THE VALUE OF BRAINSTORMING

When one brainstorms, it looks like this (picture to the right). I know it looks complicated, but it is possible to formulate ideas. Brainstorming involves the generation of ideas either through questioning or inquiry on a topic. It is defined as an informal and relaxed approach towards solving a problem or in organizing ideas. In brainstorming, individuals generate thoughts and ideas that cross their minds without any limitations. In a classroom setting, brainstorming may be initiated by the teacher giving students a keyword from a text and asking them to write down or call out words that they associate with the key word given. Brainstorming is a strategy which has many merits.

Marie W. Sloane (1998) presents guidelines when using brainstorming strategies in the classroom. She highlights that the teachers must:

Ø  Be enthusiastic

Ø  Choose topics well.

Ø  Encourage divergent thinking.

Ø  Reread ideas often

Ø  Count the ideas.

Ø  Categorize big lists.

The human brain is a pattern recognition machine. We learn to interact with our environment in patterned ways and this is no different from the way students approach a piece of writing. Brainstorming techniques are designed to expand the cognitive toolkit students have at their disposal when facing a writing task. By thinking about a question from different perspectives, as well as exploring the perspectives of their classmates, students can develop the skills to help them access and develop a broader range of ideas in a writing situation (Rao, 2007).

Brainstorming should usefully become an integral part of the teaching of writing skills. NCTE (2004), highlights that ‘writing is a tool for thinking.” This clearly relates to the brainstorming techniques as they enable students to generate the necessary ideas to achieve their set goals.

Brainstorming is a strategy that all students should be exposed to at a young age. This strategy literally prepares them for the world of work. students must understand that even professionals need to brainstorm before initiating a plan of action

I also believe that this approach fosters authenticity in the language classrooms and should be a continued practice in all subject areas.

REFERENCES

Rao Z. (2007) Training in Brainstorming and Developing Writing Skills, in ELT Journal

2007 61(2) Oxford University Press.