From Pencils to E-mails: The 21st Century Writer

The Importance of Writing
Technology advancements continue to shape how we live our lives and communicate with one another. Writing has gone through many changes over the last few decades and takes on many forms. Whether it be an e-mail to a friend or writing an essay, writing is an important part of growth and is a necessary skill that all students need to develop.

The Writing Strand
The Writing strand has four overall expectations, which are outlined in The Ontario Curriculum. These four expectations are listed in the picture to the right. I find that these expectations align with the writing process; brainstorm, draft, edit/revise, and reflect on feedback. Within each stage, specific skills and strategies are developed within the student and need to be harnessed to write effectively.

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Students of the World
The Pen Pal program has been around for a while and takes on many different forms. While I had a Pen Pal in elementary school, to whom I wrote via pencil and paper, the Pen Pal has transformed into a form of writing that is easily accessible. Students of the World is a website where students can write to other students via e-mail. This form of communication allows students to brainstorm topics, draft letters and talk to students almost immediately. Writing to a Pen Pal not only addresses the Writing strand, it also incorporates the Reading strand and Media Literacy strand I discussed in previous posts. Taking a curriculum expectation and applying it to the real world is the best way to engage students!

Writing Takes on Many Forms

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Writing is not the same as it was in the beginning of the 20th Century. Only recently have we been able to communicate through a various forms. Some of these forms include advertisements, letters, newspaper articles, online blogs, e-mails, and many other forms of social media. Students in the 21st Century have been exposed to writing from a very young age and have developed skills that teachers need to acknowledge and use. Looking back at the Overall Expectations of Writing outlined above, this strand of writing can be developed using a multitude of forms and teachers need to be aware of this opportunity.

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Writing In the 21st Century
For many students, writing has always been thought of as a strenuous task. Sitting down and writing a four-page paper may be an effective way for some students to explore a topic or explain their thoughts, but many students have struggled with this task and continue to struggle. I'm not saying that it shouldn't be expected of students write this way, but allowing them to explore different opportunities will help them to develop fundamental skills. Within my placement, I have been lucky enough to see my teacher explore many forms of writing. Allowing students to develop writing skills while enjoying the process is far more effective than having them write an essay where they may struggle with length, organization and overall fluidity.

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How Can I Help Students Develop a Strong Vocabulary?
As I become more involved in my placement, I want to ensure that I am helping students develop their writing skills. Throughout my program and in my placement school, the Word Wall has been a strategy discussed and I feel is extremely helpful to students. Allowing students to look a list of words can help them develop their word choice, which is a specific expectation present in every grade's curriculum. Reading is another way that students can develop their vocabulary. Giving students the opportunity to explore different books is a great way to expose them to new words.


"You can make anything by writing" - C.S. Lewis