Last Updated on December 11, 2023 by The Smetz Files
In this post I outline three reasons bookmaking is important for student literacy.
Teachers,
Do you have a kid who is resistant to reading? Have them make a book.
Are you teaching a kid who is learning letters? Have them make an alphabet book.
What about that kid who only reads graphic novels? Have them make one!
Throughout my teaching career I have used writing and bookmaking to leverage student voice and extend their literacy skills beyond what the standards suggest are necessary for proficiency. I am a proponent of student writing for many reasons, here are a few:
Writing gives students ownership.
One of the many things I learned collecting my dissertation data was that kids have deep thoughts and wonderings that do not always surface in traditional learning activities. When we mandate what assignments kids complete we remove them from the process of demonstrating their learning. Writing gives students ownership, when they can choose the topic. Which leads me to another reason I love leveraging writing, it promotes creativity.
Writing promotes creativity.
Writing promotes creativity. Kids walk around with ideas in their heads all the time. Writing gives them a tool to explore and play with their ideas. We’re constantly thinking and kids are too! Giving them time and space to write opens up possibilities for their creativity to flourish. Giving them time and space to share their work helps them see how others’ work creatively influences their own. Such idea sharing promotes connections amongst kids.
Writing substantiates learning.
My doctoral chair is known for his ‘blank page experiment’.
Essentially when you are faced with explaining a topic he tasks you with taking out a blank sheet of paper and writing down all the things you know about said topic. He suggests this is better than studying notes or cramming for a test.
If you can write about it and draw connections, you know the content deeply, thus writing substantiates learning. In a world where we prioritize regurgitation of facts or snippets of information, writing about what you know about a topic solidifies your learning. If you find your paper mostly blank, well that’s a good indication you need to learn more.
Writing is multipurpose. It gives us great insights into who the author is, it helps us understand what our learners know about a topic, and it can be a space for kids to hone their creative skills and connect with others.
If you’re searching for what to do with your students, try bookmaking. Give them the time, put out the supplies, and step back and watch the writing happen. I leveraged bookmaking with my first grade students and my undergraduate students alike. I was never disappointed in the writing they created and the books they made…and they weren’t either!
Read more on the blog!
