Why Writing is the Toughest Literacy Skill to Learn

By WR!TERS@WORK

Many parents and students are under the mistaken impression that writing is not a skill that can be taught in class. Students often go for English exams with the mindset that they only need to “do their best” and accept whatever result they get. However, this cannot be further from the truth. Freewriting does not work – students often do not yet have the tools to put their ideas on paper. In an age where social media and smartphones are quick to do away with normal grammar rules, sentence structure, and punctuation, it is more important than ever for students to learn how to write well – not only for their education, but also future employment.

The truth is that writing can be taught – it is just the most difficult literacy skill to learn for the simple reason that it requires a combination of several skills instead of just one skill. Many students and teachers believe that it is the acquisition of a wide range of vocabulary and the strict learning of grammar rules which makes a good writer. However, grammar rules and rich vocabulary are only two parts of learning how to write well. There are many other skills students need to acquire to improve, which needs some time and constructive feedback.

1. The Overt Focus on Sentence Mechanics is Not What Writing is About

It is an undeniable fact that today’s youths lack awareness of how to construct proper sentences in a formal setting. This is largely because social media has normalised writing in abbreviations, and young children pick up on Gen Z “slang” which is not acceptable when writing in a formal context. However, the lack of focus on sentence construction is not what good writing is about. Good writing is made up in part of knowing the correct grammar rules and punctuation to use. Despite knowing these things, someone who is an expert at finding the subject and predicate of a sentence will not necessarily be a good writer. There are other skills which are required in writing – students need to develop a coherent plot when writing.

2. Writing Requires Higher-order Thinking Skills Like Rationality, Logic, and Intuition

This brings us now to our second point – good writers will possess higher-order thinking skills such as rationality, logic, and intuition. When we watch a movie, we are only satisfied when the plot of the movie makes sense – there should not be any deus ex machina’s swooping down at the last minute to save the day, leading to a highly anticlimactic finale. Similarly, when writing good essays, students need to use the plot curve to build tension and create a satisfying resolution to said tension, all the while signposting just enough to answer the essay question and all the things demanded in it. Such coherent writing will require students to critically think and adapt their ideas logically to the question at hand.

3. Students Need to Learn About the Different Types of Essays

The main types of essays are argumentative (where you come down on one side), narrative (where you tell a story), and informative (where you educate and explain). Students need to be exposed to different types of writing to know how to tackle each essay genre. By knowing what the respective genres demand of them, students will be able to discern how to write in a particular style. For example, when a student is trying out argumentative writing for the first time, knowing that the student needs to reach a particular conclusion (such as whether they agree or disagree with the question statement) will give the student direction in their writing – they will know they need to write in a persuasive manner, putting their strongest arguments first, before coming down on one side and reaching a conclusion (agreement/disagreement).

4. Teachers Need to Be Great Writers Themselves to Be Able to Teach Writing

Teachers often have little training in how to teach writing – in fact, many teachers are weak and not confident in their own writing. People who are great readers are not necessarily good at writing. When teaching writing, teachers need to write, read, and revise their own work to be comfortable with correcting students on how to write well. Teachers should be able to set a good example for their students to expose them to examples of good writing. As such, teachers at W@W are trained to become writing specialists – before teaching a class, there is a massive amount of training which our teachers undergo to hone and perfect their craft. The teachers at W@W sit down together regularly to ensure that their teaching pedagogy is updated. Exam questions are dissected and discussed to ensure standards are met all across the different branches, so that students receive the best quality of lessons available.

5. Students Need to Draw Inspiration From Their Lives and Literature to Write Well

Although there is the perception that perfect writing can be “achieved” by learning grammar rules and sentence structure, it is less about focusing on sentence mechanics and about teaching students to draw inspiration from their own lives and from literature. Students need to be taught the element of rationality and logic which they need to craft good essay structures and plots. The ideas in an essay need to flow in a coherent manner from paragraph to paragraph, such that the reader of the essay knows exactly what is being said, and how. There is a certain intuition which comes with having practiced writing, and this can only be acquired after the student has tried, tried again, failed, and overcome his/her challenges.

What can I take away from reading this article?

If nothing else, just know that writing is a combination of many skills. Ultimately, you cannot write what you do not know. Writers need to know what they are writing about. You can’t write what you can’t say, say what you can’t think, and think what you don’t know. The most important thing which will help students with their writing is clear feedback – after students know what the issue is, they need to try to imitate what successful writing looks like by adapting text models to suit the context of the question. That way, students will be able to take ownership of their writing and take their skills to even greater literary heights.

Attain Stellar Results with W@W!

English is a compulsory subject which all students must undertake. However, mastering the English language is not something which happens overnight – it takes consistent practice and effort to learn the nuances of the language. Students must read more and practice writing to gradually improve. Cramming for a language subject nearer to the exams is an impossible feat. After all, Rome was not built in a day! Attaining such a skill will have positive implications for not only your child’s education in school, but also employment prospects in future.

At WR!TERS@WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your child sitting for their English exams. With our carefully curated methods of teaching your child how to write well, your child will learn how to present their thoughts and arguments in a coherent and concise manner. W@W reinforces your child’s language skills and provides a strong foundation for their academic success, keeping up with all aspects of their progress both inside and outside of the classroom to nurture them holistically. For more information about how W@W makes a difference, feel free to explore our website and watch our YouTube videos!

If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WR!TERS@WORK has expanded to 8 convenient locations. To find the nearest location that suits your needs, please explore our options. If you have any inquiries regarding our range of programs or class schedules, please feel free to contact WR!TERS@WORK!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

1. What Do You Learn in English Writing Class?

Firstly, W@W teaches students how to break down the question to understand what is being asked of the student. Learning what the question wants is just as important as learning how to answer it. Next, students will learn how to use the Plot Curve to craft logical and coherent plots, and interesting, well-developed characters, all the while learning key phrases which broaden their vocabulary. Students will use ideas from all the lessons taught at W@W in the exam.

2. How Can I Improve My Child’s Creative Writing Skills?

Reading model compositions is one way to improve a child’s creative writing skills. After all, children cannot write about what they do not know. By reading how good essays are written and attempting to imitate them, children will pick up sentence mechanics and vocabulary they can use in their own exams. Reading more will also give students ideas about the various contexts they can write an essay about as they will be able to broaden their horizon of experiences.

3. Why is It Important to Take Writing Classes?

Writing is the most difficult literacy skill to be taught because it is a combination of many different skills. Students need to be logical and creative when writing to create a coherent plot while remembering how to use the correct sentence mechanics. Additionally, a wide range of vocabulary suited to the context must be used to create the correct imagery and tone.

4. What Age Do Kids Start Creative Writing?

Children may begin creative writing in primary school. In Singapore, children are required to do Situational Writing and Composition for their PSLE exams, which take place in Primary 6. Children may begin with simple prompts and first learn how to craft basic sentences, then move on to telling a story with a coherent plot which has a source of tension and then a resolution.