The Paste Eaters Blog

A blog for teachers who get the feeling that the only opinions that count in education... do not belong to teachers. I try to post weekly.

In Teach Writing Tomorrow, Adam offers practical, flexible strategies for teaching writing, focusing on actions educators can implement immediately. He dismantles common myths around writing instruction and provides insights into creating a supportive, growth-focused environment that encourages all students to develop their writing skills. Below is a summary of the first ten tips from Adam’s 20-suggestion list.

1. Write every day: Adam emphasizes that consistent writing practice leads to gradual improvements. By making writing a daily routine, students can see cumulative progress over time. He suggests using journals with daily prompts to build fluency, grading them weekly based on effort and fluency rather than perfection.

2. Stress polished, not perfect: Aiming for perfection can paralyze students, making them fearful of starting. Instead, encourage students to polish their work, seeing writing as a process. By focusing on refining their work over time, students are more likely to engage with writing without fear of failing.

3. Give permission to make mistakes: Adam encourages creating a classroom culture where mistakes are celebrated as learning opportunities. By freeing students from the fear of error, teachers help them feel safe to experiment and grow, which is essential for writing development.

4. Embrace surprises and non-linear growth: Growth in writing isn’t always predictable or linear. Teachers should be prepared for unexpected progress and varied learning paces. Writing development may occur in spurts, and teachers should adapt their expectations to each student’s journey.

5. Embrace writing as both means and ends: Writing should be viewed as a way to explore thoughts and as an outcome in itself. Adam recommends integrating writing with other skills like reading and speaking, allowing students to make connections and see writing as a holistic, meaningful part of communication.

6. Treat writing as an extension of speech: Writing becomes easier when students see it as an extension of their spoken language. Encouraging students to write as they would speak allows them to express themselves more naturally and fosters an understanding of tone, style, and grammar through practical application.

7. Focus on questions over answers: Emphasizing questions encourages dialogue and exploration rather than mere memorization. Writing becomes a tool for inquiry and critical thinking, helping students to connect ideas and think deeply about topics rather than focusing solely on “correct” answers.

8. Stress meaning over mechanics: Mechanics like grammar are tools for clearer communication but should not overshadow content. Teachers should encourage students to focus on the meaning behind their words first and use grammar as a support, not an end in itself.

9. Collect and curate student writing: Using examples of real student writing provides relatable learning materials that reflect authentic student voices. Curating these examples allows students to learn from each other’s successes and mistakes, creating a supportive community of learners.

10. Create comment archives: Repetitive feedback can drain teachers’ time and energy. By developing a library of common comments, educators can streamline the grading process, allowing for consistent and targeted feedback without feeling overwhelmed. This approach frees up mental energy to identify broader trends in student writing.

Adam’s approach is grounded in making writing accessible, practical, and empowering for students. By focusing on small, achievable actions and embracing a flexible, growth-oriented mindset, he offers teachers a roadmap to creating a dynamic writing culture in their classrooms.

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com