Strategies to Engage Students in Writing to Think

brief writing exercises
We often think of writing as a reflection of finished thinking, whether it be via a term paper, final exam, or other culminating project. However, writing is also a powerful tool for thinking, to help students construct meaning and to deepen their understandings of complex content (Bomer, 2011). Writing to think is grounded in the understanding that people need to use language to mediate and extend their thinking (Vygotsky, 1981; Bomer, 2011). That is, as we are learning new content, we need language to help us figure out what we know, believe, and understand. Have you ever participated in a discussion and realized mid-sentence that you are changing your mind? Does your thinking become clearer and more focused the more you talk? For many, talking helps us develop and clarify our thinking. Writing functions in the same way, as language mediates our initial response and opens space for us to develop and refine our thinking.

To continue reading, you must be a Teaching Professor Subscriber. Please log in or sign up for full access.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

I have two loves: teaching and learning. Although I love them for different reasons, I’ve been passionate about...
There are a myriad of answers to this seemingly simple question. Grading probably comes to mind for many...
Fears of disingenuous work, fraudulent and stolen information, and theft of intellectual property have been swirling around education...
Students often struggle academically due to an inability to organize their lives around achievable goals. Students beyond early...
Hey, you. Yes, you. When was the last time you told your students, colleagues, or (gulp) administrators how...

For online faculty, I think it’s more important than ever to be conspicuously human...

Back when I was an undergraduate, students were thought to drop out of college because either they failed...

Are you signed up for free weekly Teaching Professor updates?

You'll get notified of the newest articles.

The Teaching Professor Conference 2024

June 7-9, 2024 • New Orleans

Connect with Fellow Educators at The Teaching Professor Conference!