Engaging students in short writing exercises throughout the day can enhance their writing fluency and confidence, while also providing a means of differentiated instruction, according to a literacy coach at the ILA conference on July 19. These brief writing prompts, called "quick jots," are informal and can range from a single word to a full page, depending on the students’ abilities and preferences. For example, during a math lesson, a teacher might ask students to quickly jot down whether a shape is a quadrilateral or not, allowing them to express their thoughts in their own way.
After completing their writing prompt, students are encouraged to share their responses with a partner or the whole class. During this time, students are not overly concerned with grammar or spelling, but rather focus on conveying their ideas and thoughts.
Wagstaff, who works at a Title I school in Utah and is also a children’s book author, explains that the concept behind quick jots is rooted in the idea that reading and writing share many similarities. Just as reading can be done in short or long periods of time, writing can also be approached in the same way and across various subjects. Moreover, not all writing needs to be graded or assessed. Wagstaff encourages teachers to free themselves from the pressure of grading every piece of writing, emphasizing that quick jots serve as a formative assessment tool rather than a graded assignment.
During the presentation, a teacher raised concerns about students repeating writing mistakes, particularly with high-frequency words. In response, Wagstaff suggests flipping the perspective and asking whether readers are corrected for every mistake they make. She suggests using a word wall and utilizing formal graded assignments to address these mistakes, rather than scrutinizing every quick jot.
Quick jots are just one of the many tools recommended by Wagstaff for enhancing students’ writing skills. She believes that these exercises serve as a foundation for more in-depth writing and can ultimately lead students towards further growth in their writing abilities.
