitudes toward the subject to be studied: students' preconceived notions about a class can affect their willingness and ability to learn course material. Brief written responses give them the chance to explore and share with teachers these attitudes. One suggestion is to begin a class early in the semester with some questions: "What have you heard about this course?" and "What are your concerns about starting it?" Have students take five to ten minutes to write down their responses. Then discuss responses in class or collect them and comment briefly in writing. Doing so can both allay unwarranted fears and acknowledge the legitimacy of some concerns.

Activate prior knowledge: making connections between what we know and what is new is an important means of assimilating information. Reminding students that they generally know something about course material also gives them confidence. I ask my beginning world literature classes to "summarize what you know about the ancient Greeks." We discover that they know a great deal about Greek culture, though they are most often thinking about Classical Greece; we then begin studying the ancient epics by comparing Homer's era to that of the Classical playwrights they already know.

Help students see the relevance of subjects to their own lives: students are more willing to take what Brent and Felder call a "deep approach" to learning (43)--assimilating information, not just memorizing it--if they see the relevance of the subject to themselves or to their futures. When beginning to teach Toni Morrison's novel The Bluest Eye, a novel about a young African-American girl who believes she is ugly because the world tells her so, I have students generate and record a list of factors that have influenced their sense of self-identity. Students most often mention Barbie, super models, athletes, actors, and even the "Marlboro Man," all people to whom few of us measure up. They are then much better prepared to understand why the protagonist in Morrison's novel feels so inferior.

Clarify, organize, and summarize class material: when students have been presented with a great deal of new material, asking them to summarize what they understand and question what they don't gives the class a chance to reflect and review confusing material.

Establish connections: I ask students to list situations in their future careers when they may need good reading, writing, listening, or critical thinking skills. Almost every instructor teaches some practical information in classes, though students may not initially think so.

Improve critical thinking skills by examining and analyzing information and drawing and supporting conclusions: questions that encourage critical thinking address unstated assumptions, aspects of a topic not taken into account in lecture, or unsubstantiated conclusions--of teachers, students, or textbook authors. I ask students to draw a conclusion about a situation that arises in a work of literature; they must then, through writing, explore and defend their answers.

Think creatively: "List three ways to evaluate the economic profitability of a business venture," or "List several ways to handle disruptive students" are among the kinds of questions that require students to rely on the principles they've read or heard in class and to generate creative ways to apply these principles to real-life situations. Specific formats for these brief five to ten minute in-class assignments vary:

Freewriting means to write, in whatever form is comfortable, the ideas that come to mind. As Peter Elbow explains, "Freewriting teaches you to write without thinking about writing" (15) and thus frees you from "writer's block," which often results from not coming up with the right word or not knowing how to punctuate a phrase.

Listing, the most economical and familiar format for most people, serves as a memory jogger; lists can be useful for students as a means of quickly getting ideas on paper. Lists are also easy to reorganize, expand, or shorten later. The double-entry list, or split-page list, is useful for making comparisons.

Mapping is a means of recording ideas quickly that is particularly useful because it implies organization and may be easier for students who organize information better spatially than linearly. To map, draw a circle with a word inside. Drawing lines that radiate from this circle, write as many related terms as come to mind. Some of these related terms may themselves spark additional ideas and can thus become the centers of their own circles.

Let me conclude with some suggestions for ways of overcoming the difficulties I've found associated with having students write in class:

Limited time in class: Limit in-class writing to no more than ten minutes per class.
Limited time to evaluate writing: Keep assignments short. Collect such assignments only randomly to give students feedback (the writing is more for their benefit than yours) and read then principally for content.
Student frustration: Students will be frustrated initially by such requests, particularly those that ask them to think creatively. Respond positively to some assignments and give verbal encouragement in class.
Student participation: Yes, some students will simply sit and stare at the blank page. Share with them some of the benefits of "freewriting" or brainstorming on paper without concern for spelling, grammar, or structure. I also walk around class while they write, prompting with additional questions those students reluctant to write.

   I encourage any teacher who finds students falling asleep after twenty minutes of lecture or responding to a class passively (you pour the information; I'll absorb) to try some of these brief activities. In addition to the benefits outlined above, if the old saying that "practice makes perfect" is true, students may even improve their writing skills without their ever knowing it.

