fun way to teach essay writing

Essay Papers Writing Online

The ultimate guide to teaching essay writing – strategies, tips, and techniques to help students master the art of essay writing.

Are you looking to enhance your students’ writing skills and help them express their thoughts and ideas effectively? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we will explore innovative approaches and strategies that will empower you to instruct essay writing with finesse. Our proven techniques will enable your students to craft compelling essays that captivate readers and leave a lasting impression.

Ignite Creativity: Encourage your students to think outside the box and explore their unique perspectives. By fostering a creative environment, you will inspire them to generate original ideas and craft essays that stand out from the crowd.

Polish Writing Mechanics: Writing an exceptional essay involves more than just ideas and creativity. Our guide will provide you with practical tips to refine grammar, spelling, and punctuation, ensuring that your students’ written work is polished and professional.

Structure with Purpose: Teach your students the art of organizing their thoughts coherently. Our techniques will help you guide them in developing clear thesis statements, supporting their arguments with evidence, and creating logical paragraphs that flow seamlessly.

Edit and Revise with Precision: Show your students the importance of revising and editing their work meticulously. Our guide will equip you with strategies to help them identify weak areas in their essays, improve clarity, and enhance persuasiveness.

Engage and Inspire: Keep your students engaged and motivated throughout the essay writing process. Learn how to provide constructive feedback, create interactive activities, and inspire them to embrace writing as a powerful tool for self-expression.

With our tips and techniques, you will become a master of essay instruction, empowering your students to unleash their full writing potential and excel in their academic journey.

Fostering Critical Thinking Skills

In order to cultivate strong critical thinking skills in students, it is essential to go beyond the surface-level tips and techniques for teaching essay writing. The development of critical thinking skills involves nurturing the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information in a thoughtful and intellectual manner.

Encouraging students to think critically requires creating an environment that fosters independent thought and inquiry. By providing them with engaging and stimulating writing prompts, students can develop the necessary skills to analyze and evaluate information effectively. Critical thinking skills are not only crucial for essay writing but also for their overall growth and success in various academic and professional endeavors.

By using exercises that challenge students to think creatively and critically, educators can guide them towards developing their analytical and problem-solving skills. Introducing real-world scenarios and case studies into the curriculum provides students with opportunities to apply their critical thinking skills in practical situations. Through these exercises, students are encouraged to think outside the box, consider multiple perspectives, and develop well-rounded arguments.

Furthermore, incorporating group discussions and debates into the learning process can enhance critical thinking skills. Collaborative activities allow students to analyze various viewpoints and develop their ability to articulate their thoughts coherently and persuasively. By engaging in respectful discussions with their peers, students learn how to navigate different opinions and develop a deeper understanding of complex issues.

Lastly, providing constructive feedback on students’ writing encourages them to reflect critically on their own work. By highlighting strengths and areas for improvement, educators can guide students towards enhancing their critical thinking skills. Encouraging students to revise their essays based on feedback fosters a growth mindset, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and improvement.

In conclusion, fostering critical thinking skills in students goes beyond the traditional tips and techniques for teaching essay writing. It requires creating an environment that encourages independent thought, offering challenging exercises, incorporating group discussions, and providing constructive feedback. By nurturing these skills, educators can equip students with the tools they need to think critically and excel academically and professionally.

Breaking Down the Writing Process

Dissecting the art of written composition is a vital step in mastering the craft. Understanding the various stages of the writing process is key to producing high-quality essays. By breaking down each phase of writing into manageable steps, one can navigate through the complexities of essay writing with ease.

The first stage of the writing process involves brainstorming and gathering ideas. This initial step allows the writer to explore different perspectives and generate a pool of thoughts and concepts to work with. It is crucial to approach this stage with an open mind, as it sets the foundation for the entire composition.

Once the ideas have been collected, the next phase is organizing them into a coherent structure. This step involves constructing an outline or framework that gives the essay a logical flow and structure. By arranging the main points and supporting details in a systematic manner, the writer can ensure that the essay remains focused and well-structured.

After the essay has been outlined, the actual writing process begins. This is where the writer brings the ideas to life, using appropriate language and tone to convey their message effectively. The ability to craft engaging sentences and paragraphs is crucial at this stage, as it enables the writer to captivate the reader and maintain their interest throughout the entire essay.

Once the initial draft is complete, the final phase of the writing process involves revising and editing. This step is essential for refining the essay and ensuring its coherence, clarity, and accuracy. It is during this stage that the writer carefully reviews their work, making necessary changes to improve the overall quality of the essay.

By breaking down the writing process into these distinct stages, writers can approach the task of essay composition with confidence and clarity. Understanding each step allows for a more organized and systematic approach, ultimately resulting in well-crafted and impactful essays.

Providing Structured Writing Prompts

Enhance students’ writing skills by offering carefully crafted writing prompts that provide structure and guidance for their essays. By presenting students with thoughtful and engaging prompts, you can inspire creativity and critical thinking, while also helping them develop strong writing habits.

Structured writing prompts give students a starting point for their essays, helping them to organize their thoughts and ideas effectively. They provide a clear direction and focus, giving students the confidence they need to tackle any writing task. With structured prompts, students are encouraged to explore different perspectives and develop their arguments in a logical and coherent manner.

These prompts can be tailored to various writing styles and genres, allowing students to practice and refine their skills in a specific area. Whether it’s persuasive writing, descriptive essays, or narrative storytelling, structured prompts can provide the necessary framework for students to excel in any type of written assignment.

Furthermore, structured writing prompts foster critical thinking by challenging students to analyze and evaluate information. By presenting them with thought-provoking questions and prompts, students are encouraged to develop their analytical skills and form well-supported arguments. This not only improves their writing abilities but also enhances their overall cognitive abilities.

By incorporating structured writing prompts into your teaching approach, you can empower students to become confident and proficient writers. These prompts offer a solid foundation for writing success, allowing students to develop their own unique writing voice while adhering to established guidelines. With structured prompts, students can overcome writer’s block and approach essay writing with clarity and purpose.

