Fostering Reflective Writing by Structuring Writing-To-Learn Tasks

Abstract

Mature learning and thinking requires a reflective disposition. Due to the relation of writing in general, and reflective writing in particular, to knowledge production — writing may foster reflective learning and thinking in various academic domains. However, while adults may be either inclined or trained towards writing-to-reflect, children need to be educated to engage in it. The aim of the technique presented in this chapter is to offer a strategic framework for structuring & facilitating reflective writing for school children. It comprises nine writing-to-reflect acts: (1) Coordinating expectations from the learning resource at hand; (2) Relating it to prior knowledge; (3) Detecting & diagnosing difficulties in it; (4) Selecting relevant knowledge; (5) Judging the value of the learning source critically; (6) Deliberating its optional interpretations; (7) Transforming its structure conceptually; (8) Re-contextualizing the newly gained knowledge; (9) Linking: Assessing learning outcomes & creating new learning goals. The learners use these nine ‘reflection stops’ as optional writing opportunities. They select one or several of the ‘stops’, and start writing about a text they learn from, ‘entering’ and ‘re-entering it by performing the reflective acts each selected stop entails. Wide use of this technique from second to seventh grade has shown that the majority of children & teachers may benefit from using it- when it is introduced gradually and exercised flexibly andjudiciously.