How Will You Teach Writing? (part 3)
by Kerry Beck

Writing is often a difficult subject to teach kids, but using this method can simplify it for you and your students.  Using predictable books to teach writing also simplifies your efforts as a writing teacher.  After you outline a simple story, follow the guidelines below.

DAY 2

Get your outline and a blank sheet of paper. If your child needs to refresh himself on the content, have him retell the story aloud.  He can use the outline to help him.

Next, your child will write a sentence for each line of his outline.  The sentence does not need to be an exact replica of the original paragraph.  In fact, your child may improve on what was originally written.  When he finishes each line of the outline, he will have a completed paragraph.  

If your child is young, you might let him tell you each sentence while you write it down for him.  At this point, you (the teacher or parent) should edit the paragraph for spelling and punctuation.  Notice I did not say rewrite the sentences or add words.  Let this be your child’s writing, not yours.

If your students are older and can edit for spelling/punctuation, let them do this on Day 3.

DAY 3

On the final day your child will copy his completed paragraph making any of your changes for spelling and punctuation.  Of course, there are places you will see that need improving, but you can teach those concepts in a later lesson.  This is an activity to help your students see they can write something on their own.  They doesn’t have to worry about "what" to write any more because you will give him a source text from which to start.

You can repeat this simple activity until your students are able to outline and re-write paragraphs on their own.  You can use paragraphs from a variety of content areas such as knights & castles, animals, solar system, fairy tales or any subject you are studying with your students.

Isn’t that easy???  And you thought writing was difficult to teach!

 
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© Kerry Beck, 2008
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