In They Say I Say by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, the authors discuss college students’ lack of writing expertise. The discussion advises students to follow writing samples to help them organize their thoughts.
Today, teachers tend to focus more on reading comprehension and literary analysis rather than effective ways to write. These students may be able to comprehend and analyze literary texts, but often struggle to express his or her ideas and opinions in meaningful ways.
Writing templates are typically formulaic and allow students to convey their thoughts and arguments in a structured and simplistic manner; however, the authors point out that students criticize writing templates by arguing that they are too rigid and thereby stifle creativity as well as forcing students to use language that he or she is not accustomed to.
While this criticism may certainly be true, students should learn to be more open-minded. Templates are meant to aid students in organizing their thoughts, which young writers often find difficult to do, and these templates often especially aid “students who are unsure of what to say, or have trouble finding what to say”(page xxi). Simply using templates may help generate new ideas. The organization is essential to good writing — without it, thoughts are not conveyed clearly and the purpose of the writing is lost. Instead of struggling to articulate pronounced ideas and concepts, students should embrace the template as a guideline to helping them.
As suggested by the authors of They Say I Say, students must grasp the fundamentals of writing before he or she can learn the artistic nuances of the English language. Good students know that there is always more to learn, and to discount a tool without realizing its benefits will only be to their detriment.