Engaging the Reluctant Writer

I recently read Shaun Hawthorne's Thesis : Engaging the reluctant writer- The nature of reluctance to write and the effect of a self regulation strategy training programme on the engagement and writing performance of reluctant writers in secondary school English.

I chose this to help with our writing inquiry as it was based on evidence from what is happening in New Zealand and although the focus was secondary school much of what was expressed resonated with me and was relevant to our writing focus for our Year 5/ 6 students The studies reported in Shaun’s thesis examine the way engagement and motivational theories provide insight and understanding into how to engage, more effectively, reluctant writers. These reluctant writers possibly make up a lot of our statistics. I liked that student voice about the barriers to engagement they face with writing in the English classroom were explored.

Interestingly the beliefs of experienced English teachers about students reluctance to write was a significant issue. The teachers identified the behaviours and beliefs they believed students exhibited and described what they tried to do to improve student engagement with writing. As part of the study a questionnaire was designed for students to explore how to measure different levels of engagement with writing . The focus groups were sorted into engaged and reluctant writers. Results from the focus group study clarified differences and similarities between the two writing groups and helped refine what was important in engaging writers with school writing tasks. The results suggest interest in a topic and the perceived relevance of the task to students are the main factors influencing engagement. Other findings suggest reluctant writers are more likely to be influenced by teacher, self-belief and knowledge as well as skill factors than engaged writers who are more likely to want some choice and control over their own writing. Some gender differences also appeared. In particular, girls appeared to be more aware of the influence of self-belief factors on engagement, and interestingly reluctant girls appeared to be particularly influenced by teacher factors.

Another part of the study focus was an intervention study exploring the impact a self-regulation strategy development treatment had on the engagement and writing performance of Year 10 students.

Some examples of student voice in the study :

ALEX- The more you care about the topic the more you’ll care about the writing.
ALICE- If you give people topics that they are interested in or motivated about that helps.
SHELLY- The more you write about something that you don’t want to write about, the more you hate writing and don’t want to do it. DAN (People) just can’t be bothered. The topic’s not interesting or they just don’t like writing
DEREK -I don’t like writing essays about things that I don’t give a crap about, basically.
TOM- Topics. There’s just nothing of interest. It’s just a waste of time if you don’t
like it.

Shaun's research suggests reluctant writers were more likely to attribute their reluctance to write to factors associated with the teacher than engaged students were. The following comments from students in the reluctant writer groups highlight teacher behaviours that students felt would affect their engagement with their writing:

DIANE- Some teachers just explain it, to the point where they think that they’ve done

enough explaining... and then they look at us like we should know by now.

DEBRA- Teacher’s are good when they’re not like too strict but when they will help you

and listen to you.

TRELICE- Explain things properly. Instead of just making us write it down and we don’t

know what to do.

TANIA- The way they teach it. Teachers need to explain things better than they do.

In Shaun's study girls made 37 (63%) of the 59 comments on Self-Belief Factors. This result suggested that girls might be more aware of the potential effects that students’ beliefs about themselves as writers could have on their engagement with writing. 

Shaun’s thesis attempts to bring together and merge insights from writing and motivation research in order to help reluctant writers become engaged with the process of writing. Student ‘disengagement’ from written academic tasks is an increasing concern among many secondary school teachers. Also notably, most research into writing and aspects of motivation or engagement has focused either on the emergent writer or on the adult writer. 

Procedural engagement is the type of engagement students who capably go through the motions at school show, whereas substantive engagement is the type of engagement shown by students who question much of the content, purpose and ideas of a task. Interestingly those who question the content, purpose and ideas are committed learners who sustain engagement beyond the classroom.

These results are of concern because students need to be able to express their written thoughts and knowledge effectively if they are to participate actively in modern society. If they demonstrate reluctance to write at school students may not improve their skill in writing to the extent required in our information based society. This may lead to further lack of engagement within society.

It is important for us to focus on ensuring students are exposed to interesting topics and that motivation is prioritised. It could be interesting to survey students about their attitudes and beliefs in relation to writing using the template in Shaun's thesis.We need to ignite in students a lifelong love of writing and in particular encourage perseverance with a task as persevering does improve engagement. It is important that we allow more time and direction to edit a piece of writing, that we increase feedback: teacher, self and peer. The information in this thesis suggests we need to consider allowing choice for whom children attend writing workshops around and what teacher they work with.

We need to allow students to view themselves as able writers. This self belief aspect could improve the attitudes of students now and in future years.