Tag: google docs

Using Google Docs to Improve Student Writing

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

What:

Improving student writing is no easy task but Google Docs has numerous features that make it a bit easier. My favorite Google Doc features to improve student writing are utilizing comments, using suggested edits, and voice typing. 

Comments:

Comments are a great way to improve student writing because educators can work one on one with students using their own writing as examples. To insert a comment, simply highlight text in a Google Doc and click the plus sign in the circle that appears to the right of the highlighted text. Comments can be assigned to people by typing a plus sign and then their name in the comment box. Assigning comments is great when multiple students are collaborating on an assignment. Students can respond to the comment right in the Google Doc for educators to view and continue to respond. 

Suggested Edits:

Suggested edits is a fantastic feature that is a level up from commenting. I might use comments to remind students of something we discussed in class, provide extra resources, or leave encouraging messages. Suggested edits allows educators to change the text but Google Docs will show the changes in a new color and students can choose to accept or reject the changes. This feature is a great way of showing students what is expected. For example, if a student is struggling with writing topic sentences or using passive voice, I can use suggested edits to change their sentence to better align with the expectations of the assignment. 

Voice Typing:

Students are often overwhelmed by a blank page. Allowing students to use voice typing helps them quickly put all of the information in their head on paper giving them a starting place for the assignment. Voice typing is a fantastic feature that can be accessed by clicking on Tools then Voice Typing. 

Next Steps

Interested in learning more? Check out the websites below for great information. 

References:

All sourced information is hyperlinked as applicable above. 

TLDR (too long didn’t read):

Improving student writing is no easy task but Google Docs has numerous features that make it a bit easier. My favorite Google Doc features to improve student writing are utilizing comments, using suggested edits, and voice typing. 

@hollandkaylah

Fostering Writing and Collaboration with Google Docs

Teaching ChannelHigh school English teacher, Sarah Brown Wessling, shares strategies for promoting collaborative writing inside and outside of the classroom. Wessling highlights that such lessons also promote digital etiquette, provide opportunities for teachers to provide rich feedback, and provide teachers with insights into the individual student’s or the collaborative group’s writing process.

Google Apps for Education Southern Summit

I’m excited about being a part of this. I hope you can join us!

We invite you to join us for the first annual Google Apps for Education Southern Summit in Atlanta, Georgia on September 22 and 23, 2012. This high intensity two day event focuses on deploying, integrating and using Google Apps for Education to promote student learning in K-12 and higher education. The program features Google Certified Teachers, Google Apps for Education Certified Trainers, practicing administrators, solution providers, Google engineers, and representatives from the Google Apps for Education team.

Sessions include two keynote presentations, plus two full days of informative breakouts, cutting-edge demonstrations, and hands-on workshops led by experienced and knowledgeable professional developers.

  • Deployment & Management of Google Apps
  • Google Apps Scripts
  • Google Apps for Education Certification
  • Chromebooks in Education
  • YouTube for Schools
  • Google Docs, Google Sites, Google Calendar, Gmail power tips, and… even more!

The Google Apps for Education Southern Summit will be in Atlanta, near the area’s most popular attractions.

Register now to take advantage of the early bird rates.

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