Educators Say Few Pupils’ Writing Meets Their Needs

Most American students can write on a minimal level, but they lack the skills of communication and critical thinking needed in an advanced society, educators said Wednesday in releasing a “Writing Report Card.”

“Most students at grades four, eight and 11 can do minimal-level work. This is an accomplishment,” said Archie Lapointe, executive director of the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

He said, however, that the needs of an increasingly technological society have outpaced the rate of improvement in student performance over the last several years.

“Our youngsters are simply not doing well enough. . . . Very few of our students can write well,” Lapointe said at a news conference.

The status report was based on a national survey of writing samples from 55,000 pupils in the fourth, eighth and 11th grades in public and private schools. Their written responses to 15 tasks were rated unsatisfactory, minimal, adequate or elaborated.

“Most students, majority and minority alike, are unable to write adequately, except in response to the simplest of tasks,” the report said. “American students can write at a minimal level, but cannot express themselves well enough to ensure that their writing will accomplish the intended purpose.”

‘Deficient in Thinking’

The results further indicate that “students at all grade levels are deficient in higher-order thinking skills,” said the report, written by the review group’s associate director, Ina Mullis, and Stanford University Profs. Arthur Applebee and Judith Langer.

“We can and should do better,” Education Secretary William J. Bennett said. “Part of the solution is for students to do more writing. One learns to write by writing, and by reading good writing.”

Mary Hatwood Futrell, president of the National Education Assn., said parents should encourage children to read, keep diaries, write letters and make lists.

She also said that smaller classes and more time for marking papers are essential to good teaching. She recommended that high school teachers instruct 80 students daily, rather than the current average of 150, and that teachers be relieved of non-teaching duties such as monitoring halls and lunchrooms.

Reform Plan Criticized

Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said that such changes would be costly and would force the teaching profession to lower its standards. He said the extra time for teachers that would result would be small.

“The way out is to think of new ways to organize schools,” he said. He suggested that books and technology replace lectures, to leave teachers free to challenge their students’ thinking and to coach young writers. Shanker also said teachers should have to pass exams in writing to get state certification.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is a 17-year-old project of the Education Department. It is administered by the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, N. J.