Writing
is one of the four language skills and the toughest to many. Writing is a
skill. Like any other skill, it needs time, patience and practice.
With ample time, patience and practice this
skill can be developed.
There are many
prewriting techniques which can be used to gain confidence. When used regularly
these techniques make writing not so intimidating.
One such pre-writing
techniques is Free Writing.
Free Writing (spelled as Freewriting
also) will definitely boost confidence as it shows that everyone has something
to write.
Free Writing 101
If
you write often, about topics of your own choosing as well as those assigned,
it’s like a workout.
If
you work out regularly, when it’s time to do heavy lifting like moving heavy
furniture it will be easier because you have developed the muscles. Similarly
the more often you write, the easier the task will become. Free Writing is a great work out to drive away the fear of writing.
1.
What is Free Writing?
It can
be defined as a free and unstructured style of writing.
There are certain rules to Free Writing.
1. write non-stop
at a comfortable pace within a time frame (usually 5-10 minutes)
2. write sentences (as against brainstorming)
3. don’t go back to check and make corrections to
what is already written (using pen instead of pencil is adviced)
And MOST IMPORTANTLY
- don’t worry about spelling, grammar or
punctuation. Just keep writing
Advantages
of Free Writing
- reduces
think time and procrastination
- increases
confidence as at the end of the stipulated time, every student would have
written something which can be reworked
- gives
new writing ideas
- gives
direction for the writing task
- sparks
creativity
- helps
students find relevant vocabulary and good language expressions
- gives
language ideas (vocabulary, phrases, themes, topics) that they can explore
further
- helps
identifying errors, logical sequencing (coherence) and gaps in ideas
- increases
fluency and coherence
-
makes passive vocabulary active
-
makes students less terrified of writing and make it more enjoyable
TOP TIP : Sometimes as free writing is done, we may not get the right word. In such a situation, following the rule, i.e. keep writing. Write the word in your mother tongue. This word can later be replaced and the writer gets to know the word in English.
Teacher’s instructions to students when the class
begins Free Writing
1.
begin writing when I say ‘start’
2. write
continuously at a comfortable speed. Don’t stop. Don’t stare to think and don’t
pause.
3. don’t
bother about spelling, punctuation or grammar
4. if
you don’t have anything to write, write ‘I don’t know what to write’. Keep
repeating this. Don’t stop writing.
5. no
erasing, cutting, editing, checking. Don’t go back to read what you have written.
6. write
all related and unrelated thoughts on the topic.
7. when I say ‘stop’, stop writing.
TOP TIP : Teacher must be seen Free writing right in front of the students. This motivates the students to keep writing.
Also read : 4 essentials to write great paragraphs
Focused
free writing
Focused free writing is writing on a specific
topic and trying to stay on the topic while freewriting. The topic will be
given at the time of free writing. As this is still free writing, set a time
limit and write without stopping.
Going a step further, students may be informed the topic on which they would be free writing. After a couple of days to prepare, set time for free writing on the topic.
Loop writing
Loop writing helps in achieving depth while free
writing.
Step
1: focused free writing
Step
2: read to identify interesting word/ phrase/ sentence
Step
3: the word/ phrase/ sentence may form the topic for further free writing
Step
4: repeat step 2 and step 3 as many times as needed
Free Writing for creative writing
As a Pre-lesson
connect to a theme/topic
Before beginning a text students may be asked to
free write for 5 - 10 minutes on that theme without stopping. This paves way
for bringing out the learners’ prior
knowledge. During the teaching of the text and after it is completed,
students may be given time to think about what they wrote and add on to their
knowledge on the said topic.
As a post-lesson
round-up
The end of a text/lesson is a great place for
Free writing. The 5-10 minutes they use to Free Write urges them to think of
what they had learnt. This is also an opportunity to get their creativity flow.
As the students start and continue writing, they
realize the level of their learning and they also start thinking critically and
meaningfully.
Sharing is caring
As writing is a means
of communication, make it imperative for the students to share their writing.
Students will definitely hesitate sharing what they have written. They may be
made to share their writing individually
with another student/ in a group/ with the teacher/ with the whole class. Sharing
gives the students new ideas, vocabulary and phrases.
The last mode of
sharing will be the most intimidating, but this should be encouraged. To
encourage them to share, the teacher should be the first to read out what is
written by her/him. This will act as a motivation for students to share their
writing.
Feedback need not be lengthy or in detail.
Common points may be discussed in detail.
Students may volunteer to comment on their peer’s writing.
They may also note whatever they liked in other’s writing to
be used in their own. Vocabulary should be an important aspect of feedback.
Relevant vocabulary may be listed with the teacher giving
inputs on better and more relevant words to be used.
Also Read : 5 steps to write good sentences
1. Short story: Stories from Panchatantra or any such
simple small story can be set as a prompt. It can be read out. A part of a text
or a chapter from a longer story may also act as prompt.
Note : keep the time limit for reading the story
to be less than 5 minutes.
2. Quotation:
simple, age appropriate, inspirational quotations
3.
Music
4. Photograph/
painting : from newspapers/magazines/ digital source
5.
Proverb
6.
Video/ Movie clipping
7. Topics such as -
1.define a friend.
2.describe the best day
of your life.
3.you are the editor of
a popular magazine. What are the things that you would include?
4.you are incharge of
your class for a day. What would you change?
5.pick a word from the
dictionary and use it in the first sentence of your writing.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
0 Comments