Incorporating Peer Review and Feedback

Enhancing the writing skills and capabilities can be further strengthened by engaging in continuous assessment activities such as peer review and receiving feedback from fellow writers. The incorporation of peer review and feedback plays a crucial role in refining writing skills, fostering critical thinking, and promoting collaboration.

Peer review offers the opportunity for writers to evaluate each other’s work and provide constructive criticism, which can help identify areas for improvement and enhance overall writing proficiency. By receiving feedback from peers, writers are able to gain new perspectives, identify blind spots, and explore different writing techniques that can be beneficial to their own writing style.

Moreover, incorporating peer review and feedback fosters a sense of community among writers, creating an environment where they can openly exchange ideas, support each other’s growth, and create a culture of continuous improvement. It allows writers to learn from their peers’ experiences, share diverse perspectives, and expand their knowledge of different writing approaches.

Furthermore, peer review and feedback not only benefit the individual writer, but also contribute to the development of effective writing practices within a larger group or community. By engaging in peer review sessions, writers can contribute to the improvement of their peers’ writing skills, provide valuable insights, and foster a culture of collaboration and shared learning.

In conclusion, incorporating peer review and feedback into the essay writing process is a valuable practice that enhances writing skills, promotes critical thinking, and fosters a collaborative learning environment. The benefits of peer review extend beyond the individual writer, contributing to the growth and development of the writing community as a whole.

Utilizing Technology for Interactive Writing Exercises

Incorporating modern technology can be an effective way to engage students in the process of essay writing. By utilizing various digital tools and platforms, educators can create interactive writing exercises that not only make the learning experience more enjoyable but also foster creativity and critical thinking skills.

One way to utilize technology for interactive writing exercises is through the use of online writing platforms. These platforms provide students with a collaborative space where they can brainstorm, draft, and edit their essays in real-time. This not only allows for peer feedback and collaboration but also promotes the development of digital literacy skills.

Another tool that can be used for interactive writing exercises is the use of multimedia elements. Incorporating images, videos, and audio into essay assignments can help students develop their ability to communicate their ideas in different formats. Additionally, multimedia elements can aid in the visualization of concepts, making the writing process more engaging and accessible.

Furthermore, the use of online writing tools and applications can enhance the interactive nature of essay writing exercises. These tools can provide students with instant feedback on their writing, helping them identify areas for improvement and encouraging them to revise and refine their work. Additionally, online tools often offer built-in grammar and spell-check features, which can help students develop their proofreading and editing skills.

Finally, technology can also be used to create interactive writing prompts and exercises. Online platforms and applications offer a wide range of prompts and writing activities that can be customized to suit the needs and interests of students. By incorporating elements such as timers, word counters, and interactive quizzes, educators can create engaging writing exercises that challenge students and encourage them to think critically.

In conclusion, utilizing technology for interactive writing exercises can be an effective way to engage students and enhance their essay writing skills. By incorporating online platforms, multimedia elements, online writing tools, and interactive prompts, educators can create a dynamic and engaging learning experience that encourages creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

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Making Essay Writing FUN with the Bing, Bang, Bongo Method

How to Teach Essay Writing in Secondary ELA

Teaching students how to write a multi-paragraph essay is a process, and it isn’t something that can be taught in one class period, nor is it a skill that we should expect our incoming students to know. Before I even assign my students a multi-paragraph essay, I first take several weeks to teach paragraph writing, and I typically do this with my short story unit.

However, once my students are ready to make the jump from paragraphs to an essay, I still continue to break down my writing instruction. When I teach essay writing in my high school English students, I break it down paragraph-by-paragraph to encourage them to be the best writer they can be. All of the lessons that I will refer to throughout this blog post are included in this print and digital essay writing teaching unit .

Teach Essay Writing in Middle School and High School ELA

Start with brainstorming.

I am a huge fan of group brainstorming, especially since I usually have some EL and SPED students mainstreamed in my college prep English classes. I usually dedicate an entire class period to brainstorming where students gather ideas, paragraph topics, and supporting quotes. You can read more about group brainstorming in this blog post  where I discuss brainstorming with my students and I teach them how to brainstorm an essay.

Outline the essay

After brainstorming, I move my students to the outlining phase of the writing process. This step is essential because it helps students organize their papers and stay on topic. Ever since I started dedicating an entire class period to in-class essay outlining, I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my students’ essays. You can read more about how I teach essay outlining in this blog post . When we focus on outlining the essay, I make sure that we focus on all of the essential components of an essay: thesis statement, topic sentences, and evidence.

Write the thesis statement

After the class has completed the brainstorming and outlining, I then move on to direct instruction for essay writing. Since students have already outlined their main ideas, they can start working on their thesis statement. I use my introduction and thesis statement lesson to help students write a meaningful thesis statement. I also look at examples of good thesis statements with my students and have students turn in their draft thesis statements to me before moving on.

Write the introduction

Once students have a solid working thesis statement (and I say working because it is possible for it to change throughout this process), I then have them move on to the introduction. Using the same introduction and thesis writing lesson, I then have my students work on drafting a hook and background information to complete their introduction. Now that students are in high school, I don’t accept a question as an acceptable hook. However, if my students get stuck, especially some of my lower students, I have them write their questions and then help them turn them into a statement.

Also, I’ve noticed that students sometimes have a hard time jumping on the hook. They tend to get stuck there, and when this happens, I have them jump right into the background information. In doing so, students get started writing, and they can go back to the hook later.

Topic Sentences

When I complete essay outlining with my students before the drafting process, I typically have them outline each paragraph with a topic sentence and then the quotes they want to use. Once we move from the introduction to the body paragraphs, I have them work on their topic sentence first. I use my topic sentences and body paragraphs essay writing lesson with my students at this point in the essay. Once students have a good topic sentence for their body paragraph, they write the rest of their body paragraph.

Write the body paragraphs

The next step in the writing process, especially for the first essay of the school year, is for students to write out the rest of their body paragraphs. If they’ve done their outlining correctly, they have a good idea about what they want to include in their body paragraphs. In this step, I really emphasize that my students need to provide support and analysis. They should be providing more explanation than simply restating their quotes.

