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knowledge. Active learning can be complex, but using low-stakes writing, in-class writing exercises can easily
‘activate’ the classroom and requires minimal planning and materials.
Additionally, asking students to stop and write during a class meeting can provide an opportunity for students to
practice recalling information, and also allows students the time and space to practice writing about the subject at
hand. Low-stakes writing assignments enhances student understanding by providing students an opportunity to
explore, conceptualize, and integrate ideas with minimal risk.
Small and frequent writing assignments can be an excellent way for both instructors and students to assess
progress and check for understanding. If students find that they are unable to write about a given question, that
provides real-time feedback for the student regarding what areas need attention. Similarly, if students find they
can confidently complete the writing assignment, they will know they are on the right track. Even when these
assignments are not graded, collecting low-stakes writing assignments can quickly give an instructor a picture of
how the class is progressing as a whole. Instructors can collect the students’ writing and flip through responses to
quickly produce an accurate picture of where their students are.
Finally, it is important to remember why higher stakes writing has long been a favorite assignment in higher
education. Writing is powerful, and the process of writing requires students to form and articulate their own
thoughts, opinions, and arguments. Writing requires students to exhibit creativity and thoughtfulness, and helps
students learn material better and for an extended period of time, regardless of the subject- and this is as true for
shorter writing processes such as notetaking as it is for longer processes such as essay writing. Why not harness
the power of writing throughout the semester?
TYPES OF LOW-STAKES WRITING
FREE-WRITING IN THE CLASSROOM
Free-writing assignments are writing exercises typically done in class that do not conform to any particular or
standardized structure, but allows students to write freely in response to prompts generated by the instructor.
There are a number of ways to employ free-writing in the classroom, and four ways are described below.
In-Class Warm Up
In this exercise, an instructor assigns free-writing at the beginning of a class meeting. An instructor may choose a
question related to an assigned reading, or may pull a provocative quote or controversial statement that relates
to course content, or an instructor might ask students to recall three main points from the previous meeting.
These questions are projected onto a screen or written on a board, and students are asked to begin class by
responding freely in writing for the first few minutes of class.
This exercise accomplish several things. First of all, if students expect free-writing as part of their daily routine,
there is a level of accountability built into the course structure that can encourage student to complete reading
assignments more thoughtfully. It also encourages students to be actively engaged in the material from the first
few minutes of class, and this can be helpful to get students interested and perhaps excited about the remainder
of the class. Finally, if discussion is part of the class design, asking students to write down their thoughts at the
beginning of class can help establish a base for any subsequent discussion. As students have already written their
Linda Nilson, Teaching at its Best (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010), 167.
Angelo, T.A. & Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for College Instructors
(San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993), 119.