Digital Writing Tools — Grammarly & Usefulness of Its Feedback

In the world of synchronous and asynchronous learning, much of the in-person learning norms have fallen by the wayside. Since writing instruction is one of the most intricate areas of instruction, it is easy to put on the chopping block and exchange authentic writing lessons for other aspects of literacy. Quickwrites, short answer essays, and quick responses to digital discussion boards have taken the place of writing process lessons and teacher feedback that advances student proficiency in composition.

As I launch the school year, it is important to try out digital writing tools to see which ones have the most utility in improving student writing achievement. After repeatedly viewing the video ads on YouTube about Grammarly, I downloaded the free Chrome browser extension; this action also gave Grammarly access to any Google Doc that I use. Immediately, every time I start composing an email or editing a new Google Doc, the Grammarly icon appeared in the bottom right corner of the screen, a green stylized G in a circle.

Writing With Grammarly

When I begin writing, a red circle replaces the green icon. In the middle of the red circle, there is a number. This is where Grammarly supposedly provides the feedback that teachers are unable to generate at every stage of the writing process for each student.

Once the red numbered circle is clicked, there is an indicator that appears.

This indicator lets the writer know the feedback can be viewed in detail in Assistant.

Assistant provides notes on spelling, article usage, capitalization, and removing extra words.

At the very top of this panel, the Grammarly brand appears along with the key to the color-coded feedback. In my case, several Premium suggestions are hidden until I pay to unlock them.

How useful is it?

At the free level of service, it is important to analyze the type of feedback provided and the utility of that feedback. Would this type of feedback be helpful in boosting student writing achievement?

First, I will begin with the ease of use. This browser extension is a constant companion. Users do not have to start up a new program or click through files to get feedback. It is consistent and ever-present. So once it is downloaded, using it is seamless and automatic.

Next, the terms used to describe the alterations needed should be judged for clarity. Will students be familiar with the terms used in the program so that they can make changes independent of teacher feedback? The feedback is straightforward and uses terms that are easy for secondary students to understand. Students in elementary may not be familiar with articles (the, an, a), but it is easy to search and understand the definition once found.

Finally, the type of feedback is notable. The free version of the program only offers editing feedback. Editing represents the lowest level of writing improvement. Most secondary students know how to look for errors in capitalization, spelling, and grammar. So I make sure to teach editing after revision when editing is most useful. If I teach editing and revision together, students only concentrate on fixing mistakes. When students revise their work, I teach them to address issues in word choice, passive versus active voice, and variations in sentence structure.

Premium Features

After I click on the Premium suggestions (which at this point in my process have accumulated to 11 issues), I notice that the Premium actually offers revision strategies to support writing.

Back to the Purpose

Is it enough for students to have a constant writing editor if they only have access to the free features of Grammarly? As a teacher, I do not think so. Grammarly is more useful for an independent writer. Some tools should be automated, providing practice in revision techniques and providing quick instructional videos to demonstrate certain writing traits. My goal is to hone in on one digital writing tool. I will continue my search because students need more than a digital correcting pin.