Practical Writing Activities for Students Others Sandra Sinfield

Practical Writing Activities for Students & Others Sandra Sinfield & Tom Burns Education/LDU/Learn. Higher Sarah Johnson NTU 1

What is Academic Writing? 19/08/2009 2

Developing writing Students benefit from being given opportunities to: • Practise writing in the discipline • Reflect on their writing and other aspects of their learning • Reflect on feedback from their teachers 19/08/2009 3

To practise writing in the discipline EXCELLENT site for linking phrases and for WRITING: http: //www. phrasebank. manchester. ac. uk/ 1

Freewriting • Peter Elbow (1998) argues that free-writing encourages students to write at length without fear of censorship. Benefits include: • Freedom to explore a topic • Demonstrates knowledge • Encourages understanding • Spelling & grammar (3 min): http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Ll. L 5 W 2 q. A 0 EA • On writing (9 min): • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=YDUn 1 c 4 ux. UE 19/08/2009 5

Activities • The Path exercise follows: write for one minute on each topic; review elements of story across group; discuss impact of writing in this way… • Resources: • Stopwatch: http: //www. onlinestopwatch. com/full-screen-stopwatch/ • Freewrite: http: //www. cumquat. co. uk/freewrite / • http: //www. writethink. co. uk/wordpress/wpcontent/fwt/Free_Write 01. html 19/08/2009 6

The Path 19/08/2009 Path Tree House Water Key 7

Academic freewriting Use for: • Writing at length • Writing in discipline • Structure • Proof-reading • Editing • Reflecting What will you do with this information? How will it effect you as a student? Can you use this in your work setting? How? 20. 10. 09 -SFS 8

Freewriting & study: • Generic freewriting: • Freewrite for 5 minutes on previous experiences that will be useful to you on this course • Freewrite for 5 minutes on today’s class • Freewrite a definition of a term in 1 minute 19/08/2009 9

To reflect on writing and other aspects of learning See also http: //www. arts. ac. uk/cetl/visual-directions/ 1

Reflective learning journal • Have you used a reflective learning journal? • Like the CLi. P CETL one? • Use your journal as a space to reflect on your progress … & • Develop aspects of your thinking/writing. 19/08/2009 11

Suggested entries • Reflections on study sessions: what, why, reaction, learned, new goals … • Notes on readings • Questions relating to readings • Freewriting on a topic • Glossary of terms • Planning and drafting • Notes from the press… 19/08/2009 12

Development of the reflective learning journal • Supports student reflection on learning/reading • Promotes critical analysis • Encourages deep understanding through questioning • Can be creative & appealing 19/08/2009 13

Reflecting on THIS session What have we done? What activities have we undertaken? What resources have we used? Are these activities/resources which you would use? • Have you any further suggestions? • Make notes for yourself – and don’t forget to follow up good ideas. • • 19/08/2009 14

Writing resources • • Organise your DESK and your READING: http: //learning. londonmet. ac. uk/TLTC/learnhigher/desk. html • Essay/report quiz: http: //learning. londonmet. ac. uk/LMBS/study/reports_essays/ • • • Check out these writing resources: http: //learning. londonmet. ac. uk/TLTC/connorj/Writing. Groups/ Essay writing animation – Portsmouth: http: //ondemand. port. ac. uk/central/One_way_to_write_an_essay. wmv EXCELLENT site for linking phrases and for WRITING: http: //www. phrasebank. manchester. ac. uk/ Our Preventing Plagiarism course – in Web. Learn: http: //learning. londonmet. ac. uk/TLTC/learnhigher/Plagiarism/

References • Calvin and Hobbes cartoon found at: http: //www. benpfeiffer. net/blog/2008/04/ca lvin-hobbes. html [accessed 21/08/2009] • Thaiss C. and Zawacki T. M. , 2006. Engaged Writers and Dynamic Disciplines: Research on the Academic Writing Life. Portsmouth: Boynton/Cook. 19/08/2009 16