Teaching Conventions in an Evolving World
We live in an exciting time for teaching writing. The ways we write have dramatically expanded—from traditional essays and reports to blogging and texting. There are so many formats for expressing ourselves via the written word. For teachers of writing, this evolution presents a challenge. With so many informal writing contexts now available, the role of conventions is often overlooked. Educators frequently find that the writing their students produce for class assignments misses the mark when it comes to conventions.
So, what are conventions? Conventions in writing refer to the standard use of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other elements of written communication. Something as simple as a missing capital letter or a period can change the meaning of a sentence.
Writing doesn’t always require formality. However there are times when writing conventions matter immensely. As educators it is our responsibility to teach conventions and ensure that students fully understand the context in which they are writing and the expectations of their specific audience.
Why Teaching Conventions Still Matters
Conventions provide a framework for clear communication. When writers follow the standard usage rules of grammar, punctuation, and spelling, their ideas and arguments are easier for readers to understand.
The skillful use of conventions conveys professionalism and credibility. When writers use proper grammar and spelling, they demonstrate that they take their task seriously. This can be especially important in professional settings where a writer’s career could be impacted.
The use of conventions impacts audience as well. Proper grammar and punctuation make a writer’s work easier to read for striving readers or multilingual readers whose first language is not English. Following conventions makes writing more inclusive and ensures that it reaches the widest possible audience.
Conventions are also important for engaging the reader. When a writer attends to conventions, their writing flows smoothly from one idea to the next. The use of conventions makes writing a pleasure to read.
Conventions, Flexibility, and Code Switching
As we consider how to teach our students about the use of writing conventions, we might ask ourselves: What does an astute writer look like in today’s digital age?
Let’s consider what Graham & Perin state in the Writing Next Report:
“Most contexts of life (school, the workplace, and the community) call for some level of writing skill, and each context makes overlapping, but not identical, demands. Proficient writers can adapt their writing flexibly to the context in which it takes place” (p. 9).
So, to put it plainly, proficient writers are mindful writers. Students must develop the discernment, flexibility, and the skills to shift their writing as they move between the various spaces in which they write.
If students can master the differences between formal and informal writing spaces, the readers of their writing will better comprehend what the writer is trying to convey.
Proficient writers are mindful writers. Students must develop the discernment, flexibility, and the skills to shift their writing as they move between the various spaces in which they write
Students are quite capable of code switching (Wheeler & Swords, 2004) when taught to do so and given the chance to practice. For instance, students should learn that an email to a teacher or their manager would constitute formal writing in which they should follow conventions and grammar rules.
On the other hand, if a student is sending a text message to their best friend, they can be freer and more casual. Learning to use the type of writing for the space they are in has real-world consequences: If we don’t teach students that it is inappropriate to include text talk in an email to a potential employer, that can lead to them not getting the job.
Integrate—Don’t Isolate—the Teaching of Conventions
Differentiation between formal and informal writing is only part of the equation. The question still remains of how we teach conventions to students.
Writing professionals, such as Constance Weaver, Jeff Anderson, English teachers, and literacy researchers, have been arguing about the best way to teach our students conventions for over 100 years. But there are some points that most can agree on.
To have a demonstrable effect on students’ abilities as writers, the instruction of conventions must be integrated.
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) even passed a resolution that states:
“…the use of isolated grammar and usage exercises not supported by theory and research is a deterrent to the improvement of students’ speaking and writing and that, in order to improve both of these, class time at all levels must be devoted to opportunities for meaningful listening, speaking, reading and writing.” (NCTE, 1985).
Students learn best when they are taught within context. It is important for teachers to examine closely what students struggle with in terms of conventions, and turn those struggles into powerful lessons that students can benefit from.
Don’t Prohibit Certain Ways of Writing
Equally important, telling students they can’t write a certain way can create apprehension, dissatisfaction, and even a dislike towards writing. As educators, we want our students to feel empowered to play with their writing and freely express their ideas—even as they learn to discern between the demands of different writing contexts.
After all, that freedom to express themselves, along with exposure to high-quality mentor texts, is key to how students find their voice as writers.
Conclusion
Skilled writers have a strong understanding of conventions, and they wield them with discernment based on the particular type of writing and audience.
This requires educators to be equally discerning in how we teach conventions. Specifically we must teach conventions within the context of students’ own writing, not in isolated exercises. We must also encourage students to consider how conventions work within the different formal and informal writing spaces they experience every day.
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References
Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). Writing next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools — A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
Wheeler, R.S. & Swords, R. (2004). Codeswitching: Tools of language and culture transform the dialectally diverse classroom. Language Arts, 81(6), 470.
National Council of Teachers of English. (1985). Resolution on grammar exercises to teach speaking and writing. Retrieved from http://ncte.org/positions/statements/grammarexercises.
Related:
Read An Interview with Joan Sedita: Evidence-Based Writing Instruction, the Writing Rope, and Reading-Writing Reciprocity.
Read more about Reading and Writing: Reciprocal Opportunities to Become Both Brilliant and Infinite.
Read An Interview with Watercress Author Andrea Wang and Illustrator Jason Chin.