Student-Centered Instruction

The simple fact that this process is directly referred to as "Student-Centered Instruction" indicates its usefulness in the process of learning how to write appropriately and efficiently. Although a general set of guidelines for writing is necessary in generating proper direction that readers can understand/relate to, writing is a highly individualized process that, if ever to be original, must be unique to each of us. Student-Centered Instruction successfully emphasizes the importance of allowing the writer to explore their own capabilities and excite them to the possibilities of writing. The three key factors to the SCI approach are "(a) asking students to write often, in meaningful contexts, (b) providing frequent feedback on work in progress, and (c) requiring numerous revisions based on that feedback" (101). These practices allow students to expand their literary interests and knowledge as well as work on multiple levels with educators to pin-point areas of strength and weakness.

The SCI method makes use of workshops in order to bring in various aspects of writing such as "talking, writing, thinking, [and] researching" (104). Students are actively pursuing a complex understanding of writing beyond conveying how you feel in text. In contexts where the teacher dominates discussion, students lose depth of understanding only available when they themselves communicate learning with others. Although we are talking about learning how to write, generating dialogue about the writing process helps students work out where they stand compared with peers and allows them to share ideas.

The concept of the teacher as the coach presents an optimistic and encouraging perception of teaching and learning writing. Teachers must correct errors in a manner that promotes acceptance of creativity and contemplation of intellectual presentation. They do/should coach students along the stages of writing while allowing for creative wiggle-room and fresh understanding. Teaching writing is an ever-refreshing field of knowledge development that works most efficiently when teachers use new methods and foster excitement about the process in students.