How important is it for children to be able to write well?  

Am I talking about writing neatly?

No, I am talking about putting your thoughts down onto paper.

We accept that not every child desires to become a poet or an author. Nevertheless, every child must be confident enough to put his thoughts down well.

Writing is powerful, and the process of writing requires students to form and articulate their own thoughts, opinions, and arguments. Writing requires students to exhibit creativity and thoughtfulness,

Writing assignments cause anxiety for most students. Students have difficulty in writing their own personal statement. Who can express about himself better than himself? Yet, fear of judgment and the belief of not being good enough stops most from even trying.

And not to miss, writing assignments are definitely time-consuming too.

Low stakes writing is an important tool that builds confidence and interest in writing. Low stakes writing is a writing that is not graded and is usually half a page to one page. It should be a regular practice with children at home and in schools. Time should be set aside each day for the child to write what he is feeling, thinking, noticing or wondering. Setting aside ten minutes every day is sufficient. It is his time with his thoughts. Well, it could also be a poem that he wishes to compose or a story that he wishes to write. I would leave the child to make the choice. A child will write without inhibitions if he is not going to be judged. Low stakes writing is the beginning of good high stake writing.

Low stakes writing can be a powerful way for students to develop their metacognition

Metacognition is “cognition about cognition”, “thinking about thinking”, “knowing about knowing”, becoming “aware of one’s awareness” and higher-order thinking skills.

I would suggest that children should initially write on what they wish to. Gradually, we need to frame the thinking behind the writing to develop these skills. The next step could be asking the children to reflect on how their day has been, what they found challenging or what questions arose during an assignment/exam/project, how could they do better, what worked well for me or did not work well.

Low stakes writing is not just frivolous writing. It harnesses the Social-Emotional Learning.

As Cassel has defined, “Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.”

Children can be asked to write about their noticing of the way society works. They could be asked to write about their beliefs about the environment or people. Children should be encouraged to write solutions to problems they notice in society.

Research has proved that children who can manage their thinking get higher grades and perform better in standardized tests. Children with strong social skills can maintain enduring friendships and relationships.

Low stakes writing requires and enhances critical and independent thinking in a non-judgemental and stress-free environment.

I have been using low stakes writing with my students. It also seems to be a stress buster for them along with all the other benefits. They call it free writing. Some children decide to be risk-takers and share what they have written. This activates the class and leads to a brainstorming discussion.

I aim to begin the same with my children at home. I hope to share the experience with my readers soon. Do let me know if you try out low stake writing with your students in school or children at home.

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