From British Language Schools: A Better Alternative to Grading Student Writing
From British Language Schools: A Better Alternative to Grading Student Writing
While writing this article, some ideas came to mind about how we can support students' writing process to develop their writing skills.
At British Language Schools in particular, we believe that offering our students an approach that puts the writing process at the centre, rather than one focused only on results, will make them much better writers.
Good writing begins with an idea, a purpose or a spark of inspiration. This “dough” at the start of a piece of writing determines the quality of the final product. For students’ writing, good dough involves many elements, such as richness of language, clarity of ideas and soundness of structure. The writing process itself is the process of shaping the “dough” the student has, and the stronger this process is, the more impressive the result will be.
The Purpose of the Writing Process
Supporting the writing process enables students not only to focus on the result but also to explore the process itself. Of course, every student uses this process in different ways, and the teacher’s guidance is very valuable here. Most importantly, students should find the opportunity to develop themselves in this process; believing in their ability to write, gaining self-confidence and having the chance to develop this ability in a supportive environment is what allows them to achieve real success.
Supporting the Writing Process
At British Language Schools, we believe that the writing process is more important than the result. Producing good writing requires continuous vision and improvement. For students to discover what they want to say and express it effectively, they need to research, organise their ideas, choose the right words, adjust their tone and use literary devices. This is an important part of the learning journey, and just as in the scientific process, focusing on the student’s effort in the writing process is far more meaningful in terms of development.
Just as in science students’ ability to use the scientific process matters more than simply getting the right results, in writing too, using the process correctly is far more valuable than the final result. Because the foundation of learning any subject lies in mastering the process rather than the result.
Assessing the Process
If we give students the opportunity to understand and take ownership of the writing process, assessing the process rather than the final product can give them far more lasting development. That is why it is much more effective to assess not only the “final version” of a student’s writing but also their development during the writing process, how they express their ideas and how they embrace the process.
At British Language Schools, we support our students in focusing on the writing process and making it their own in a way that suits them. The skills and self-confidence they gain in this process prepare them not only for language learning but for a lifelong learning journey. This approach to the writing process will enable our students to approach writing with confidence and enthusiasm in the future too.