Write the conclusion

Once students have their introduction and body paragraphs complete, I then have them move on to writing the conclusion. At this step, I teach conclusion writing to my students and have them restate the thesis and add a general thought to the end of the paragraph. At this point, I emphasize that students should not be adding in any new information. Also, one way to help students rephrase their thesis statement is to have them rewrite it in two sentences since a thesis statement is typically a one-sentence statement.

Complete peer editing

Provide time for essay revisions

Once students revise their essays and turn them in, I still like to provide students with some time to revise their essays after I grade them. This is where true learning and growth happen. It is when a student thinks they are done but then goes back to try to improve their essay. In this blog post about essay revisions , you can read more about how I conduct them in the classroom.

An entire year of writing instruction

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How to Teach Essay Writing

Last Updated: June 26, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 90,570 times.

Teaching students how to write an essay is a big undertaking, but this is a crucial process for any high school or college student to learn. Start by assigning essays to read and then encourage students to choose an essay topic of their own. Spend class time helping students understand what makes a good essay. Then, use your assignments to guide students through writing their essays.

Choosing Genres and Topics

• Narrative, which is a non-fiction account of a personal experience. This is a good option if you want your students to share a story about something they did, such as a challenge they overcame or a favorite vacation they took. [2] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• Expository, which is when you investigate an idea, discuss it at length, and make an argument about it. This might be a good option if you want students to explore a specific concept or a controversial subject. [3] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• Descriptive , which is when you describe a person, place, object, emotion, experience, or situation. This can be a good way to allow your students to express themselves creatively through writing. [4] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• Argumentative or persuasive essays require students to take a stance on a topic and make an argument to support that stance. This is different from an expository essay in that students won't be discussing a concept at length and then taking a position. The goal of an argumentative essay is to take a position right away and defend it with evidence. [5] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

• Make sure to select essays that are well-structured and interesting so that your students can model their own essays after these examples. Include essays written by former students, if you can, as well as professionally written essays.

Tip : Readers come in many forms. You can find readers that focus on a specific topic, such as food or pop culture. You can also find reader/handbook combos that will provide general information on writing along with the model essays.

• For example, for each of the essays you assign your students, you could ask them to identify the author's main point or focus, the structure of the essay, the author's use of sources, and the effect of the introduction and conclusion.
• Ask the students to create a reverse outline of the essay to help them understand how to construct a well-written essay. They'll identify the thesis, the main points of the body paragraphs, the supporting evidence, and the concluding statement. Then, they'll present this information in an outline. [8] X Research source

• For example, if you have assigned your students a narrative essay, then encourage them to choose a story that they love to tell or a story they have always wanted to tell but never have.
• If your students are writing argumentative essays, encourage them to select a topic that they feel strongly about or that they'd like to learn more about so that they can voice their opinion.

Explaining the Parts of an Essay

• For example, if you read an essay that begins with an interesting anecdote, highlight that in your class discussion of the essay. Ask students how they could integrate something like that into their own essays and have them write an anecdotal intro in class.
• Or, if you read an essay that starts with a shocking fact or statistic that grabs readers' attention, point this out to your students. Ask them to identify the most shocking fact or statistic related to their essay topic.

• For example, you could provide a few model thesis statements that students can use as templates and then ask them to write a thesis for their topic as an in-class activity or have them post it on an online discussion board.

Tip : Even though the thesis statement is only 1 sentence, this can be the most challenging part of writing an essay for some students. Plan to spend a full class session on writing thesis statements and review the information multiple times as well.

• For example, you could spend a class session going over topic sentences, and then look at how the authors of model essays have used topic sentences to introduce their claims. Then, identify where the author provides support for a claim and how they expand on the source.

• For example, you might direct students to a conclusion in a narrative essay that reflects on the significance of an author's experience. Ask students to write a paragraph where they reflect on the experience they are writing about and turn it in as homework or share it on class discussion board.
• For an expository or argumentative essay, you might show students conclusions that restate the most important aspect of a topic or that offer solutions for the future. Have students write their own conclusions that restate the most important parts of their subject or that outline some possible solutions to the problem.

Guiding Students Through the Writing Process

• Try giving students a sample timeline for how to work on their essays. For example, they might start brainstorming a topic, gathering sources (if required), and taking notes 4 weeks before the paper is due.
• Then, students might begin drafting 2 weeks before the paper is due with a goal of having a full draft 1 week before the essay's due date.
• Students could then plan to start revising their drafts 5 days before the essay is due. This will provide students with ample time to read through their papers a few times and make changes as needed.

• Freewriting, which is when you write freely about anything that comes to mind for a set amount of time, such as 10, 15, or 20 minutes.
• Clustering, which is when you write your topic or topic idea on a piece of paper and then use lines to connect that idea to others.
• Listing, which is when you make a list of any and all ideas related to a topic and ten read through it to find helpful information for your paper.
• Questioning, such as by answering the who, what, when, where, why, and how of their topic.
• Defining terms, such as identifying all of the key terms related to their topic and writing out definitions for each one.

• For example, if your students are writing narrative essays, then it might make the most sense for them to describe the events of a story chronologically.
• If students are writing expository or argumentative essays, then they might need to start by answering the most important questions about their topic and providing background information.
• For a descriptive essay, students might use spatial reasoning to describe something from top to bottom, or organize the descriptive paragraphs into categories for each of the 5 senses, such as sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel.

• For example, if you have just gone over different types of brainstorming strategies, you might ask students to choose 1 that they like and spend 10 minutes developing ideas for their essay.

• Try having students post a weekly response to a writing prompt or question that you assign.
• You may also want to create a separate discussion board where students can post ideas about their essay and get feedback from you and their classmates.

• You could also assign specific parts of the writing process as homework, such as requiring students to hand in a first draft as a homework assignment.

