An experimental approach to writing

Exercise 1: The class divides into 2-person teams, A and B. Each student A looks at an unfamiliar object and writes a description of it. (All the A’s look at the same object.) The description is then passed to student B, who has not seen the object. Student B draws a picture based entirely on the description. The entire class then compares all the drawings to one another and to the original object, and votes to determine the most accurate drawing. The team producing the best drawing wins a prize. The class then compares the descriptions and analyzes why some descriptions were more successful than others.

Exercise 2: The class divides into 3-person teams. Student A looks at an object and writes a description. Student B reads the description and makes a drawing. Students A and B then view the object and the drawing and consult together to discuss how the description could be improved. They collaborate to produce a revised description. The revised description is then passed to student C, who makes a new drawing. Then the class analyzes the drawings and descriptions as in Exercise 1.

In these exercises, the teacher serves only as a moderator or facilitator of the process and not as an arbiter of what constitutes good writing. The students are encouraged to develop their own criteria, independent of the judgment of the teacher. They also develop an appreciation of the value of teamwork and revision.