The Importance of Writing

The Importance of Writing in School

Boy writing in schoolWriting is complex. When we write, we draw upon our knowledge of words, sentences, and meaning. We use rules for grammar, spelling, and mechanics. The job of the writer, however, does not stop there.

Writing requires authors to think deeply about facts and concepts. It requires them to make connections between new and old. Writing is not just about putting thoughts on paper; writing helps us organize our thoughts and learn.

The importance of writing in school is often underestimated. Children who have difficulty writing are at a disadvantage in their schoolwork. They lack opportunities to develop critical thinking skills. Children with disabilities are at risk for writing failure. Language, spatial thinking, attention, memory, processing speed, and handwriting can all make writing challenging. As a result, it is important to monitor writing skill from kindergarten through high school. Writing remediation is more effective when it is implemented early. It is more effective when it is targeted to children’s individual needs.

Myths and Misconceptions about Written Language Testing

Myth #1: All tests of written expression are created equal. Writing tests reflect different views of how children learn to write. Some tests ask children to fill in parts of a story; others measure performance on isolated tasks. Some authorities believe that spelling is part of written expression; others feel that an emphasis on spelling detracts from creativity. Some tests measure writing skill apart from background knowledge; others incorporate higher-level thinking skills.

Myth #2: Short and easy does it. Evaluators want tests that are quick and easy to score. Test publishers try to make them happy. Some writing tests focus on sentence-length responses. Other tests provide opportunities for students to write stories, opinion pieces, and/or summaries. Tests that focus on short responses do not measure the organizational skills needed for essay and story writing. They may not measure the skills needed to write for a history or science course.

Myth #3: Written language is separate from oral language. Written language has its roots in oral language. Children who have difficulty writing sentences require language testing. They may also require speech and language therapy.

Myth #4: Handwriting is not important. Children who labor to control their pencils do not write a lot. As a result, they get less practice. They may have difficulty thinking about what they want to say.

Myth #5: Written expression tests are sensitive to the skills of first and second graders. Many writing tests do not adequately sample the skills of young children. In the testing world, this is called a “floor.” A “floor” is the term used to describe the number of items at the lower level of a text. When tests do not have enough lower level items, young children can earn inflated scores simply through lucky guessing.

Myth #6: Written expression tests are sensitive to the skills of middle school and high school students. Most writing tests do not measure the skills needed for reports and essays. They may not measure whether children write with an age-appropriate vocabulary. On some tests, sentences that do not make sense do not affect the score.