• For example, you might suggest reading the paper backward 1 sentence at a time or reading the paper out loud as a way to identify issues with organization and to weed out minor errors. [21] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
• Try peer-review workshops that ask students to review each others' work. Students can work in pairs or groups during the workshop. Provide them with a worksheet, graphic organizer, or copy of the assignment rubric to guide their peer-review.

Tip : Emphasize the importance of giving yourself at least a few hours away from the essay before you revise it. If possible, it is even better to wait a few days. After this time passes, it is often easier to spot errors and work out better ways of describing things.

Community Q&A

• Students often need to write essays as part of college applications, for assignments in other courses, and when applying for scholarships. Remind your students of all the ways that improving their essay writing skills can benefit them. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/index.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/narrative_essays.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/expository_essays.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/descriptive_essays.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/argumentative_essays.html
• ↑ https://wac.colostate.edu/jbw/v1n2/petrie.pdf
• ↑ https://www.uww.edu/learn/restiptool/improve-student-writing
• ↑ https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/reverse-outline.original.pdf
• ↑ https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide/brainstorming.shtml
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/faculty-resources/tips-on-teaching-writing/situating-student-writers/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/faculty-resources/tips-on-teaching-writing/in-class-writing-exercises/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/

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10 creative approaches for developing essay-writing skills

Overview: 10 tips for improving essay writing.

The knack of writing a good essay in a subject like history is a skill which is a challenge to acquire for many students, but immensely rewarding and useful. The ability to carry a reader along with a well-crafted argument is no easy feat, since it involves carefully synthesising the creative arts of the storyteller with the scientific rigour of the evidence-driven empiricist.

With this in mind, it is not enough to simply take in an essay, mark it and provide feedback, and then hurry on to the next lesson or activity. Much better is to take in a first draft of the essay, involve the students in some reflection and redrafting, and then take it in for final marking so that the advice is immediately being put into effect rather than going stale whilst the class awaits the next essay assignment several weeks later.

Listed below are a few activities that can be used to help students improve their essay-writing skills after their initial draft of work has been completed.

To accompany this post, you may wish to read these other entries on Tarr’s Toolbox:

• Compare first paragraph of several books to analyse stylistic techniques
• Develop links between factors using a “Connection Web” template
• “Linkage Bingo” to summarise and connect key factors
• Using Hexagon Learning for categorisation, linkage and prioritisation
• Visual essay-writing: cartoons, sticky-notes and plenty of collaboration!
• Use the “Keyword Checker” to ensure student essays cover the essentials
• Rubric Grids: Essay Marking Made Easy!
• Using the “Battleships” format to Teach Historical Interpretations
• Sticky-notes and project nests: collaborate, collate, categorise, connect
• Connecting Factors with “Paper People” display projects

Sample Exercises

1. analysis skills.

• “The Skeleton”

▪ Produce an essay plan which contains merely the first sentence of each paragraph. Leave space underneath each sentence so it can be completed.

▪ Pass your essay to a partner. Their job is to explain the points you make using evidence.

▪ Finally, take your essay back (or pass it to a third person) to write a conclusion.

• “Objection!”

▪ Take your own (or someone else’s) completed essay. Read out just the first sentence of each paragraph to a partner or to the class. If at any point anyone in the class thinks that an opening sentence is a narrative statement of fact rather than an analytical argument they should say “objection” and explain why. Develop your opening statements until the class is happy with the finished piece.

• “Flowchart”

▪ Take your own (or someone else’s) completed essay. Read out just the first sentence of each paragraph to someone else in the class, who has the task of summarising your argument on the board in the form of a flowchart.

▪ A poorly constructed essay will consist of simple narrative statements.

▪ An adequately constructed essay will consist of isolated analytical statements.

▪ A well constructed essay will consist of analytical statements, linked together in a logical way.

2. Narrative Skills: “Mr. Interpretation”

▪ Read out a sentence of factual detail to someone else in the class from your essay. Their job is to provide an analytical point that it illustrates, for example:

▪ Person 1 presents a fact – “Tsarina Alexandra was German by birth”

▪ Person 2 the interpretation – “Provides explanation for opposition to Tsar during WW1”

Any student unable to provide an interpretation promptly is “knocked out” of the game. The winner is the “last person standing”.

3. Source Evaluation Skills: “Mr. Sceptical”

▪ This is the same as “Mr. Interpretation” except a third person in each “round” has to show an awareness of the limitations of the evidence:

▪ Person 1 presents a fact – “Tsar Nicholas was ‘not fit to run a village post office’ (Trotsky)”

▪ Person 3 the limitations – “But Trotsky was a hostile witness”, “But the Russians were deeply loyal to the principle of Tsarism”.

4. Challenging the Question: “Mr. Angry”

▪ Take a list of sample questions from past exam papers. For each one, copy it down and then underneath explain

▪ What loaded assumptions are within it.

▪ Why these are quite obviously completely and utterly wrong.

5. Structural Skills: Where are the paragraphs?

▪The teacher should take an article available in a digital format (e.g. from the History Today archives), paste it into a Word document, and then remove all of the paragraph marks and (as a final act of stylistic sadism) make it ‘fully justified’. Students should then be presented with this essay from hell, and challenged to deduce by reading it carefully where they think that each of the original paragraphs began. This can then lead into a discussion about how a writer determines when to start a new paragraph – for example, when they are about to make a brand new point in relation to the question,

6. Structural Skills: How effective are the topic sentences?

7. avoiding stock responses: “rewrite the model essay”.

▪ Take a model essay or an article provided by your teacher which answers a central question.

▪ Now examine past exam papers to see what other questions have been asked on this theme. In what ways would you need to re-write and re-structure the essay to focus on this question given?

8. Focusing on the command terms: “Guess the title of the essay”

▪ Another technique is for the students to copy and paste the entire article / essay into a piece of Word Cloud software such as Wordle or Taxedo. Students then have to guess the title of the essay from the results. If a writer has clearly focused on the command terms then these will appear at a higher frequency in the word count and therefore will be displayed more prominently in the word cloud.

