The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast 267: How Inquiry-Based Freewriting Can Deepen Student Writing
Feb 1, 2026
Nashwa Elkoshairi, an English teacher and researcher who studied inquiry-based freewriting for her doctoral work, explains how she uses structured freewrites around essential questions. She describes prompts, logistics with digital tools, and how entry and exit freewrites reveal growth. Conversations cover building classroom safety, integrating freewriting into units, and adapting prompts across subjects.
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Structure Freewriting With Clear Constraints
- Give students a focused prompt and a word-count target to freewrite so they produce rapid, authentic thinking.
- Skip grading mechanics and instead reward content and staying on topic to build fluency and confidence.
Verify Authenticity With Versioned Docs
- Require students to submit freewrites in editable Google Docs so teachers can inspect version history or use tools like Brisk to verify authenticity.
- Confront suspected AI use gently and ask for a resubmission in the student's own words when needed.
Freewriting Is Thinking, Not Just Drafting
- Freewriting functions as thinking on paper and helps students wrestle with ideas they wouldn't otherwise explore.
- That mental work produces deeper, more original perspectives which later improve academic writing.