Practical Writing Activities with Free Writing Sandra Sinfield

Writing is … Writing is easy – you just stare at a blank piece

Writing is … • • • Thinking Learning A struggle We ‘write to learn’

SWOT: Reflect on your writing • Strengths: what do you like about your writing?

Developing writing Students benefit from being given or making opportunities to: Practise writing in

To practise writing in the discipline See also http: //www. phrasebank. manchester. ac. uk/

Free writing • Peter Elbow (1998) argues that free writing encourages students to write

• Try free writing: Activities – For 5 minutes on any lecture (class)

Academic free writing Use for: • Starting an assignment • Overcoming a writing block

Overcoming writing blocks • Read the title – just respond to it, without a

To reflect on writing and other aspects of learning See also: http: //www. arts.

Reflective learning journal • Have you used a reflective learning journal? • Like the

Suggested entries • Reflections on study sessions: what, why, reaction, learned, new goals …

Development of the reflective learning journal • Supports student reflection on discipline specific readings

Reflecting on THIS session What have you done? What activities have you undertaken? Why?

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

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Practical Writing Activities with Free Writing Sandra Sinfield and Tom Burns 1

Writing is … Writing is easy – you just stare at a blank piece of paper until your eyeballs bleed!

Writing is … • • • Thinking Learning A struggle We ‘write to learn’ Not learn to write. 3

SWOT: Reflect on your writing • Strengths: what do you like about your writing? • Weaknesses: what do you dislike about your writing or academic writing in general? • Opportunities: what’s in it for you? • Threats: what threat does academic writing pose for you? Write for one minute on each … 4

Developing writing Students benefit from being given or making opportunities to: Practise writing in the discipline Free write Reflect on their writing – and other aspects of their learning • Reflect on feedback from their lecturers. • • 5

To practise writing in the discipline See also http: //www. phrasebank. manchester. ac. uk/ 1

Free writing • Peter Elbow (1998) argues that free writing encourages students to write at length without fear of censorship. Benefits: – Freedom to explore a topic – Builds and demonstrates knowledge – Encourages understanding • Spelling and grammar (3 mins): http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Ll. L 5 W 2 q. A 0 EA • On writing (9 mins): http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=YDUn 1 c 4 ux. UE 7

• Try free writing: Activities – For 5 minutes on any lecture (class) – A definition of a concept in 1 minute – For 5 minutes on previous experiences that will be useful to you in this module • The Path exercise follows: write for one minute on each topic – we can discuss the impact of writing in this way … • Resources: – Stopwatch: http: //www. online-stopwatch. com/fullscreen-stopwatch/ – Freewrite: http: //www. cumquat. co. uk/freewrite/ – http: //www. writethink. co. uk/wordpress/wpcontent/fwt/Free_Write 01. html 8

The Path Tree House Water Key 9

Academic free writing Use for: • Starting an assignment • Overcoming a writing block • Writing at length • Writing in discipline • Structuring writing • Editing • Reflecting on your day/learning. What will you do with this information? How will it effect you as a student? Write your answers – one minute … 10

Overcoming writing blocks • Read the title – just respond to it, without a plan, for 10 minutes • Have a stack of postcards to hand – warm up your writing juices by picking one at random and writing … • If stuck – be rude … and write anyway • Write with two pieces of paper – one for work and one for what’s stopping you … 11

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 … and • Develop aspects of your thinking/writing. 13

Suggested entries • Reflections on study sessions: what, why, reaction, learned, new goals … • Notes on readings • Questions relating to readings • Free writing on a topic • Glossary of terms • Planning and drafting • Notes from the press … 14

Development of the reflective learning journal • Supports student reflection on discipline specific readings • Promotes critical analysis • Encourages deep understanding through questioning • Can be creative and appealing. 15

Reflecting on THIS session What have you done? What activities have you undertaken? Why? What was your reaction? What have you learned – about writing; about yourself as a writer; about yourself as a student? • Will this change your approach? How? • What will you do next? • Make notes for yourself. • • 16

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