What's Your Method for Teaching Writing Skills? Part III

It's not always easy to teach kids how to write. The methods in this three-part series can simplify the process for both you and your students. As a writing teacher, you will have the greatest success by using predictable books to teach writing. Once you have outlined a simple story as shown in part two, follow these guidelines to complete the exercise.

Day 2
Gather your outline, some blank paper, and a pen or pencil. Your child can re-tell the story (out loud!) to refresh his memory - let him use the outline to stay on track.

Using the outline, have your child write a new sentence for each line. It is important to stress that the new sentence does not have to be exactly the same as the original. Don't be surprised to find that your child has even made the story better! Once each line is complete, your child will have a full paragraph.

Very young children may dictate each sentence as you write. At this point, you should check the paragraph for proper punctuation and spelling. Do not add or subtract words or rewrite the sentences - this is not your writing, it is your child's writing.

Older students who are capable of editing their own work for spelling and punctuation should do so on day three.

Day 3
This is the final day for this lesson. Have your child copy out his completed paragraph or story, in his own words. Make sure that younger children incorporate spelling and punctuation changes; older children can make these changes on their own. Don't be surprised if you see areas which need improvement - that is perfectly natural, and those concepts can be added in a later lesson. In this writing exercise, your child doesn't have to worry about selecting a topic, since he will be provided with a story or paragraph to start with.

Repeat this simple activity several times. Your students will become more skilled in outlining and rewriting paragraphs. Choose paragraphs from several sources, depending on your child's interests and studies.

This is a great method to teach writing to your students!

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© Kerry Beck, 2008
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Kerry Beck helps teachers and homeschool moms by using predictable books in writing. She has a free mini-course to show you how to teach writing at Teaching Writing.