Works Cited

Brent, Rebecca and Richard M. Felder. "Writing Assignments--Pathways to
          Connections, Clarity, Creativity." College Teaching 40.2 (1992): 43-47.

Elbow, Peter. Writing With Power. New York: Oxford UP, 1981.

Emig, Janet. "Writing as a Mode of Learning." College Composition and
          Communication 28.2 (1977):122-28. Rpt. in Cross-Talk in Comp Theory.
          Ed Victor Villanueva, Jr. Urbana, IL:NCTE, 1997.

Fulwiler, Toby. Introduction. The Journal Book. Ed. by Fulwiler. Portsmouth,
          NH: Boynton/Cook, 1987.

Communication across the Curriculum Ideas at Presbyterian College

How the Writing Center Can Help Faculty

Presbyterian College Writing Center
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	Explore their initial attitudes toward the subject to be studied: students' preconceived notions about a class can affect their willingness and ability to learn course material. Brief written responses give them the chance to explore and share with teachers these attitudes. One suggestion is to begin a class early in the semester with some questions: "What have you heard about this course?" and "What are your concerns about starting it?" Have students take five to ten minutes to write down their responses. Then discuss responses in class or collect them and comment briefly in writing. Doing so can both allay unwarranted fears and acknowledge the legitimacy of some concerns.
	Activate prior knowledge: making connections between what we know and what is new is an important means of assimilating information. Reminding students that they generally know something about course material also gives them confidence. I ask my beginning world literature classes to "summarize what you know about the ancient Greeks." We discover that they know a great deal about Greek culture, though they are most often thinking about Classical Greece; we then begin studying the ancient epics by comparing Homer's era to that of the Classical playwrights they already know.
	Help students see the relevance of subjects to their own lives: students are more willing to take what Brent and Felder call a "deep approach" to learning (43)--assimilating information, not just memorizing it--if they see the relevance of the subject to themselves or to their futures. When beginning to teach Toni Morrison's novel The Bluest Eye, a novel about a young African-American girl who believes she is ugly because the world tells her so, I have students generate and record a list of factors that have influenced their sense of self-identity. Students most often mention Barbie, super models, athletes, actors, and even the "Marlboro Man," all people to whom few of us measure up. They are then much better prepared to understand why the protagonist in Morrison's novel feels so inferior.
	Clarify, organize, and summarize class material: when students have been presented with a great deal of new material, asking them to summarize what they understand and question what they don't gives the class a chance to reflect and review confusing material.
	Establish connections: I ask students to list situations in their future careers when they may need good reading, writing, listening, or critical thinking skills. Almost every instructor teaches some practical information in classes, though students may not initially think so.
	Improve critical thinking skills by examining and analyzing information and drawing and supporting conclusions: questions that encourage critical thinking address unstated assumptions, aspects of a topic not taken into account in lecture, or unsubstantiated conclusions--of teachers, students, or textbook authors. I ask students to draw a conclusion about a situation that arises in a work of literature; they must then, through writing, explore and defend their answers.
	Think creatively: "List three ways to evaluate the economic profitability of a business venture," or "List several ways to handle disruptive students" are among the kinds of questions that require students to rely on the principles they've read or heard in class and to generate creative ways to apply these principles to real-life situations. Specific formats for these brief five to ten minute in-class assignments vary: Freewriting means to write, in whatever form is comfortable, the ideas that come to mind. As Peter Elbow explains, "Freewriting teaches you to write without thinking about writing" (15) and thus frees you from "writer's block," which often results from not coming up with the right word or not knowing how to punctuate a phrase. Listing, the most economical and familiar format for most people, serves as a memory jogger; lists can be useful for students as a means of quickly getting ideas on paper. Lists are also easy to reorganize, expand, or shorten later. The double-entry list, or split-page list, is useful for making comparisons. Mapping is a means of recording ideas quickly that is particularly useful because it implies organization and may be easier for students who organize information better spatially than linearly. To map, draw a circle with a word inside. Drawing lines that radiate from this circle, write as many related terms as come to mind. Some of these related terms may themselves spark additional ideas and can thus become the centers of their own circles.