Writing:
Writing to Learn
Thinking on Paper

May 2008, 6:30 minutes

Doris Plumb uses a writing process that involves writing quickly in a journal, without thinking, so students’ ideas come out fast. Doris gives a topic, Last Week’s Experiences. She stresses as a purpose writing to learn something, to find their thoughts on issues, on themselves and others. She asks the students to pick one of these experiences and focus on it, to list a group of words that come to mind as they think about that experience or event. Students individually brainstorm, by themselves, without thinking about the ideas, without being critical, to free their minds to generate ideas. Then she asks them to write a short paragraph about the Event. She asks for a topic sentence and at least three sentences. The students said this helped to clarify their feelings and discover priorities.

Definition of Writing to Learn
http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/pop2d.cfm
More information and exploration of theoretical basis:
http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/pop4a.cfm
Selected Print Resources on Writing to Learn
http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/pop4f.cfm

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