Why Is Essay Writing One of the Most Important Academic Skills for Teenagers?
Essay writing is a critical academic skill that all teenagers should strive to master. Essays are a common form of assessment in high school and are also an essential component of many college and university courses. The ability to write a well-structured, clear, and persuasive essay is not only important for academic success, but it is also a valuable skill for future careers.
“Support your kids! Listen to them and help them accomplish their dreams,” said that beloved teacher or principal at the latest PTA meeting. Those words sound great and plausible on the surface. How do they translate into helping your child develop the academic skills necessary for future success?
A mathematically inclined teen, for instance, may despise writing. Does supporting your teen’s dream of becoming an actuarial scientist mean that you encourage him to ignore the proper development of essay writing skills? No.
Essay writing is a fundamental skill all teens should develop for five reasons.
College and scholarship applications often require essays
Most college and scholarship applications require personal essays. Professor David Beaver from the University of Texas at Austin was part of a study on the impact of college essays on admissions decisions.
Based on the results, he recommended that high school students should link personal narratives with a broader context. Such writing requires analytical thinking and the ability to make connections between personal realities and national or global events.
Your teen’s critical thinking skills will develop
Essay writing can also help your child develop critical thinking skills. The process of structuring an argument, clearly stating ideas and finding supporting material helps your teen perform the analysis and synthesis functions associated with critical thinking. Essays aim to help students articulate their ideas and how they would respond to a problem posed.
An important form of communication
Most organizations expect job candidates to communicate well in both writing and speech. Essay writing can help your teen develop strong written communication skills. Without even realizing it, your teen will use the writing skills learned in school during various jobs as an adult.
Improves memory and understanding
Research has proven that writing improves memory and understanding. According to NeuroRelay, “The physical act of writing brings the information to the forefront and triggers your brain to play close attention.” Therefore, essay writing can be a good tool for helping your child remember concepts that have been taught.
Helps organize thinking
Essay writing requires a structured approach to bringing thoughts together and presenting them in a way the reader can understand. Writing a lot of essays won’t necessarily help your child master organized thinking. However, it can help your child declutter thoughts and find better ways to articulate ideas.
Final thoughts
Essay writing is an essential skill for all teenagers because it is often a requirement for college admissions and scholarship essays, helps improve the written communication skills necessary for future work, improves critical thinking skills, helps support organized thinking, and improves memory and understanding.
Your child may need extra help developing essay writing skills. We’ve got you covered. Contact us to register for a writing tutor.