Learning Development & Student Writing

Writing ACTIVITY Writing is easy you just stare at a blank piece of paper till your eyeballs bleed! Writing ACTIVITY

Some thoughts about writing Writing activity Reflecting on the activity Applying what youve learned to the Assignment Useful resources Student responses to writing: Ive been humiliated in ways Id never have put up with outside that institution

Student responses to writing: I am still not sure if my work is considered academic, I still dont know what makes one of my essays better than another. And: Academic language, the kind of language that doesnt readily flow off my tongue: the type of

language I rarely use when speaking to my peers. The type of language that I dont readily understand and the type of language that means spending hours at a computer turning something quite simple into something that sounds moderately impressive with elitist results. Perhaps it is not that we cannot write, but We need: Time to write to learn

Time to practice writing To write little and often To discover that writing gets easier with practice. So Writing Activity Free writing Each person should have in front of them: Two sheets of paper: One, blank, to write upon,

One, the commentary sheet, to note reasons for not writing Pens or pencils The Activity When asked, turn to your blank paper and write for ten minutes without pause on the question below. If you stop writing for any reason, write that reason, no matter how trivial or insignificant

on the commentary sheet. The Question INSERT Q (1) Assignment Activity Did you enjoy that writing?

Review it what does it tell you about: What you already know? What you need to find out? What you will be looking for in lectures? What you will be looking for when reading? (2) Why did you STOP writing? Some reasons for stopping: Thinking

Searching for a word, spelling, tense Uncomfortable Distracted Couldnt see the point What are you going to do about this? (3) Some solutions Get into a good physical & mental space: Be comfortable your way Accept the task or fake it! Brainstorm & plan before you write

Once you start go with the flow Dont stop! Do not search for the right word re-draft and improve later. NEXT STEPS How will your free write help you with the final part of your assessment? How will thinking about writing help with your writing?

Writing Organise your DESK and your READING: http://learning.londonmet.ac.uk/TLTC/learnhigher/desk/desk.html

Check out these writing resources: http://learning.londonmet.ac.uk/TLTC/connorj/WritingGroups/ Essay writing animation Portsmouth: http://ondemand.port.ac.uk/central/One_way_to_write_an_essay.wmv

Essay/report quiz: http://learning.londonmet.ac.uk/LMBS/study/reports_essays/ EXCELLENT site for linking phrases and for WRITING: http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/

Our Preventing Plagiarism course in WebLearn: http://learning.londonmet.ac.uk/TLTC/learnhigher/Plagiarism/