Writing Tasks In Schools - Research

[kirstybeebee]

I have been doing some research around the mainly past practice of writing tasks such as sentence writing (lines) and copying text being used as a punishment in UK senior schools. In my days at secondary school - 1970’s – 1980’s, writing was used regularly by most teachers as a method of maintaining discipline. Sometimes writing tasks were given to pupils to complete in after school detention sessions and sometimes to complete at home.

Detentions are still in common use in schools today though the practice of giving out writing tasks is now mostly a practice of the past though from my research, it seems that it is still used in in a few schools today.

Some feedback I have received on this from both teachers and pupils has varied with some saying that when teachers gave out writing tasks like this it was a good way of maintaining discipline as it drew a line where pupils knew that if they crossed the line, they were aware of what the likely consequences would be and it prevented a lot of bad behaviour. On the other hand some have said that all this practice did was make pupils dislike any kind of writing and served no educational purpose.

I’m looking to gather more feedback on this so if you have a view on it, please let me know. Thank you in advance.

[MallyJ]

Copying stuff or writing lines was and is a total waste of time and energy. I thought that when I was at school and the same through my 40 years as a secondary school teacher. Children need to be given tasks that are interesting...word puzzles and the like ..as they will engage the child and may actually teach them something even if it improves spelling!

[kirstybeebee]

MallyJ, thank you for your feedback, particularly as you have taught in schools. Obtaining feedback from teachers has been the most difficult part of my research. I would just like to ask you if other teachers at the school/s where you have taught at gave out tasks such as writing lines and copying text? If so, did you ever have any conversations/debates with them on contrasting views? I certainly agree with anything that can teach and improve spelling!

[allenlondon]

I wrote hundreds, maybe thousands of ‘lines’, between the ages of about 8 and 15.

While I don’t to wave the flag for the ‘it never did me any harm’ brigade, well, it didn’t - I love reading, and writing.

Lines was just one more brainless thing you had to endure.

A

[allenlondon]

“ While I don’t WANT to wave...”

Why isn’t there an edit function?

[kirstybeebee]

AllenLondon, thank you for your comments. Can you recall how many lines you were usually given to write in one go? At least writing all those lines hasn't put you off reading and writing, that's certainly a good thing!

[MallyJ]

Kirstybeebee I don't remember having a conversatin re 'punishment' of this type with others...as a young teacher I did what I thought best and probably wouldn't have argued with older colleagues..or even mentioned my own practise...I did suggest to younger staff when I got older and in a position where I could help younger staff and I know this idea was taken up. Detentions weren't something that happened too regularly...the safety of the children and other tasks they may have to do at home was always in our minds. There are other ways of encouraging young people to think about what they have done and correct their behaviour rather than making them complete mindless tasks ..IMO of course.

[allenlondon]

Usually in 100s, but there was one poor mad junior school teacher (ex-POW with the Japs), whose veins seemed about to burst on his forehead as he gave out 1,000 at a time.

[kirstybeebee]

MallyJ, thank you for your feedback, it's very interesting. From feedback I have received, it seems like most teachers just did what they felt was right. Though from the few teachers I've had feedback from who did give out writing tasks, they still maintain that this was good practice so I don't blame you when you say that as a young teachers, you probably would not have argued or mentioned your own practices to older colleagues as I doubt you could have changed their views!

[kirstybeebee]

AllenLondon, 1000 lines is by far the most I've heard of a teacher giving out! I heard from one or two who sometimes gave 500 as a severe punishment, the usual amounts seem to be 100, sometimes 200. Thank you for your feedback.

[barry1010]

Closed as the thread attracts spammers