Digital writing tools: you might have had enough with them after teaching in 2020. However, there are many benefits to students when utilizing digital writing tools and skills in your classroom. Although hand writing is still essential to students, it’s important to continue to utilize digital technology for your writing instruction. Here are 7 reasons you need to use digital writing tools during in person learning.
It’s in the Standards
Firstly, most state standards require it. Of course, it varies in how and how much based on your state, but it’s in there. Students are required to research and draft writing pieces with the use of technology.
The common core writing standards for K-2 all require that students can, “With guidance and support from adults, explore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.”
Virginia state standards ask kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders to “use available technology for reading and writing.”
My home state of New Jersey uses similar wording to the common core standards as well.
So, simply put, it’s a requirement of the standards, so it’s important to do. However, that’s not the only valid reason to incorporate technology into your writing lessons.
It’s a necessary skill
Whether you approve or not, we’re living in a more and more digitally focused society. In 10, 15, 20 years from now, it’s not likely we’ll be using less technology. Most likely we’ll be using more. So, while we should certainly not only use digital tools with our students, they are already, and will continue to be, a large part of their life. How great that we can show them how to use them well!
Some students are more comfortable working digitally
There are many students who are extremely comfortable with a tablet or a laptop. Remember, you might not have grown up with this technology. I certainly didn’t. I remember phones that were attached to the wall with a cord, cassette tapes, payphones, and VHS tapes. However, we have students who only know a world of iPads, cell phones with cameras, and TV without commercials.
Allowing students to work in the realm and with mediums they’re comfortable with might produce surprising results. They might struggle with hand writing, but use voice to text to create an incredible poem! They might have a hard time drawing a detailed illustration, but create a beautiful collage of images from online. Of course we have to encourage our students to grow outside of their comfort zones, but there’s also nothing wrong with letting them work with what they know.
It teaches students to be flexible and adaptable
Just as we need to be adaptable and allow students to use different mediums and tools to produce their work, we can encourage this trait as well. Having students use books to research and hand write an informational piece has many benefits. Allowing students to create a digital informational piece also has many benefits. We’re ultimately showing them that there are options, and giving them the tools to choose the right options for a task. Eventually, students might have the knowledge to say “I’m going to research with these great non-fiction books, watch this informational video, and then hand draw my illustrations and add them to my typed report!” We are giving students the knowledge, confidence, and tools to eventually make wise decisions and adapt to different situations.
It teaches them that you can create similar work different ways
I have never regretted showing students a different way to do things. I will teach them different methods to add, different ways to try an experiment, and so on. Letting our students use digital tools and technology to create writing pieces shows them that there isn’t only one way. It’s a gift to give them the knowledge that writing, researching, and illustrating isn’t one size fits all.
It makes it easy to share work with parents
If students are creating some writing pieces digitally, it makes it so much easier to share their work with parents. You can have them share via Seesaw, have students email their parents the Google Slide link, or add it to your classroom website. The best part is that it gives parents the opportunity to comment on student work. I love this because I often kept writing pieces in my students’ portfolio at school. However, with digital writing, you can easily share work with parents.
It allows you to give students choice
Lastly, using digital tools with your students allows you to give them voice and choice in their work. Once they know what tools are available to them and how to use them, you can give them the freedom to pick the tools that they are comfortable with and match the task at hand. It can be very freeing for you and them!
So, if you aren’t already, give it a try! Your students might really surprise you with their writing abilities.
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