Kerrigan Peters

Mrs. Thomas
UWRT 1102-017
17 September, 2015
Writing as a Mode of Learning
According to Janet Emig, writing represents a unique mode of learning not merely
special, but unique. (pg. 6) I agree with this quote because many people dont think of writing
as a way of learning. I know that I never really thought about it until after reading this piece.
With writing, as Emig says, is the symbolic transformation of experience through the specific
symbol system of verbal language is shaped into an icon by the enactive hand. This is
exemplified as say taking notes. Many people, like myself, learn lectures and learn topics by
taking notes on them. It was said that both writing and talking are originating and creating a
unique verbal construct. The difference between the two is that with writing, this verbal construct
is graphically recording whereas with talking it is not.
The three ways of dealing with actuality when I read it made me think of any usual day of
me taking notes during my lectures. These three ways, learning by doing, learning by depiction
in an image, and by restatement in words, go hand in hand with note taking. When you actively
have a pen in your hand, writing down the words your teacher is speaking, you are actively
learning this information with the amazing power of writing. This simple act of writing is
causing your brain to become active which in turn is allowing you to retain the information that
is being taught.

There were actually two quotes that stood out to me. One being was on page 10 when
Emig said, Successful learning is also engaged, committed, and personal learning. Jumping
back to the example of class lectures, we cant expect to learn just from writing notes straight
from a PowerPoint. In order to retain the information, I need to actively look at the words and
make connections with what I am writing. Once I stop paying attention and just absent mindedly
write my notes is when I am not allowing myself to learn because I am not engaged with or
committed to what I am doing. The second quote was on page 10 also when she said writing
is self-rhythmed. One writes best as one learns best, at ones own pace. As for me, unless I go
through and read the slides first before taking the notes, I find myself rushing to write the
information down. Once someone begins rushing and not focusing or taking their own time,
theyre not allowing themselves the time their brain needs to understand the information.
Although I didnt agree with the author on everything that she said in this piece, these were the
main times that I did agree with her and related to what she was saying.