Have you seen stress and anxiety appear on a young learner’s face when prompted with a writing task? Dr. Tonia Randle, an ESL teacher for grades K-5, used to experience this every day. Then, she developed a brilliant fix for her classroom named “Shorten It.” The hack simplifies writing exercises and reduces stress for her young learners. This approach is especially beneficial for her ESL students, who might feel overwhelmed by lengthy writing tasks.
The hack: To reduce the anxiety of filling a whole blank page, this teacher cuts student composition notebooks and large lined sticky notes in half!
Dr. Randle’s hack focuses on making writing exercises more manageable by physically reducing the size of the materials. She uses half lined sticky notes for kindergarten through 2nd grade, while for grades 3 to 5, she cuts composition notebooks in half. This adjustment helps the students focus more on the quality of their writing rather than the quantity, a significant shift when preparing for state tests that require narrative writing skills.
How does the “Shorten It” hack work?
Here’s how you can implement Dr. Randle’s “Shorten It” hack:
1. Gather your materials.
You will need composition notebooks (or large lined sticky notes) and a sturdy cutting board, which are often found in school copy rooms.
2. Cut the notebooks or sticky notes in half.
Depending on your cutter’s capacity, you can slice one or more notebooks at a time to half their original size.
3. Label your new materials.
Use new labels to refurbish the notebooks after cutting. Since the original notebook label will be cut, re-labeling helps maintain a neat appearance.
Why is this hack effective?
Dr. Randle has noticed significant improvements with her students:
- Reduces anxiety: Smaller writing spaces make the task seem less daunting, encouraging students to start writing.
- Improves focus on quality: With limited space, students concentrate on expressing their thoughts clearly and concisely.
- Tracks progress: By keeping their writings in a folder, students can reflect on their progress throughout the school year, boosting their confidence and motivation.
Tips for successful implementation
Dr. Randle advises students to keep their sticky notes or halved pages in folders as a log for growth reflection. This practice helps students see their improvement and teaches them to take ownership of their learning journey. Dr. Randle uses this method for ESL students’ narrative writing, but teachers can adapt the concept across different grades and subjects. Teachers in other disciplines can use it for journal entries or science observations. This is a great way to focus students on content instead of filler words. No more word salads!