Class 8 Reflections

The Writing Process

A few more layers above the reading process - which is already a pretty complex process!

Task Analysis: You need to write a letter to the school board to convince them to purchase iPads for your school.  Consider all the steps required to complete the task.

Hmm.. Need to have had rich general experiences, know what iPads are, motivation to convince board, attention... picking up pencil - find the tool needed, locate - vision, get up and get it - fine motor, pick it up - reach, visual motor planning... proprioception - hand eye coordination.... At this point, the point had been made!

The task of writing a letter to the school board and the discussion that followed was very effective in demonstrating the complexity of the writing process.  We need to have and integrate a lot of prior knowledge and experiences to complete what (many/most) would consider to be a fairly simple task.  However, when you have any one piece of the puzzle missing - the task becomes a much different request.  If you have more pieces missing, it might seem down right impossible!  The graphic below demonstrates just how complex the process is.  Although it is not very clearly visible, what is highly visible is the complexity of the image!

A Complex Skill: Writing Task Analysis

Since having this discussion, I have started to look differently at those students who seem to have difficulty getting started when the task at hand involves writing.  Although I still want to fall back on motivation as one explanation, even if this is the case, it is likely a learned defense mechanism developed over the previous 5 years in school!  It has reminded me of the need to demonstrate more empathy for these students, and the necessity of determining what the block might be, and how we can overcome it!