<RESOURCES FOR FACULTY <low-stakes writing     Writing During Lectures Low-Stakes Writing – encouraging the habit of writing about important concepts and finding our what you know and understand. During a lecture, it can be helpful for students to try to recap what they are hearing and to express ideas in their own words. The following are suggestions for how to prompt them to do this. It’s useful to write the directions on an overhead in advance. You might also offer them the option of using a sentence stem such as: “ Individual efforts at reducing smog will not have much impact because… “Smog is… Where possible, it’s a good idea to collect and read these quick-writes, if only to register ‘what’s in the room’ and to record that they were submitted – simply as a check mark which indicates both student presence and participation in the thinking activity. For the last twenty minutes…       I’ve been talking/explaining/illustrating….       We’ve been looking at… and seeing….       I’ve suggested to you that…. 1. On a sheet of paper – with your name and date – so I can return it to you… take 4-5 minutes … (or longer)       to explain what you think is the relationship between….       To explain the significance of…       To describe what you think might be the implications of ….for….       To define…with an example of your own …       To explain what ….means       To summarize why it’s important to…. If time, 2. Exchange papers with your neighbour and compare ideas – what’s similar and what’s different or take a minute to talk about the topic with your neighbour – do you agree or disagree with each other3. Hand in paper as you leave.