Identity and the Written word

Writing is an expression of identity.  The issues abound when the reader doesn not understand.  Students get frustrated when their words don’t come or are blunt and don’t describe how they feel.  The other issues come when students feel that all teachers do is pick on the grammar or the spelling and are not listening to the content, especially in creative pieces or poetry.  This then means that students don’t express themselves but will just write what they think the teacher wants to hear.  Our role as educators means that we have to give feedback but more often than not it is on the grammar and spelling mechanics where students may need to be pushed further in terms of ideas.  I think that if we want to improve students writing it is important that we recognise what it is they are trying to say first.