Writing to Learn-Using
Informal and Formal Writing
Inside and Outside the
Classroom
Rifat A. Salam, Ph.D.
rsalam@bmcc.cuny.edu
Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeThe City University of New York
Elements of Good
Writing Assignments
• Think of the best and worst writing assignments
you were either given as a student or that you
assigned to students
• What are the characteristics of successful
assignments and those which did not “work”
• “Good” assignments engage the student,
incorporate writing process and incorporate
course learning goals
• “Writing” does not always need to be graded in
order to be worthwhile
Writing Across the Curriculum
(WAC)
• WAC is a pedagogical movement that started in
the 1980s
• Promotes student-centered learning, the
development of critical thinking and the idea of
“writing-to-learn”
• Fostering active learning of students through
writing
• Encourages thoughtful response to student
writing to promote revision
Basics of Using WAC
• Process over product and the use of informal
writing
• Careful development of formal assignments—
using scaffolding and sequencing
• Privilege active learning strategies in the
classroom-in class activities
• De-privilege grammar correction
• Avoiding “correction” while promoting revision
• Give students feedback which will help them
develop their ideas and their writing
Informal Writing
• Writing-to-Learn—students use writing as an
activity to help them learn the subject or topic or
help them to understand the readings
• Informal writing is not graded (though it can
“count” like participation)
• “Freewriting” encourages students to think
through writing—give students a prompt to
encourage thinking and writing on a topic or
problem
Informal Writing In the
Classroom
• In the classroom, students can do quick writing
activities to help generate class discussion on the
topic under study
• Students can respond to a writing prompt and
then share with a partner (“Think, Pair, Share)
and discuss what they wrote
• An instructor can use a quick writing prompt at
the end of class to gauge student learning of a
concept or topic (use last 5 minutes of class)
Informal Writing Outside
the Classroom
• Reading or response journals—do not need to be
graded or can be “lightly graded”
• Give students questions to answer about
readings
• Informal activities can be done as steps towards
a larger assignment e.g. brainstorm a research
question, develop a thesis statement, an
annotated bibliography for a research paper
• Students can complete writing activities which
were started in class
Developing Effective
Formal Assignments
• Give students a written assignment guideline,
breaking down requirements of the paper
• Writing assignments should reflect the learning
you want to “assess” or have happen
• For longer papers, break down tasks required to
write the paper i.e. library research, analysis
questions
• Build in time for drafting and revision
• Provide clear grading criteria/points breakdown
• (See handout from CSI-CUNY WAC Program)
Promote Revision
• Students should be encouraged to get in the habit of
writing and revising drafts
• Give focused, effective comments (see Nancy
Sommers)—more is not more when it comes to
commenting on student papers
• Ask students to re-read and revise their papers;
encourage and provide guides for peer reviews
• Grammar and spelling are important but encourage
them to work on “higher order” issues first and then
focus on proofreading. Students often do the latter and
think they are “revising.”
• Provide strategies, as well as college and web resources
such as Purdue OWL
How do I know this is a
“good” assignment?
• Go over the writing assignment guidelines in class and
note the questions that students have about the
assignment itself
• Do drafts reflect an understanding of the assignment?
• Is the focus of the paper too broad, too narrow or just
right? The student papers you receive will let you know
• Do the final papers (not all of them will be perfect!)
reflect what you wanted your students to learn?
• If a larger number of students do not hand in the paper,
you may have to go back to the drawing board
Conclusion:
Students: Write Early and Often!
• Writing for Show (what they write for the professor,
for a grade) versus Writing to Learn
• The more students write, the more they will develop
that skill and develop their thinking—create a
culture of writing in your class so they expect it
• When asking students to write, remember and
remind them that their efforts will pay off in the
long term, in their thinking and writing skills
• For more, see John C. Bean, Engaging Ideas: The
Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical
Thinking and Active Learning in the Classroom