Increase academics with writing assignments. Writing is necessary for all students in grades Pre K-12. There are many types of writing and many methods of writing. The four basic writing styles are expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative. These four can be the basis of starting a day in a student journal.
Writing in the classroom helps students to think in disciplined ways. As students write, they make choices, changes, and meaning out of various content areas. They become decision-makers. Writing across the curriculum helps students to process new information and connect it to previously learned material.
Written assignments can be formal or informal. However, they have a purpose. As students write across the curriculum, or journal writes, they learn. Writing across the curriculum increases content area knowledge and understanding. Teachers gain insight into their teaching as they read students’ writing.
Writing for a Reason
Studies show that writing ensures academic engagement. A short written assignment during the day helps the working memory. It has many other benefits for the student.
- Writing builds good mental health. It gives clarity to a student’s thoughts and emotions.
- Students’ mental processes to play, focus, and multi-tasking increase as they write.
- Teachers read what students write they learn about misunderstandings and confusion in a lesson. A student’s writing provides input to the progression of the learning.
- By putting thoughts on paper, students write creatively. They use their original thoughts and ideas.
- Journaling helps students to reflect on their thinking. Thus, they take ownership of their learnings.
Writing reinforces information in long-term memory. Students forget new material unless it’s reinforced. Thoughts put on paper give students a chance to evaluate their thinking and their work and make connections to other content. As they write about a topic, they can see gaps in what they know or don’t know.
Increase Academics Through Communication
Oral and non-verbal is a skill students must master. Without communication, life does not progress. Written communication gives students a way to learn and organize ideas.
Research states that students are naturally creative. As students write, they activate the frontal cortex of the brain. Without using the creative juices of students, it remains stifled. Once stifled, it is almost impossible to redevelop. The more students write, the more the brain is enhanced to solve real-world problems.
As students write, they widen their knowledge base. This leads to student success in academics. When students feel successful, they increase their self-confidence. Both teacher and student benefit when students write.
