Becoming a strong, confident math student requires continuous practice, drilling skills into their heads until they are part of the student’s vernacular. Becoming a strong, confident writer is a more complex process, as practicing this skillset must be broken down into several different parts and then placed together to form a cohesively written essay, story, letter, book, research document….
But learning to tell your story, learning to put thoughts into words, is an essential skill, academically, professionally, and personally. Students who are strong written communicators can get their point across to their audience in a succinct and effective manner. Additionally, they tend to be more confident speakers who are better able to connect with other people.
With hard work, every student can improve their writing. They can become confident writers. GAMECHANGER Tutoring Connection suggests these 5 steps to strengthening writing skills.
- Brainstorm. Brainstorming is a form of free association – or free writing. Before starting to write, put ideas down on paper. These ideas don’t have to be in any particular order. Brainstorming helps students generate ideas before writing about any given topic. Brainstorming can help students reduce anxieties associated with putting together a longer essay or document, because the thoughts are already down on paper. Organizing ideas is easier when students brainstorm.
- Outline. Once students have collected their ideas through the brainstorming process, it’s essential to organize these ideas. That’s why outlining is an essential part of learning to write a well-organized, thoughtful essay. An outline is essentially a roadmap for an essay, helping students to create a piece that is well-structured and flows logically. Creating an outline also allows students to identify thesis statements, key points, and impactful supporting details. Once a student has a thorough outline, it is much easier to write a well-organized, thoughtful essay.
- Read your own writing out loud as a method of proofreading and editing. Once students write their essays, they should read it out loud. Listening to something read out loud, hearing words spoken, is an effective way to identify blatant errors. Reading out loud is an active process. It is more engaging than reading something quietly to themselves. When students hear the way something sounds, it is easier to stop and say, “Wait, that doesn’t make sense.” Or “Wait, I forgot a word.” This is a strong first step in the proofreading process. It makes it easier for students to edit their work, rather than reading something passively. Once students identify blatant errors by reading out loud, they can go back and check their content, ideas, and sentence structures.
- Welcome constructive feedback. No student is an island. Look to others for feedback and constructive criticism to help edit all writing. Go to trusted advisors and ask for people to provide feedback on ideas, organization, and content. Asking for feedback helps students break out of the isolation of writing. It provides a bridge for students to help them recognize whether they are getting their points across and ensures that the students understood the prompt for the assignment. Feedback helps students become more capable of receiving feedback and helps them boost their overall communication skills. And, by seeking feedback, students are taking positive and constructive steps to improve their writing.
- Read. There’s an innate connection between reading and writing. The most effective writers are voracious readers. When students read, they unconsciously consume the vocabulary, grammatical structures, and flow of what’s being read. Students grasp the art of language and learn to appreciate unfamiliar vocabulary. Reading teaches students writing techniques and styles. As students read, they should take note of unfamiliar words and concepts that are unfamiliar. Finally, reading helps students strengthen their ability to concentrate, giving them a greater ability to focus on what they are putting down on paper when they start writing. Ultimately, reading allows students to develop skills, styles, and a deeper ability to analyze information.
GAMECHANGER Tutoring Connection is here to help students become more confident writers. Working with one-to-one writing tutors referred by GAMECHANGER Tutoring Connection, students learn the essential writing skills that build skills and confidence.
