Benefits for Learners

Learners model good writing for themselves and for other learners. In every piece of writing, no matter how short or full of mistakes, there will be something—a word, an image, a joke, an example that gets the point across, or something that makes the reader smile or cry or remember. That is good writing.

Learners who are confident something good will be found in their writing are more likely to write more, and write more often. That in itself improves writing skills.

Learners’ confidence increases when you find some things worth pointing out as examples of good writing. This confidence supports them in their next writing assignment.

Learners write more often, and they write longer, clearer, and more interesting pieces. Grammar and sentence structure improve. Punctuation improves.

Learners notice their skills growing. Their previous experience with writing has been hearing over and over again all the ways they are wrong, but here the value in their work is recognized and celebrated. They learn to talk about what they do well and to understand the effect their writing has on the reader.

Learners’ confidence and success build a generosity of spirit, which leads them to participate actively in the success of others.

The writing group builds a strong and positive community, because everyone has something to teach to, and learn from, others. Interacting in a positive way with each other's writing helps form a co-operative working group in the classroom.

Learners hear and benefit from the feedback given to other learners, so that the effectiveness of the work you do in responding to one learner’s work is multiplied by the number of learners who hear it.

Learners take an active role in analyzing what makes writing good. They are asked to give feedback in accordance with their increasing ability to verbalize the qualities of good writing.

Learners learn to think of their audience. They develop a stronger interest in editing and proofreading their work when they see that it helps other learners to understand the writing, and to read it the way the writer intended.

Learners begin to edit more carefully. What will engage the reader? What will help them understand? What will persuade them? Learners begin to articulate an analysis of what makes one choice of words or one type of organization better than another. Thinking about the audience and careful editing are the foundations of skilled writing.