AI Era: Should We Still Teach Kids to Write?
Reading Time: 11 minutes Listen to the podcast version:
Ink or Delete: The Future of Writing Education
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is here.
It isn’t going away.
We have been using it for years.
Examples include: facial recognition software, what is now “talk to text” which started early with a voice recorder app, Facebook’s “algorithm” of connecting people, Alexa and Siri, exercise wristbands, and medical apps to help monitor existing conditions or recognize if there will be a problem.
AI has just gotten a lot more sophisticated.
Maybe we noticed it more and are much more leery of it because these other examples came on us more slowly.
They also were “helpmates” to our existing way of life.
Now, the AI technology has become so sophisticated in such a short time, that it is hard for many of us to see the good that will come out of it.
Many of us see loss of jobs because AI will be able “to do that.”
Others, who remember SkyNet, see “The Terminator.”
And then there are just the simple ones of us who don’t want to have to learn something new.
I really never thought I would be in that group that said:
“If it was good enough when I was growing up…”
Why do I care enough about AI to tell you about it?
I have spoken a lot about the educational system.
I talk extensively to my homeschool moms and my “wannabe’s” about ways to educate at home, more powerfully.
It is my responsibility to look at AI in reference to education and let you know my thoughts.
Papers, school papers, any type of essay, on any topic, can now be generated by AI.
The question must be asked:
Should we still be asking and teaching our children to write papers in light of the capabilities of AI?
I am torn.
I majored in English and Spanish and got my master’s in teaching.
I specialize in teaching kiddos to write, yet even I am torn on this controversial issue.
I have already given up the need for heavy instruction in editing skills.
If you read how to pick the perfect writing curriculum or what to avoid, you will see that many programs are only teaching editing and calling that writing instruction.
This, to me, is a travesty when every computer, tablet, and phone will point out to the student what the program believes has found an error, where it is, and what it is.
The child only has to know enough to recognize what the error may or may not be and have the skills to look up what the answer should be if they do not already know.
The world has advanced.
There is so much children need to be taught in order to be able to function well in their world as adults.
Do we really want to waste critical instruction time teaching skills that can be corrected…or generated by a computer?
I have had to do a lot of soul searching.
I went back to the WHY.
Why do we teach our children what we do, not just writing, but all of it?
I believe that if we ask this question then we can step away from the emotional need to cling to specific ideologies.
I will not have an answer, tied with a lovely ribbon for you in the conclusion.
This is one of those wonderful articles where someone with a lot of knowledge on the topic puts together, after a lot of thought, a concise set of arguments so that you can make your own determinations.
This topic is so big and has so much baggage to cling to, that I am going to make it as easy as possible.
I love lists.
I am going to ask questions and list the answers.
The part you will love is when you see the overlapping answers.
What is the purpose of learning to write different types of essays like narratives, expositors, persuasive and descriptive?
Organize Thoughts: writing teaches children how to arrange ideas in a logical sequence and present arguments in a coherent manner.
*Do you remember the “hamburger” for writing? Children learn first when they “see” it all in writing.
If, at the end of this article, you decide that teaching our child to write is important and…
If your child needs extra instruction in writing and they have not learned the hamburger method…
I have done a mini program “Writing Made Easy” that walks your child through, step by step, in creating a beautifully created paragraph.
I have examples of each step.
I started my 6th graders here, because most did not know how to construct a basic paragraph welll.
This is the basis for a longer writing.
Critical Thinking: writing requires a person to analyze information, evaluate arguments, and form logical conclusions.
*This is the main reason writing is said to boost problem solving skills.
Communication Skills: an individual must articulate their thoughts, ideas, and arguments in an effective manner so that another can “hear” what they are saying.
*This is why I love teaching persuasive writing-you can’t ask for a raise or even a job without this skill.
Research Skills: I know, you are saying AI can do my research too.
Yes, however, there is so much “out there” that writing helps a child learn to find credible sources (although that is getting more difficult), evaluate different information, and synthesize knowledge from different perspectives.
*This skill helps a person learn, especially important today, that that perspective may be giving me this account based on who they are, where they live, or what they are experiencing.
Analytical Skills: the very process of writing an essay is taking a big topic and making it smaller and more digestible for a specific audience.
The writer learns to break down complex topics, analyze different viewpoints (not only from sources or research, but also their audience), and critically evaluate evidence.
*Someone who has analytical savvy can tailor make a persuasive essay or argument for a specific group of people and then make the same argument in a different audience in a completely different way.
That is an impressive list.
If I were to stop right here, I could make the argument that of course, we should keep teaching writing to our children.
Slam dunk!
Or is it?
I told you, this is your suitcase to unpack.
Many schools have eliminated handwriting from the curriculum.
And yet, I could make a great argument for handwriting as well.
Why should children learn handwriting?
Cognitive Development: handwriting helps develop skills such as fine motor, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness.
Fundamental Skill: if you like a holistic approach to education, handwriting helps children recognize and understand the structure, form, and meaning of letters, which become words and then sentences.
