According to the 2011 writing report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 27% of 8th and 12th grade students performed at or above proficient in writing. Poor writing skills affect students beyond high school, too. In 2017, the New York Times reported that 40% of students who took the ACT “lacked the reading and writing skills necessary to complete successfully a college-level English composition class.”
While there are many writing strategies designed to isolate specific skills, there are few resources designed to motivate students to clearly express their ideas. For many students, writing feels repetitive and boring because they write only to their teachers or classmates every day. Teachers often struggle to figure out how to teach writing in a way that feels authentic to students.
Fortunately, new resources such as PenPal Schools help to motivate students by providing an authentic audience for their ideas. By connecting every student with a group of peers, students have the opportunity to share their opinions in a fun and authentic way. Global connections not only make writing authentic, they also enable students to share perspectives with peers who may hold very different beliefs.
While there are many writing strategies designed to isolate specific skills, there are few resources designed to motivate students to clearly express their ideas. For many students, writing feels repetitive and boring because they write only to their teachers or classmates every day. Teachers often struggle to figure out how to teach writing in a way that feels authentic to students.
Fortunately, new resources such as PenPal Schools help to motivate students by providing an authentic audience for their ideas. By connecting every student with a group of peers, students have the opportunity to share their opinions in a fun and authentic way. Global connections not only make writing authentic, they also enable students to share perspectives with peers who may hold very different beliefs.
Here are 4 writing skills that students can improve through global project based learning.
Structure
Students are motivated to express themselves clearly when writing for an authentic audience. To accomplish this, they must use a clear structure to organize their thoughts. Global connections motivate students to improve every part of their writing structure, from stating a claim to organizing a paragraph.
When Alexey from Ukraine participated in World Explorer, his clear writing structure helped his PenPals learn more about life in Ukraine. He includes a hook, a clear main idea, supporting details, and a conclusion:
When Alexey from Ukraine participated in World Explorer, his clear writing structure helped his PenPals learn more about life in Ukraine. He includes a hook, a clear main idea, supporting details, and a conclusion:
When writing to PenPals, students learn from what their peers write and from the feedback they receive on their own writing. PenPals aren’t shy when something is confusing or unconvincing! This helps students identify which parts of their writing they need to improve and make immediate adjustments throughout a written conversation.
Supporting an Argument
Students are more motivated to express themselves clearly when they care about the topic! By exploring topics like Joining Forces for the Environment, Robotics, and Explorers & Adventurers, students are prompted to share their ideas about a variety of real-world issues. By providing non-fiction texts and engaging videos to support the PenPal discussion, PenPal Schools enables students to support their claims with evidence.
Providing Details
In a world dominated by text messages and emojis, it’s hard to get students to write anything of substance! Global connections can help to motivate students to include more details in their writing. Students may include extra details to help prove a point, or just because they are excited and proud to share about their lives and their communities! Peers often ask questions to learn more, prompting students to elaborate and expand their thinking.
When Alina from Russia participated in PenPal Schools’ World Explorer project she provided a lot of details about her life in Russia. She not only describes her day-to-day life, but she also describes the sounds of her school, how she travels, and the bustle of daily life in the city.
When Alina from Russia participated in PenPal Schools’ World Explorer project she provided a lot of details about her life in Russia. She not only describes her day-to-day life, but she also describes the sounds of her school, how she travels, and the bustle of daily life in the city.
Spelling and Grammar
Teachers are often underprepared to teach grammar, and the National Council of Teachers of English recommends that teachers focus more on meaningful reading, writing, listening, and speaking and less on isolated grammar lessons. Anyone who has taught writing has experienced this challenge. Motivating students to want to write can be even more difficult than teaching them how to write.
The key to improving spelling and grammar is to provide constructive feedback. Fortunately, peers aren’t shy about correcting their PenPals’ mistakes! Many students around the world collaborate in English because it is a popular common language, and English language learners around the world rely on spelling, grammar, and punctuation conventions to communicate effectively. Students can help support each other with spelling, grammar, and punctuation by providing immediate feedback to each other.
Even with peer feedback, teacher feedback is still important to help students to develop their writing skills. With the PenPal Schools teacher dashboard, educators can assess their students' work across a variety of learning objectives to help them improve:
The key to improving spelling and grammar is to provide constructive feedback. Fortunately, peers aren’t shy about correcting their PenPals’ mistakes! Many students around the world collaborate in English because it is a popular common language, and English language learners around the world rely on spelling, grammar, and punctuation conventions to communicate effectively. Students can help support each other with spelling, grammar, and punctuation by providing immediate feedback to each other.
Even with peer feedback, teacher feedback is still important to help students to develop their writing skills. With the PenPal Schools teacher dashboard, educators can assess their students' work across a variety of learning objectives to help them improve:
PenPal Schools learning objectives are aligned to a variety of academic standards, including Common Core State Standards and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.
Global connections are a fantastic way to engage students in their writing. When writing for an authentic audience, students are motivated to structure their ideas clearly, support their claims with evidence, and use correct spelling and grammar. PenPal Schools collaborative projects begin every Monday, so enroll today to get your student excited to write!
Additional writing strategies and tools related to How to Teach Writing:
Getting Started with PenPal Schools
How to Get Better Responses from Your PenPals
How to Align PenPal Schools with Academic Standards
Guide Student Learning with Assessment Tools
Global connections are a fantastic way to engage students in their writing. When writing for an authentic audience, students are motivated to structure their ideas clearly, support their claims with evidence, and use correct spelling and grammar. PenPal Schools collaborative projects begin every Monday, so enroll today to get your student excited to write!
Additional writing strategies and tools related to How to Teach Writing:
Getting Started with PenPal Schools
How to Get Better Responses from Your PenPals
How to Align PenPal Schools with Academic Standards
Guide Student Learning with Assessment Tools
