When teaching content area subjects, teachers are not technically responsible for teaching students the mechanics of writing, but they should still have high expectations of students’ written work. Consider the following: Writing to learn is not learning to write.
As a special education teacher who may be Helping or teaching students in content areas, describe what this statement means to you and how you can support content area teachers in working with students with exceptionalities, including dyslexia. Include a discussion about how to maintain high expectations for student writing while not making it the focus of the assignment.
The statement “Writing to learn is not learning to write” means that writing can be a powerful tool for learning, even if the student’s writing skills are not yet proficient. When students write about what they are learning, they are forced to think critically about the material and to organize their thoughts in a clear and concise way. This can help them to better understand the material and to remember it more effectively.
As a special education teacher, I can support content area teachers in working with students with exceptionalities, including dyslexia, by providing them with strategies for helping students to write effectively. These strategies might include:
Providing students with graphic organizers or other visual tools to help them to organize their thoughts.
Giving students extra time to complete writing assignments.
Providing students with feedback on their writing, focusing on content rather than mechanics.
Pairing students with a peer who can help them to edit and proofread their writing.
It is important to remember that the goal of writing to learn is not to produce perfect writing. The goal is to help students to learn the content. By providing students with the support they need, we can help them to use writing as a powerful tool for learning.
Here are some additional tips for maintaining high expectations for student writing while not making it the focus of the assignment:
Use a rubric to provide students with clear expectations for their writing.
Focus on the content of the writing, rather than the mechanics.
Provide students with opportunities to revise and edit their work.
Give students feedback on their writing, but be constructive and positive.
Celebrate students’ successes, no matter how small.
By following these tips, we can help students to develop their writing skills while still encouraging them to use writing to learn.
