Have you ever seen stress or anxiety appear in the faces of young learners when prompted on a writing task? Dr. Toniar Randle, a K-5 grade ESL teacher, experienced this every day. She then developed a great modification to a classroom called “Shortened.” Hacks simplify writing exercises and reduce stress for young learners. This approach is particularly beneficial for ESL students and can be overwhelmed by the lengthy writing tasks.
Hack: To reduce the anxiety of filling an entire blank page, this teacher cuts the student’s composition notebook and the large lined sticky notebook in half!
Dr. Randle’s hack focuses on making lighting exercises more manageable by physically reducing the size of the material. She uses semi-patterned sticky notebooks for kindergarten through second grade, and for third to fifth grades, she cuts the composition notebook in half. This adjustment helps students focus more on the quality of their writing than the amount that is a significant change in preparing for state tests that require story writing skills.
How does the “abbreviated” hack work?
Here’s how to implement Dr. Randle’s “shortened” hack:
1. Collect your ingredients.
You’ll need a composition notebook (or a sticky note with a large lined) and a sturdy cutting board that is common in school copy rooms.
2. Cut the notebook or sticky note in half.
Depending on the capacity of the cutter, you can slice one or more notebooks at a time into half their original size.
3. Label the new material.
Use the new label to renovate the notebook after cutting. The original notebook label is cut, so relabeling helps maintain a neat look.
Dr. Randle Dr. Randle
Why is this hack effective?
Dr. Randle noticed significant improvements with his students.
Reduce anxiety: Small writing spaces reduce task difficulty and encourage students to begin writing. Improve your focus on quality: Due to limited space, students focus on expressing their ideas clearly and concisely. Track Progress: Keeping your writings in folders allows students to reflect on their progress throughout the school year, increasing their confidence and motivation.
Tips for a successful implementation
Dr. Randle recommends that you store sticky notes or half pages in a folder as a log for growth reflections. This practice helps students to see their improvements and take ownership of their learning journey. Dr. Randle uses this method to write stories for ESL students, but teachers can adapt concepts to a variety of grades and subjects. Teachers in other fields can be used for journal entries and scientific observations. This is a great way to focus students on content instead of filler words. There’s no more salad with words!
