Why do students
write? Students spend most of their time writing essays, completing worksheets,
and working on assignments. In learning institutions, students must be allowed
to use writing not just to communicate, but also to learn. Tutors
should encourage students to use writing as a tool to create meaning and spark
curiosity.
Writing
exercises are important because they help students think about their study
materials critically and encourage them to grasp, organize, and relate new
knowledge with other concepts. Further, excellent communication skills are an
asset both in and out of class. Instructors who provide their students with
opportunities to organize and articulate ideas will accelerate the progress and
development of their students. Here are a few tips that will help students use
writing as a tool.
1.
Encourage students to use learning to organize
their thoughts
Tutors can
process information much faster than their students because they've practiced
more times by reading, thinking, writing essays, and learning in that area.
When you slow down this process by using Writix essay-writing service and demonstrating
with pictures and words what happens in their minds while learning, they will
start learning how to ask questions to understand new concepts. When your
students hear you talking through your thoughts and see you writing to learn
new things, they will start utilizing these strategies to accelerate their
learning process.
2.
Provide feedback and don't grade
When a college
student uses writing as a learning tool, you should provide feedback based on
how they write. Your feedback should include recognizing a couple of moves and
strategies that they are using to promote their learning. You should avoid
assigning percentage or letter grades to students who use writing as a learning
tool. Learning can be a complex process, and assigning a grade will prevent
learning from happening.
3.
Revisit and revise
You need to
encourage your students to revisit and revise their writing as often as you
can. When presenting new information, read an essay, observe a demonstration,
watch a video, and encourage students to review and revise it. Ask them to
record, add, or take away what they've written. Allow them to answer the
questions that they generated or add new questions that come to mind. Revising
their writing will allow them to create connections between new and existing
knowledge.
Writing to explore
Exploratory
writing exercises are used to simplify thinking, ask questions, explore ideas,
look for connections between theories and practices, and reflect. Exploratory
writing exercises focus more on the process than the product. Clarifying that writing
styles and structure issues are secondary in such learning
activities is critical. When creating these activities, use terms such as
explore, discuss, consider, respond, propose, and reflect, to name a few.
Write to explain
Such activities
encourage critical thinking while promoting a clear understanding of concepts
through analysis. Such exercises allow students to take the role of the
instructor and help them look for new ways to present concepts in a clear and
accessible way.
Writing to
explain exercises will not only help students become aware of the concepts and
their concerns, but also force them to step out of their material to see things
objectively. A deep understanding and the generation of fresh ideas will come
when you encourage your students to embrace these techniques. When crafting
these exercises, consider using words like define, reveal, describe, identify,
and express.
Writing to encourage critical thinking
Critical-thinking
problems help students convert from passive to active learners. Active learners
can use concepts to gather, analyze, and formulate arguments. Your writing
activities should promote critical thinking on the students' part. To achieve
this goal, assign short and focused problems that require innovative
approaches. You should consider using terms like evaluate, formulate, appraise,
develop, judge, and argue.
Conclusion
Writing can be a
powerful tool, especially when it's used to facilitate learning. You need to
understand your students to figure out which learning exercises you are going
to use. Being a tutor, you can help your students demystify learning by
creating thinking exercises and providing valuable feedback without grading
them.
Guiding your
students and encouraging them to revise what they've learned will accelerate
their learning process. Thanks to the rapid advancement of technology, there
are a lot of resources that you can use to help you students use writing as a
communication and learning tool. And most of them won't cost you a dime.
Author Bio:
Michael Turner is an exceptional proofreader and writer. He is
interested in art, metaphysics, and literature. He loves reading books and
traveling during his free time.