Note-Taking and Studying: again, I know you can do this all on a computer.
However, research shows that taking notes using pen and paper leads to better understanding and more effective memorization and long-term retention.
Brain Development: this is the one that really excites me, the actual physical act of writing stimulates multiple areas of the brain, including those responsible for language processing, memory, and creativity!
Fine Motor Skills: writing by hand enhances fine motor skills, finger dexterity, and hand strength.
I am good at my arguments-I have researched and documented links as to why we should still be teaching essay writing and handwriting in schools.
I believe most of these skills learned are crucial.
However, to do an argument justice, I believe you have to look at all sides.
So, I broke down a few of the benefits learned from writing and then found other ways to teach or learn them.
What are different ways students can learn critical thinking skills, which will also leads to problem solving?
Inquiry-Based Learning: this is a student centered approach that involves asking questions, exploring topics (rather than telling students topics), and investigating various solutions.
Teach Metacognition: oh man, that is a mouthful!
This simply means you are teaching your child to think about they way they process their own information.
Foster Creativity: this is not arts and crafts.
You are going to help your child develop their critical thinking skills by allowing them to think outside of the box.
Use Real-World Examples: help your child apply their knowledge to real-life situations.
Encourage Reflection: self evaluation can help develop critical thinking skills by allowing your child to identify areas where they need to improve or develop a deeper understanding.
Discussion and Debate: encourage discussions and debates so your child can express their opinions and learn to defend their position using evidence and logical reasoning.
Teach Problem Solving Strategies: there is a formula for this: identify the problem, generate solutions, and select the best solution.
*If you love Social Emotional Learning (SEL), like I do, this is level 5, which is Responsible Decision Making and has two more steps: Consider the Effects and Evaluate and Reflect, which I believe makes all of the difference.
What are different ways students can learn communication skills?
Active Listening: children can become better communicators by improving their ability to understand and respond to others.
Help them practice active listening by paying attention, asking clarifying questions, and summarizing what they heard.
Practice Speaking: provide opportunities such as presentations, debate, discussions, and collaborative projects so that your child can simply practice speaking effectively.
Role-Playing: a more fun activity that helps with communication skills is to role play.
Video or Audio Recording: use technology to show your child what they actually look and sound like when they are communicating, this allows them to self-evaluate and reflect.
Public Speaking Events: these can be actual events or programs.
I love “Toastmasters for Kids” see if your area is offering something like this, if not, talk to your local Toastmasters group and see if one can be started.
Empathy: When children can understand and empathize with others they can adjust their communication style accordingly.
Nonverbal Communication: nonverbal cues include facial expressions, gestures, and body language.
Once children can recognize and use these cues they can communicate more effectively.
How can my child learn to organize their thoughts?
Mindfulness Practices: focus and concentration are key elements to keeping your brain decluttered and being able to organize your thoughts.
Teaching your child deep breathing, being present in the moment, how to identify emotions, and coloring with soothing music are all great places to start!
Color Away Your Stress & Anxiety!
Grab these great pages for your child and you.
- 6+ download images
- All levels of difficulty
- Your child and you can color together
- 1 page is from the exclusive “The Possum’s Tale” coloring book created by master illustrator, Venus Nguyen
Creative Activities: a fun way to learn how to organize their thoughts!
Children can create drawings, paintings, sculptures, whatever and express their ideas and emotions while going through specific steps to reach the end masterpiece.
Team Projects: while working with a group to achieve a goal, children learn how to communicate effectively and organize their thoughts and ideas in a structured way so that they are heard in this group.
Conversation: simply talk with your child.
Guide your child in the conversation so they learn how to articulate their thoughts and ideas more effectively.
Brainstorming: encourage your child to brainstorm ideas.
That whole “through spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks,” has a lot of merit.
Mind-mapping or Clustering: these are great visual tools to help your child not only see their thoughts, especially while brainstorming, but to then also organize them.
And here is where it gets really interesting…
What skills will my child learn and how will they benefit when learning how to code?
Communication Skills: Coding involves using programming languages to communicate instructions to computers.
Organization Thoughts: a person must have the ability to write code in a language that is clear, concise and logically structured so that the computer can follow the instructions.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: coding involves breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts and developing efficient algorithms to solve them.
This requires the child to approach challenges analytically.
Knowledge Retention: the child must grasp new information, retain knowledge, and apply it effectively while researching and understanding various programing concepts.
Academic Success: coding skills can enhance computational thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning which are usually associated as being helpful with subjects like math and science.
Career Advancement: let’s face it, coding skills are in high demand.
As artificial intelligence advances, we must ponder: should we still teach essay writing to our kids?
The answer hinges on why we teach this skill.
I didn’t want to decide for you, but instead wanted to share the benefits of essay writing and handwriting.
Through my research, I found that many of the great benefits we learn from writing could be learned differently, so I shared these as well.
Then I found some cool facts about coding.
In the end, my hope is that this article will help you navigate the AI landscape and make informed decisions about how to spend your precious educational time.