Freewriting, Prompts and Feedback
Kenneth J. Dickson Chinese Culture University (Taipei, Taiwan)
Introduction
Playing chess requires precision, mistakes are obviously penalized, and you have to know what your strategy is, otherwise you will lose the game. However, using these skills when facing a blank page can be quite counterproductive, creating frustration, disappointment, and even resentment among students when they attempt to write fluently.
Freewriting can help students overcome the sense of block. Jacobs outlines the nature of freewriting as having three important aspects "concentrating on content, not worrying about form, and writing without stopping" (Jacobs, 1986). As such, freewriting offers a student-centered activity that can benefit writing class students significantly by helping ease their expectations of themselves and their writing while at the same time increasing their sense of motivation to write in English. This article outlines the basic method for freewriting, introduces variations, and details practical ways to make the best of freewriting. This type of exercise encourages students to overcome their reticence in writing by providing both the opportunities and stimulation to write.
I. What is `Freewriting`?
Freewriting is an opportunity for students to write freely for a brief period in each class, usually 10 minutes or thereabouts. This offers students a rewarding experience of writing because it can avoid the inhibitions which normally influence writing, inhibitions that have developed since first grade of elementary school, i.e. writing had to be clear, correct and neat. ESL students especially can benefit as their level of competency develops. To be successful, though, freewriting, while free for the students, still requires the teacher to be organized, disciplined and methodical.
Method
At the beginning of each class, allocate about 15-20 minutes for the whole freewriting exercise. The basic process can be broken down into four steps.
1. Preparing for writing
Students must prepare a piece of paper, or a notebook, and a pen. Freewriting is usually best done as the first activity in class because other activities, anxiety over assignments, and classroom stress may all interrupt or even hinder the creative process. Freewriting needs space, time and a certain degree of freedom from anxiety.
2. Setting up the task
Jacobs advises nine basic criteria for freewriting in an ESL environment (284) while Elbow describes clearly and simply the philosophy of freewriting in Writing Without Teachers:
"The idea is simply to write for 10 minutes ... Don`t stop for anything. Go quickly without rushing. Never stop to look back, to cross something out, to wonder how to spell something, to wonder what word or thought to use, or to think about what you are doing. If you can`t think of a spelling, just use a squiggle or else write, `I can`t think of it.` Just put down something. The easiest thing is just to put down whatever is in your mind. If you get stuck it`s fine to write `I can`t think of anything to say, I can`t think of anything to say` as many times as you want; or repeat the last word you wrote over and over again; or anything else. The only requirement is that you never stop." (3)
3. Freewriting
Initially the teacher may provide an example of what to do themselves by sitting in front of the class and doing the same task. However, the other role as facilitator of freewriting is also important. Ensuring that students aren`t correcting, changing what they wrote, consulting their dictionary, or one of the hundred and one other activities that distract or interrupt students writing. Moreover, merely acting as an encourager can also provide students with the necessary reminder to remain focused on the task at hand. This is not a test, but it does require concentration. An involved teacher can play an important role, here.
4. Post-writing
Warning them that the time is up about 2 minutes before the end helps to round up the class activity. Students write their name at the top and may be asked to note the number of words in that particular freewriting. The teacher can collect paper or notebooks for later reading although no explicit correction or grading should be carried out on the papers. Freewriting like this may form an important element of a portfolio of writing.
Follow-up Suggestions
If this is the first time for freewriting, a survey or short discussion afterwards may provide the teacher with extra opportunities to explain any aspects that are still unclear, deal with reactions to the exercise, and handle any difficulties that arose. In general, freewriting needs to be done regularly throughout the semester to foster more involvement from the students. Elbow reckons three times a week as the minimum (3). However, most class schedules are less frequent than that. Students can be encouraged to write more frequently in their own time, perhaps even keeping a journal. Increased frequency of writing should at the very least resolve most of the difficulties in the early stages. Outstanding problems, however, may persist.
II. Dealing with Problems
Five different kinds of writers suffer problems during freewriting. Identifying the symptoms will help you spot those having difficulty with the task and