Do graphics organizers help or hinder struggling writers?

Graphics organizers have been widely touted as a method to help students brainstorm ideas for their writing. While the bubble and line format for organizing ideas is frequently used, many other kinds can be used. But do these organizers help struggling writers?

I work with high school dropouts prepping for the GED writing test. This test is actually quite difficult and requires knowledge of basic grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and organization. In addition, test-takers must write an essay on a given topic.

In our GED practice sessions, we write essays to common prompts. Struggling students often have disorganized thinking, and they often write whatever pops into their minds with little thought given to organization of their ideas. They either write far too much so that their writing reflects their disorganized thinking, or they write so little that the GED essay reviewer cannot get a clear indication of their writing ability.

High school dropout and single mother Rona, age 22, developed an incredible line and bubble graphics organizer about her personal experiences with the given topic. I was impressed. She showed it to me and promptly began to cry. Why? Because she had no idea how to get all of her great ideas down on paper in an acceptable essay. Her fantastic graphic organizer overwhelmed her. She just had no idea of where or how to begin her essay. She felt hopeless and wanted to drop out of the GED prep program.

Graphic organizers did not help Rona, as they will not help many struggling students.

Writing Process or Writing Craft?

Educators emphasize the "writing process" (draft-revise-finalize) as a way to help students improve their writing, but does this process actually help them?

For students who excel academically, the answer is yes. But for basic and struggling writers (including high school dropouts prepping for the GED), the answer is maybe yes, maybe no.

Why does this process work for some students and not for others? Good writers already have a sense of writing craft--that is, they know how to create grammatically correct sentences.

Poor writers, on the other hand, rely heavily on their often inadequate spoken language. And because they may also have poor reading skills, they do not develop a good sense of sentence structure. They write like they speak, and the results are inadequate.

Struggling writers need to develop writing craft, otherwise, the writing process by itself will bring only minimal improvement.

Writing process and writing craft must go hand-in-hand. Appropriate instruction in grammar has a part in this.