9. Only incorporate a quote / historiography when you DISAGREE with it

▪ Using quotes in essays is too often a technique used by students to avoid thinking for themselves. Worst of all is the paragraph which is effectively a potted summary of another writer’s point of view. To avoid this, students should be asked to remove any quotes which they actually agree with. Instead, they should use quotes as a means of setting up a debate and demonstrating clear evidence of independent thinking (“Although AJP Taylor argued that…(quote)…this does not bear close scrutiny because…(contrary evidence))”.

10. General advice: The shape of an essay

A. in the introduction….

▪ Demonstrate understanding of the question. Clarify any key concepts that are mentioned (“Marxist”, “Propaganda”); outline which events and time period you will consider, and why

▪ Signpost the reader through your essay . In other words, give a very brief overview of how you plan to tackle the question.

b. In the main body of the essay…

▪ Start each paragraph with an argument (analysis). If you read the first sentence of each paragraph when you have finished, you should find that you have a summary of your case.

▪ Proceed to explain this point using evidence (including quotes from historians). The more specific this evidence is, the better.

▪ Wherever possible, explain why this evidence is valuable, or acknowledge its limitations.

c. In the conclusion…

▪ Answer the question by such things as

▪ Showing how your factors link together

▪ Showing how it depends on where / when / at whom you are looking

▪ Challenge the question by tackling any assumptions within it:

▪ E.g. “Why did the League of Nations only last 20 years?” suggests that this is a dismal record; you could make the point that the surprising thing is that it lasted so long as this given all the overwhelming problems it faced.

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3 Hands-on Essay Writing Activities Your Students Will Love

Turning essay writing into an engaging learning experience is definitely a challenge. The content requires a certain amount of lecturing, modeling, reading, and writing. But your essay writing unit doesn’t have to be one long sit-and-get; you can use hands-on essay writing activities to help invigorate your unit! 

In this post, I will share three activities that require students to move or use their hands. 

You can find more tips for teaching essay writing here.

(Looking for a whole essay writing unit that incorporates these activities? Grab my Five-paragraph Essay Writing Bundle here! )

Hands-on Essay Writing Activities #1: Exemplar Gallery Walk

You’ve probably done a gallery walk in your classroom before, but if not, here’s a quick refresh. 

For a gallery walk, you hang up artifacts for students to examine around the room. They are sometimes done in silence (students might use post-its to leave comments on the “gallery”). 

As students walk around and look at each artifact, they’ll complete some kind of task. 

You can use the gallery walk to show students examples of what an essay should look like. For example, I use a gallery walk activity to teach students what a strong thesis statement looks like.

First, I post a variety of thesis statements around the room. As students read them, they decide if each statement is a “strong” or “weak” example of a thesis statement. 

By the end of the activity, students clearly understand what makes a great thesis statement and how to spot problems with weak ones. 

(If you’d like this activity for Writing Strong Thesis Statements, you can grab my no-prep resource here!)

You could do this activity with any part of the essay–or whole essays. Regardless of how you use the gallery walk, it’s nice to get your students up and moving while they reflect on writing. 

Hands-on Essay Writing Activities #2: Unscramble Activity

Who doesn’t love a good puzzle? Another engaging essay-writing activity is to take an essay and turn it into a puzzle!

I take an example literary essay or research paper and cut it up. Basically, each part of the essay is on its own strip of paper. 

Students form groups and each group is given one of the cut-up essays. Together, they must figure out how to unscramble the essay. 

( Grab this Unscramble the Five-paragraph Essay Activity here if you don’t want to create your own. )

This not only forces them to remember the organizational structure of an essay, but shows them the importance of clear writing, using transitions, and following a rigid format. Plus, students get to use their hands as they manually move around their strips of paper and collaborate with peers. 

You could have students unscramble any kind of essay (save excellent student examples for this!) or even just Works Cited pages if you want them to focus on citation formats. 

Hands-on Essay Writing Activities #3: Stations

Stations are just what they sound like–stations set up around your classroom. Each station includes the directions and materials needed to complete a different task. In order for students to complete all of the required tasks, they have to rotate to each station. 

While you’ve probably done stations in your classroom before, you may not have considered using them for essay writing. But there are a ton of ways you could set up essay-writing stations. 

Each station could guide students through writing a piece or a step of an essay. Stations could each focus on teaching part of the essay writing process. You could even have stations in which students focused on exploring different types of essays or essay topics.

Stations are an engaging activity because they force students to move around the room. They also break up the class period into smaller chunks (a ninety-minute class becomes three thirty-minute stations, for example).

They are especially helpful when you want students to really dive into a specific topic. That’s why they’re also great for essay peer editing.

My peer-editing stations include four tasks: checking essay structure, checking citations, proofreading, and improving diction and fluency. Alternatively, you could set up peer-editing stations that focus on any four common essay issues. 

Students trade papers and have to complete each station or task. The stations force students to focus on honing in on each problem area leading to better and more specific feedback for one another. 

( Skip creating these stations on your own by grabbing the Five-paragraph Essay Peer-editing Stations here. )

Once you know how many stations you want to use and what topics/tasks will be covered at each, be sure to gather materials students may need. Provide highlighters, markers, and any specialty items students will need. 

You’ll also want to create very specific, step-by-step directions for each station. You might also want to provide students with a checklist of the stations, so they can keep track of which ones they’ve completed and which ones they still need to do.

Essay writing might never be your students’ favorite unit, but it certainly doesn’t have to be boring. You include movement and hands-on activities just like you would for any other content topic. 

If you’re looking for no-prep essay-writing resources, check out my Five-paragraph Essay Writing Bundle.

How to teach essay writing skills

Mastering the art of essay writing is essential for students to excel in their academic and professional endeavors. Effective essay writing not only enhances communication skills but also nurtures critical thinking and analytical abilities. Teaching essay writing can pose challenges, but educators can empower students to become proficient writers with the right approach and strategies. Here are some dynamic methods to write me an essay and to teach essay writing skills.

