Teaching Writing Process

Highlights

Half a century ago, a revolution took place in the teaching of writing. Educators asked, “What if we were to study how professional writers wrote, as a way to learn how we might teach writing more effectively?” The result was the writing process movement, with its emphasis on not just writing as product but as process. Good writing doesn’t magically appear, nor does it spring from the brain fully formed and perfect the first time. Instead, all writers engage in a process, and while that process can vary writer to writer, some stages do seem to apply, in some way, to almost every writing situation. This course demonstrates how teaching writing as process can lead to a significant increase in students’ comfort level and confidence as writers. Learners will examine methods for teaching writing as discovery, and for using low-stakes writing and reflection in their classes. They’ll fill their toolbox with practical strategies and techniques for teaching writing to students of any age, in any situation.