Writing to learn

     While learning to write is essential to encoding words and understanding grammar, writing to learn encourages the students to recall and connect ideas to what they know about the subject. I agree with several of the instructional strategies such as quick writes, framed paragraphs, and biopoems  because it helps to clarify students thinking on the content of the subject. These strategies are great ways for students to analyze topics, give opinions, and increase their writing confidence. The strategy that stuck out the most would be ABC list because the students have to think critically on the word that would best fit the subject matter.

     Teachers should promote writing to learn in the classroom because it affects the students achievement levels in different subjects. Writing to learn such as note taking and generative sentences help students comprehend what they are reading and listening to in the class. When things are written in their own words, students understand the material a lot better. Even though I do not like being timed to complete anything, I like the power writing strategy because it assesses the students on what they know on a given topic in a short amount of time. It gives the students an opportunity to write their own understanding of the topic. Why does the book Improving Adolescent Literacy and the article Writing to learn across the curriculum not mention how technology would be a creative way to promote writing to learn? In today's society, there is an increase in technology such as Facebook, twitter, blogs, and text messaging so teachers should utilize it to encourage students to write.

     Technology and writing can be used in different subjects not just English. By encouraging students to write more in different subjects, it helps the students become more familiar in different styles of writing such as solving a math problem in words or getting students to write out directions to their favorite recipe in their home economics class. The RAFT strategy would be a great way to get students in a daily routine of writing. It would also prepare students on what to expect when trying to write on a topic. Why does the book or article not emphasis how important it is to start using and encouraging these strategies at a young age such as kindergarten? The younger the students are the easier it will be to motivate and to establish that writing is an important learning tool to understand different topics.