Understanding the Basics: Before delving into the intricacies of essay writing, it’s imperative to ensure that students grasp the fundamentals. Begin by explaining the structure of an essay, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Emphasize the significance of a clear thesis statement and topic sentences to guide the reader through the essay. Provide examples of well-written essays across various genres and encourage students to analyze them for structure, organization, and clarity. For further assistance in developing critical thinking and writing skills, students can explore resources like https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/6-premier-critical-thinking-writing-services-2023-expert-gloria-kopp-zlofe , which offer expert guidance and support.

Brainstorming and Planning: Effective essays are often the result of thorough brainstorming and careful planning. Teach students techniques such as mind mapping, freewriting, or listing to generate ideas for their essays. Encourage them to explore multiple perspectives and angles before settling on a topic. Once they have chosen a topic, guide them through the process of creating an outline to organize their thoughts logically.

Developing Strong Arguments: A compelling essay is built on strong arguments supported by evidence and examples. Teach students how to formulate persuasive arguments by conducting research, analyzing sources, and synthesizing information. Encourage them to use credible sources and cite evidence to substantiate their claims. Emphasize the importance of counterarguments and teach students how to address opposing views effectively.

Crafting Engaging Introductions: The introduction sets the tone for the entire essay and should capture the reader’s attention from the outset. Teach students various techniques for crafting engaging introductions, such as posing a thought-provoking question, providing a startling statistic, or sharing a relevant anecdote. Encourage them to clearly state their thesis and outline the main points they will address in the body paragraphs.

Supporting with Evidence and Examples: Evidence and examples are the backbone of a well-written essay. Teach students how to select relevant evidence and examples to support their arguments effectively. Encourage them to use a variety of sources, including scholarly articles, books, and personal experiences, to strengthen their essays. Emphasize the importance of properly citing sources to avoid plagiarism and maintain academic integrity.

Fostering Critical Thinking Skills: Essay writing provides an opportunity for students to develop critical thinking skills by analyzing complex issues and forming reasoned judgments. Teach students how to evaluate the credibility and reliability of sources, identify biases, and recognize logical fallacies. Encourage them to consider multiple perspectives and engage in thoughtful reflection throughout the writing process.

In conclusion, teaching essay writing skills requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses understanding the basics, brainstorming and planning, developing strong arguments, crafting engaging introductions, writing coherent body paragraphs, supporting with evidence and examples, and fostering critical thinking skills. By employing dynamic teaching methods and providing ample opportunities for practice and feedback, educators can empower students to become proficient writers. Effective essay writing not only enhances academic performance but also equips students with invaluable communication and critical thinking skills essential for success in the modern world.

Moreover, teaching essay writing fosters self-expression and encourages students to explore their unique perspectives on various topics. Through the process of crafting essays, students learn to articulate their thoughts and ideas with clarity and precision, honing their ability to communicate effectively in written form. This not only enhances their academic performance but also prepares them to engage meaningfully in discussions and debates, both inside and outside the classroom. As students gain confidence in their writing abilities, they become more adept at presenting their viewpoints persuasively, contributing to constructive dialogue and fostering a deeper understanding of complex issues. Ultimately, the skills acquired through essay writing transcend the boundaries of academia, empowering students to navigate the challenges of the modern world with confidence and proficiency.

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Classroom Q&A

With larry ferlazzo.

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

Four Strategies for Effective Writing Instruction

• Share article

(This is the first post in a two-part series.)

The new question-of-the-week is:

What is the single most effective instructional strategy you have used to teach writing?

Teaching and learning good writing can be a challenge to educators and students alike.

The topic is no stranger to this column—you can see many previous related posts at Writing Instruction .

But I don’t think any of us can get too much good instructional advice in this area.

Today, Jenny Vo, Michele Morgan, and Joy Hamm share wisdom gained from their teaching experience.

Before I turn over the column to them, though, I’d like to share my favorite tool(s).

Graphic organizers, including writing frames (which are basically more expansive sentence starters) and writing structures (which function more as guides and less as “fill-in-the-blanks”) are critical elements of my writing instruction.

You can see an example of how I incorporate them in my seven-week story-writing unit and in the adaptations I made in it for concurrent teaching.

You might also be interested in The Best Scaffolded Writing Frames For Students .

Now, to today’s guests:

‘Shared Writing’

Jenny Vo earned her B.A. in English from Rice University and her M.Ed. in educational leadership from Lamar University. She has worked with English-learners during all of her 24 years in education and is currently an ESL ISST in Katy ISD in Katy, Texas. Jenny is the president-elect of TexTESOL IV and works to advocate for all ELs:

The single most effective instructional strategy that I have used to teach writing is shared writing. Shared writing is when the teacher and students write collaboratively. In shared writing, the teacher is the primary holder of the pen, even though the process is a collaborative one. The teacher serves as the scribe, while also questioning and prompting the students.

The students engage in discussions with the teacher and their peers on what should be included in the text. Shared writing can be done with the whole class or as a small-group activity.

There are two reasons why I love using shared writing. One, it is a great opportunity for the teacher to model the structures and functions of different types of writing while also weaving in lessons on spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

It is a perfect activity to do at the beginning of the unit for a new genre. Use shared writing to introduce the students to the purpose of the genre. Model the writing process from beginning to end, taking the students from idea generation to planning to drafting to revising to publishing. As you are writing, make sure you refrain from making errors, as you want your finished product to serve as a high-quality model for the students to refer back to as they write independently.

Another reason why I love using shared writing is that it connects the writing process with oral language. As the students co-construct the writing piece with the teacher, they are orally expressing their ideas and listening to the ideas of their classmates. It gives them the opportunity to practice rehearsing what they are going to say before it is written down on paper. Shared writing gives the teacher many opportunities to encourage their quieter or more reluctant students to engage in the discussion with the types of questions the teacher asks.

Writing well is a skill that is developed over time with much practice. Shared writing allows students to engage in the writing process while observing the construction of a high-quality sample. It is a very effective instructional strategy used to teach writing.

