We often are so concerned about grades that we forget how important it is to learn to write. Generally, students read and learn concepts from textbooks. Most of them just use the same language as given in textbooks in assignments and tests. But as they move to higher classes, it becomes necessary for them to write more. They have to create assignments, research papers, essays, literature reviews, book reviews and whatnot.
Not only this, as we are moving into the digital age, writing skills have become more necessary. Writing emails, memos, minutes of a meeting, resumes, cover letters, all has become quite important. Well, research backs it up. According to a study by Carleton University, people spend one-third of their job on emails.
The earlier we help students develop their writing skills, the better.
#1 Writing is an important form of communication
Whether you want to stay in touch with your family, friends or colleagues, writing skills can help you a lot. A well-written message for a friend on their birthday or a good farewell speech to a colleague can leave an everlasting memory of yours. Your writing abilities can even help you gain recognition amongst your peers. So you can leverage your writing skills to not only maintain your relationships but to gain confidence.
#2 It becomes easier to explain yourself
If you have good writing skills, you are trained to organise your thoughts and ideas and express them in the best possible manner. This makes it easier for you to express your ideas. You can always use this ability to win conversations and clarify matters. In all, we can say that writing improves your overall communication abilities.
#3 Writing makes you more creative
Writing calls for your imagination and creativity. Whenever you begin to write an essay or even an assignment, you start imagining. You also learn how to include different literary devices in your writing to make it more interesting, powerful and persuasive at times. You may use different words to explain a concept. Sometimes you may use technical language to meet the goals of your assignment. Thereby, enhancing your creativity.
#4 Writing skills will help you everywhere
Whether you are filing a form for a doctor’s appointment or whether you are giving feedback at a restaurant, writing skills come in handy at different phases of your life. The earlier a student learns this, the more independent they may feel as they will be able to do simple things like making an appointment, filling out a form etc.
#5 Writing enhances problem-solving skills
As we discussed above, writing helps you learn how to organise your thoughts. You must have a clear sense of the topic before you start writing. As you learn to organise and prioritize your thoughts, you also learn how to come to conclusions, analyse a situation and formulate opinions. All this helps in problem-solving.
#6 Writing makes you a better reader
The process of learning how to write involves reading. You read to understand different writing techniques, formatting styles and presentation techniques. The more you read, the wiser you become. Reading enhances your language skills, thought process, creativity and imagination. So, it is better to ask students to develop their reading skills so that they can become better writers.
#7 Writing helps in higher education
Students who have developed their writing skills can cope up with the essay writing requirements in school and college. Martha, who provides Early Childhood Education Assignment Help says, “many students these days face issues in assignment writing. One of the most common reasons is that they are afraid to write. They have just made their minds that writing is not their cup of tea. Teaching students to write at an early age can help them in overcoming this fear.”
#8 Writing can help find a job
Many people are unable to get their dream job just because their resume and cover letters are not impressive enough. Steve, who provides assignment help in Australia says, “many students ask me how to write a cover letter that impresses the recruiters. I believe a cover letter should be easy to write because it is all about you. No research needs to be done in this case.” If students learn how to write from an early age, creating a compelling resume and cover letter would not be so tough for them.
What can we do?
To help children gain writing skills from an early age we need to include interesting activities in their curriculum. Here are some examples:
- Word prompts: Give them a word and ask them to write something about it. You can choose anything like the name of a place, an object, a person etc.
- Scripting: Ask them to change the ending of a story. This would enhance their imagination and thought process which is important for writing.
- Give a setting: It could be a city, a village or an imaginary place. Ask the students to write a story in that setting.
- Pictures say a thousand words: Give the students a set of pictures and ask them to write a tale considering all those pictures.
- Short essays: Ask students to write a short essay on a topic of their choice. If they are unable to choose a topic, provide simple suggestions such as their house, their favourite relative, their visit to a park etc.
- Brainstorm: If a child is unable to write on their own, do not scold them or pressurise them. Instead, help them brainstorm and form ideas. Teach them how to organise their ideas and write them.
Building an environment that promotes writing
In the end, I would like to conclude this article by suggesting that the learning environment plays an important role in helping students develop writing skills. Both teachers and parents should encourage the children to focus on reading and writing rather than just studying for grades. A change in mindset is required to bring a change in skillset. What do you think?
