Frida Rosales

Professor Hugetz

ENGL 1302.06

30 November 2020

Final Transcript

My name is Frida Rosales, I have big aspirations to be a journalist and an author in the

future. Writing was not always a big part of my life. I used to hate every part of writing because

it did not seem important and there was no engaging environment. Students do not worry about

learning the subject, which in this case is learning good writing skills. In order to follow the

curriculum, teachers put more focus on tasks needed to pass end of the year exams. It comes to

the point where students only care about passing the class and the exams. The dismissiveness of

writing skills is not the only reason why writing skills have worsened throughout the years. By

making this website, I want to demonstrate the importance of having good writing skills and how

the decline of those skills can be reversed if schools and teachers were to implement more

activities and programs that are creative. No matter what is being written on a piece of paper,

writing can give someone a voice and a chance to figure out what they are good at. Since

students have learning disabilities, there is insufficient preparation, higher focus on standardized

testing, and an undervaluation of writing are all causing a decline in writing skills, schools need

to provide writing centers, activities inside and outside of class that can help students improve

because of the dismissiveness towards writing skills.

For students with a learning disability, writing is challenging; which leads to poor writing

skills. According to Graham, in “Writing Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities

and Typically Achieving Peers,” “Across all students identified with a disability, only 5%
achieved writing proficiency, and 60% of students with disabilities failed to meet basic writing

achievement levels. A large percentage of these students were youngsters with LD” (Graham, et

al 1). When it comes to writing, learning disabilities can impact students’ knowledge and

techniques. Self-confidence may lower within a student who has learning disabilities and they

might feel less inclined to put effort into their writing. Education facilities need to understand the

complexity of writing and provide a better environment where it will be less challenging for

those who have learning disabilities.

In an environment where there is a lack of preparation, students do not become better

writers. Rosario explains in “The Impact of Three Types of Writing Intervention on Students’

Writing Quality,” “Students’ motivation and engagement in writing are likely to grow in learning

environments providing many opportunities and encouragements for students to express

themselves through writing” (Rosario, et al 2). English teachers follow the curriculum given by

the school which puts a greater focus on how to prepare and pass exams. This can cause

problems because there is less focus on writing skills, which are very much needed. In a writing

class, students either put less effort or students pay enough attention to pass the class. That is not

sufficient for students as they will not be well prepared in writing when they enter college.

Standardized testing only provides one way of learning with the exclusion of writing

skills, where those same skills worsen over time. Finneran describes in “Testy about Testing,”

“Teachers… worry that the focus on a single test will narrow the curriculum and lead teachers to

emphasize test taking skills at the expense of more important matters such as writing and

problem solving” (Finneran 2). By concentrating on what the school believes is more important,

which is mostly STEM, standardized testing limits the creativity of students. Not every single

student learns the same way. If standardized tests must be provided, schools should find
alternative ways where all subjects can be taught without undermining each other. There should

be more to education than just about preparing to take exams.

Students do not improve their writing skills because writing is not valued like science or

math. Writing is complex; there is no exact formula. In order for students to improve their

writing, it is up to the teacher to provide engaging assignments or activities for students. Rosario

mentions that, “Previous research has strengthened the idea that writing is one of the most

powerful and fundamental tools, not only to learn, but to communicate and share knowledge”

(Rosario, et al 2). Schools need to value writing, but they also need to be more encouraging

towards students developing their writing abilities. It is important that a student knows their

writing can improve in order for them to gain more knowledge that will help them later on.

Writing is an important and useful skill that has been pushed aside to make room for

science, technology, engineering, and math. However, writing can help students succeed in every

classroom. Schools should put the same amount of effort in writing that is put into the STEM

field, then writing scores are more likely to increase. When schools put the same effort into

writing, it could build up students’ confidence and increase the effort in a classroom. According

to Study International, “When society or schools place students in different boxes, it leads to

students believing that they either can’t do something, don’t have to do something, or they won’t

be good at something they perceive is different from their area of interest or study”

(Studyinternational.com). It is not difficult for schools to show that writing is just as important as

other subjects.

More writing activities inside and outside of the classroom is a method that can

contribute to writing success in schools, which are also both interesting and helpful. Doing

outside-of-class writing activities will help students be innovative while still learning to become
better writers. Rosario talks about, “Week-journals and writing activities can be easily

implemented in classrooms and provides an opportunity to promote students’ writing quality”

(Rosario, et al 2). Not only do writing activities help students achieve better knowledge in

writing, it can be an outlet for students to express their thoughts and feelings. Self-expression

plays such an important role on writing; it teaches students how to reach their full potential,

which is beneficial for students to know as they keep growing older.

In an effort to offer additional support for students who need it or who want extra help,

writing centers should be put in schools. According to Tobin in, “The Writing Center as a Key

Actor in Secondary School Preparation,” “The separation of grades from the operation of a

writing center adds to its overall efficacy because this bifurcation enables students to focus on

the process of writing instead of its effects” (Tobin 1). Writing centers provide a friendly

environment, in which students end up putting more effort due to the extra help that is being

given to the student. Tobin mentions that, “Writing centers provide a nonjudgmental learning

atmosphere, which enhances and develops necessary writing process skills” (Tobin 1). In a

typical writing center, there is only the tutor and the student. A student is more willing to ask

questions that they would not ask in a classroom. As a result, students are able to learn the

subject better than they could in a classroom. Since writing centers can offer a huge amount of

support, schools need to consider introducing services such as these in order to see an increase in

better writing skills.

Schools can implement this with the aid of English teachers by giving assignments,

activities, or projects that will be up to the student to build that also relates to what is being

taught in the class. Another thing that can be implemented would be writing centers; though it

may be more difficult to place this one because there may not be enough space for more staff
members. However, majority of schools have a wide variety of English teachers; those same

English teachers can be placed into writing centers in order to help students. While it does take

time to establish serious writing programs or other necessary steps, it is necessary for students. If

colleges and universities can place these types of programs, so can primary and secondary

schools.

For my passion project, I decided to do a website that illustrates my book, Witching

Moon; which I was getting started on before this course started. I thought this was the perfect

chance to combine my own personal project with a school project. Shown in the website is a

brief overview of what I have written, where I got inspiration from to write this book, and the

feedback I have gotten that has given me a boost of confidence to continue writing. The passion

project can also tie into the redux website because I am demonstrating that students who are able

to come up with their own ideas and use their creativity for an assignment or a project outside of

class have a higher chance of improving their writing skills that can be applied in English class

and other subjects.

 Works Cited

Finneran, Kevin. “Testy about Testing.” Issues in Science & Technology, vol. 19, no. 2, Winter-

2002, p. 41. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=a9h&AN=8936441&site=ehost-live.

Graham, Steve, et al. “Writing Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities and

Typically Achieving Peers: A Meta-Analysis.” Exceptional Children, vol. 83, no. 2, Jan.

2017, pp. 199–218. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1177/0014402916664070.

Rosario, Pedro, et al. “The Impact of Three Types of Writing Intervention on Students’ Writing

Quality.” PLoS ONE, vol. 14, no. 7, July 2019, pp. 1–27. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0218099.

Staff, Study International. “Why STEM Students Should Learn How to Write.” Study

International, 12 Feb. 2019, www.studyinternational.com/news/why-stem-students-

should-learn-how-to-write/.

Tobin, Thomas. “The Writing Center as a Key Actor in Secondary School

Preparation.” Clearing House, vol. 83, no. 6, Sept. 2010, pp. 230–234. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1080/00098651003774810.

“Trouble With Writing.” YouTube, Understood, 4 June 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=cILOxSfOVao&feature=emb_title