‘Four Square’

Michele Morgan has been writing IEPs and behavior plans to help students be more successful for 17 years. She is a national-board-certified teacher, Utah Teacher Fellow with Hope Street Group, and a special education elementary new-teacher specialist with the Granite school district. Follow her @MicheleTMorgan1:

For many students, writing is the most dreaded part of the school day. Writing involves many complex processes that students have to engage in before they produce a product—they must determine what they will write about, they must organize their thoughts into a logical sequence, and they must do the actual writing, whether on a computer or by hand. Still they are not done—they must edit their writing and revise mistakes. With all of that, it’s no wonder that students struggle with writing assignments.

In my years working with elementary special education students, I have found that writing is the most difficult subject to teach. Not only do my students struggle with the writing process, but they often have the added difficulties of not knowing how to spell words and not understanding how to use punctuation correctly. That is why the single most effective strategy I use when teaching writing is the Four Square graphic organizer.

The Four Square instructional strategy was developed in 1999 by Judith S. Gould and Evan Jay Gould. When I first started teaching, a colleague allowed me to borrow the Goulds’ book about using the Four Square method, and I have used it ever since. The Four Square is a graphic organizer that students can make themselves when given a blank sheet of paper. They fold it into four squares and draw a box in the middle of the page. The genius of this instructional strategy is that it can be used by any student, in any grade level, for any writing assignment. These are some of the ways I have used this strategy successfully with my students:

* Writing sentences: Students can write the topic for the sentence in the middle box, and in each square, they can draw pictures of details they want to add to their writing.

* Writing paragraphs: Students write the topic sentence in the middle box. They write a sentence containing a supporting detail in three of the squares and they write a concluding sentence in the last square.

* Writing short essays: Students write what information goes in the topic paragraph in the middle box, then list details to include in supporting paragraphs in the squares.

When I gave students writing assignments, the first thing I had them do was create a Four Square. We did this so often that it became automatic. After filling in the Four Square, they wrote rough drafts by copying their work off of the graphic organizer and into the correct format, either on lined paper or in a Word document. This worked for all of my special education students!

I was able to modify tasks using the Four Square so that all of my students could participate, regardless of their disabilities. Even if they did not know what to write about, they knew how to start the assignment (which is often the hardest part of getting it done!) and they grew to be more confident in their writing abilities.

In addition, when it was time to take the high-stakes state writing tests at the end of the year, this was a strategy my students could use to help them do well on the tests. I was able to give them a sheet of blank paper, and they knew what to do with it. I have used many different curriculum materials and programs to teach writing in the last 16 years, but the Four Square is the one strategy that I have used with every writing assignment, no matter the grade level, because it is so effective.

‘Swift Structures’

Joy Hamm has taught 11 years in a variety of English-language settings, ranging from kindergarten to adult learners. The last few years working with middle and high school Newcomers and completing her M.Ed in TESOL have fostered stronger advocacy in her district and beyond:

A majority of secondary content assessments include open-ended essay questions. Many students falter (not just ELs) because they are unaware of how to quickly organize their thoughts into a cohesive argument. In fact, the WIDA CAN DO Descriptors list level 5 writing proficiency as “organizing details logically and cohesively.” Thus, the most effective cross-curricular secondary writing strategy I use with my intermediate LTELs (long-term English-learners) is what I call “Swift Structures.” This term simply means reading a prompt across any content area and quickly jotting down an outline to organize a strong response.

To implement Swift Structures, begin by displaying a prompt and modeling how to swiftly create a bubble map or outline beginning with a thesis/opinion, then connecting the three main topics, which are each supported by at least three details. Emphasize this is NOT the time for complete sentences, just bulleted words or phrases.

Once the outline is completed, show your ELs how easy it is to plug in transitions, expand the bullets into detailed sentences, and add a brief introduction and conclusion. After modeling and guided practice, set a 5-10 minute timer and have students practice independently. Swift Structures is one of my weekly bell ringers, so students build confidence and skill over time. It is best to start with easy prompts where students have preformed opinions and knowledge in order to focus their attention on the thesis-topics-supporting-details outline, not struggling with the rigor of a content prompt.

Here is one easy prompt example: “Should students be allowed to use their cellphones in class?”

Swift Structure outline:

Thesis - Students should be allowed to use cellphones because (1) higher engagement (2) learning tools/apps (3) gain 21st-century skills

Topic 1. Cellphones create higher engagement in students...

Details A. interactive (Flipgrid, Kahoot)

B. less tempted by distractions

C. teaches responsibility

Topic 2. Furthermore,...access to learning tools...

A. Google Translate description

B. language practice (Duolingo)

C. content tutorials (Kahn Academy)

Topic 3. In addition,...practice 21st-century skills…

Details A. prep for workforce

B. access to information

C. time-management support

This bare-bones outline is like the frame of a house. Get the structure right, and it’s easier to fill in the interior decorating (style, grammar), roof (introduction) and driveway (conclusion). Without the frame, the roof and walls will fall apart, and the reader is left confused by circuitous rubble.

Once LTELs have mastered creating simple Swift Structures in less than 10 minutes, it is time to introduce complex questions similar to prompts found on content assessments or essays. Students need to gain assurance that they can quickly and logically explain and justify their opinions on multiple content essays without freezing under pressure.

Thanks to Jenny, Michele, and Joy for their contributions!

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

Education Week has published a collection of posts from this blog, along with new material, in an e-book form. It’s titled Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching .

