Rico, G.L. and Claggett, M.F. Balancing the Hemispheres: Brain research and the Teaching of Writing. Bay Area Writing Project: University of California, Berkeley. 1980.

In 1980, Rico and Claggett noted three historical and thematic periods of brain research. The first period was characterized by an incomplete picture of the right hemisphere of the brain in which the left side was crucial and the right side a merely unimportant sidekick. The end of this period led to a new acceptance of the idea that the human brain's hemispheres process information differently, but not separately. The third period was identified as the time the authors wrote this piece. The brain research discussed in this paper, therefore, only spans to 1980 and includes none of the research findings of the last two decades.

Rico and Claggett propose that both brain hemispheres process language. They just do so differently. Process, not content, are basis of these differences. The differences can be summarized in the words "splitting" (left hemisphere) and "lumping" (right hemisphere). For example, the left side will organize thoughts sequentially, labeling parts into specifics while the right side emphasizes connections, generalizations and relationships.

Implications for writing and the teaching of it are discussed using this brain research. Firstly, it is recommended that writing activities be designed using both left and right brain strengths. The authors suggest that teachers of writing develop consciousness as to the type of brain work their given assignments require. A balance is needed in the classroom.

Pre-writing techniques that involve both sides of the brain include: clustering, mandala patterning and modeling. Clustering begins with an important word or phrase, circled on paper with lines connecting to other words, ideas or phrases in relation to the original circled item. Importantly, clustering is successful with a wide range of students, including older, younger, advanced or low performing. Mandala patterning begins with an image in the center of the paper. Right hemisphere activities developed include drawing, coloring and designing. The resultant sentence writing sequentially involves the left hemisphere. Modeling can be as in depth as the teacher desires from all students using the same first line to recreating an author's tone to following a close model of another's piece of writing. It is noted that sentence combining is often taught using modeling with good learning results for students.

Both writing and the teaching of writing must be guided, in part, by the principles of brain research and how human language is received and regenerated through oral and written means. Implications of this may be especially important to students with brain damage and other barriers to writing such as dyslexia or motor impairments.