New York Times Opinion Piece Questions Writing's Role in Learning

A New York Times opinion article published on September 29, 2026 examines whether writing is truly the most effective method for developing thinking skills. The piece acknowledges that writing can serve as useful cognitive scaffolding for memory and self-regulated learning, citing research published in Springer. However, it argues that the belief in writing as the superior process for cultivating thinking abilities is a relatively recent concept. According to the article, this idea can be traced back to the writing-across-the-curriculum movement of the 1970s, referenced through a JSTOR source. The opinion piece situates the discussion within contemporary debates about college education and artificial intelligence, as indicated by its URL and publication context. The article challenges a long-held assumption in education, suggesting that the primacy of writing in learning may be more of a historical construct than an established pedagogical truth. The piece appears in the Opinion section of The New York Times, with the headline asking directly whether writing is really the best way to learn. The discussion draws on academic research to question conventional wisdom about writing and cognition.