Teaching students concise writing

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Teaching students concise writing

by David Ginsburg

Mar 8, 2011

Blog post on the importance of teachers getting away from writing assignments that result in students rambling just to meet a minimum length requirement. And a couple of great resources for teaching concise writing skills.

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Writing Teacher On 3/08/11, David Ginsburg wrote: > Blog post on the importance of teachers getting away from > writing assignments that result in students rambling just > to meet a minimum length requirement. And a couple of great > resources for teaching concise writing skills.

It's a great piece that makes as great a point - I would have l...See More

Mar 11, 2011

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because it makes the teacher feel On 3/11/11, Writing Teacher wrote: > On 3/08/11, David Ginsburg wrote: >> Blog post on the importance of teachers getting away from >> writing assignments that result in students rambling just >> to meet a minimum length requirement. And a couple of great >> resources for teaching concise writing skills. > > > It...See MoreOn 3/11/11, Writing Teacher wrote: > On 3/08/11, David Ginsburg wrote: >> Blog post on the importance of teachers getting away from >> writing assignments that result in students rambling just >> to meet a minimum length requirement. And a couple of great >> resources for teaching concise writing skills. > > > It's a great piece that makes as great a point - I would have > loved to comment on it directly but didn't successfully > register so I make the comment here. > > I agree in large part. The thrust of many writing assignments > these days is length. Why? Do we assume that length builds > writing skills? Some would argue yes but I'd say the length > of today's common writing assignment is based more on the > preoccupation of modern education on compliance. And work. > > Those two concepts have taken over modern education to the > detriment of many things including the instruction of > writing. Whether openly stated or not, education has become > preoccupied with obtaining student compliance to 'rigorous' > assignments (when did the word become a positive one? - > didn't it use to be a synonym for stringent?) > > Learning is now fully equated with work and in writing > instruction work is equated with length and the first > requirement is that students comply to the required length. > > Whether that length serves their writing progress well or not. > With respect, I see the larger issue as not the loss of the > ability to write concisely but rather the sacrifice of > thoughtful writing assignments on the altar of 'rigor'. > > Is it less rigorous to write concisely? Hardly. So here might > be the harder question (s). Why do so many modern writing > instructors believe that it is less rigorous to write > concisely? Why has compliance to length become the first and > most important rubric by which to instruct, judge and grade > writing in school?? >

"Why is compliance to length become the first and most important rubric by wich to instruct, judge and grade writing in school?"

It is easy to grade and those students that can't write coherently at least get some points. If it is weighted enough it might even give enough points to pass.

More is better! Isn't that the saying.

Mar 11, 2011

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Writing Teacher br> > It is easy to grade and those students that can't write > coherently at least get some points. If it is weighted enough > it might even give enough points to pass. > > More is better! Isn't that the saying.

The saying is 'less is more'.

And we give assignments because they're easy to grade?? Shouldn't we gi...See More

Mar 12, 2011

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because it makes the teacher feel On 3/12/11, Writing Teacher wrote: >> >> It is easy to grade and those students that can't write >> coherently at least get some points. If it is weighted enough >> it might even give enough points to pass. >> >> More is better! Isn't that the saying. > > The saying is 'less is more'. > > And we give ...See More

Mar 13, 2011

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