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| | --> by BUSYTEACHER_admin 308,853 views Their college life is impossible to imagine without paper work, and that is why it is very important for them to know how to write an essay, an assignment, a dissertation, a composition, etc. So, your task as a teacher is . How to do that? What aspects to pay attention to in order your students could become the best essay writers? Here you are welcome to find some tips concerning the most important essay aspects to tell your students about. Step by step, you will make it much easier for them to understand the principles of essay writing and their importance for their future practice. Remember, that an essay is not only about writing skills, but it demonstrates the ability of your students to research as well. So, you task is to teach them to research. That is why try to reject the chosen topics if they are too easy for a student, and you see that it will not take much time to write such a essay. An essay is not an essay without any research. Explain your students, that it is always better for them to choose a topic they understand well and have an opportunity to make a research on. is important for every student to get, that is why do not forget practicing different research tactics with them: tell in details about the methods they can use to find all the information needed, how to use this info wisely, and what are the best ways to distinguish the important facts. An essay can not be just a piece of writing about general things everybody knows and understands perfectly. So, teach your students that they should not be in a hurry to write their essays at once they've chosen the topic. Make them When a student perfectly understands what he writes an essay for, it will be much easier for him to draw the outline and start writing. For your students to understand what a good piece of writing actually is, just give them some examples of excellent essays. It may be an essay of your former student for example. When they see a sample, your students will have an idea what a good essay should look like. Use samples to tell students about each element their essays should include. They will perfectly understand what the good introduction is, what an informative body of an essay should look like, and how to make an appropriate conclusion. Moreover, your students will also have an opportunity to see how sentences are built, and what grammar constructions are used in an essay. Choose some topic and make a list of points your students would need to mention if they wrote an essay on it. Such a technique will give them a better understanding of what and essay is, and . Make sure that all students perfectly understand the fact they should follow an essay outline, because it will be much easier for them to write this piece of paper. Make it clear to them that every point of the outline should start from a new paragraph. Moreover, the smaller these paragraphs are – the more attractive an essay will look for its readers. It is not very comfortable to read very long paragraphs, as it will be more difficult to get the point in such a way. Eventually, it will be easier for students themselves to compose shorter paragraphs of an essay. And here comes its most important part that is called an introduction. As a rule, students find it very difficult to write this part of their essay, as they do not know how to start a piece of writing in order to attract readers' attention and tell them shortly about what this essay is about. It is clear, that an essay will not be good without a proper and attractive beginning, so, your task is to explain this moment to your students. Tell them, that no one will continue reading their essays if they do not make it eye-catchy and clear for a potential reader. Moreover, an essay introduction should be intriguing a bit. Depending on the topic of an essay, students can start it with a story from their personal experience. This is a good way to grab an attention. Discuss this option with your students, listen to their suggestions. Discussions will help them learn the material better. Now it is high time for a conclusion, which is not less important than an introduction by the way. It is a real art to finish your in a way your reader would feel good and satisfied with everything he has read. Tell your students how to conclude their essays appropriately. Explain, that it is not good to abrupt a piece of writing. And do not forget to mention, that a conclusion of their essay should contain a summary if all points they discussed in the body! To summarize everything mentioned above, we can say that the importance of essay writing skills should not be underestimated. Such skills will help students express their thoughts clearly and write really good and even professional essays and other kinds of paper work during their further study at colleges or universities. Be sure, they will thank you for teaching such a necessary information to them. . Alex is a copywriter of website and a passionate reader of Stephen King's books. If you enjoyed this article, please help spread it by clicking one of those sharing buttons below. And if you are interested in more, you should follow our Facebook page where we share more about creative, non-boring ways to teach English. . That's 4,036 pages filled with thousands of practical activities and tips that you can start using today. 30-day money back guarantee. --> Copyright 2007-2021 пїЅ Submit a worksheet Mobile version 10 Fun Classroom Writing Games to Improve Literacy Skills The best writing games to engage students A colleague of mine recently shared these ten great writing game ideas to improve literacy skills in the classroom.  They are simple to play and can be applied to nearly all year levels.  These are some of the best writing games that require minimal or no setup time and are an excellent option for substitute teachers looking to quickly break the ice with students or English teachers just seeking fresh ideas to brighten up their lessons. Enjoy. Remember that if you are looking for more excellent free resources and structured guides to teaching all aspects of English, especially writing, be sure to visit  literacyideas.com . Sentence Stretching Start with a short sentence or group of words.  Pass it around to about 6 people, with the rule that each person must add (a word or a group of words) or change ONE word ( to another word or a group of words) to make the sentence more specific and more enjoyable. Rebus writing Students write sentences or longer texts and substitute drawings for nouns. 25 Fun Daily Writing Tasks Quick Write and JOURNAL Activities for ALL TEXT TYPES in DIGITAL & PDF PRINT to engage RELUCTANT WRITERS . ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ( 18 reviews ) It’s in the bag Place an object in a bag- ensure the students don’t see it. Students feel the object in the bag and use words to describe how it feels. They take it out and add /alter their adjectives. Touch and tell An object is passed around a group of students. Each student suggests an adjective to describe it. Alternative Students provide an adjectival phrase or clause to describe the object Students randomly select from a box a picture of an animal, person or object that moves. They brainstorm action verbs for the chosen object. The students can supply verbs and adverbs They can supply adjectives or adjectival groups Read a text ( this case narrative ), and at a particular point, stop and ask students to select a character and suggest, for example: What the character is doing, thinking, and feeling ( focus on processes) Change the meaning- change one word Students locate and change one word that will alter the sentence’s meaning. They share their alterations and discuss which part of speech was the most important in changing the meaning . Locate and classify Read a text and ask students to write nouns on cards ( red), adjectives (blue), and articles in orange. Rearrange words to create different noun groups. Students can also locate verbs ( green card) and adverbs (yellow). Rearrange all the words to create new sentences. Students can locate adjectival phrases, clauses, or adverbial phrases and write these on other coloured cards. Grammar toss- Sentence making Players must throw a 1 before they can begin. The winner is the first person to make a sentence that includes all of the following: A group of words that tell what or who ( singular) A group of words that tell when A verb in the past tense An adverb telling how A group of words telling where They can then rearrange the sentence parts to see how many ways they can make another meaningful sentence.  Other parts of speech can be used for each number thrown. Toss and write Before the activity, a cube is prepared. Upon each face of the cube, a task is written that requires specific grammar knowledge. For example: Make a sentence Make a question Provide two adjectives Provide two verbs Create a noun group (e.g. article, adjective/s noun) Provide a noun and an adverb Students select a subject ( noun) from a tin. They throw the cube, and whichever side of the cube faces up is the task they must attempt. OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO WRITING GAMES 10 fun writing activities for the reluctant writer How to Write a Scary Story 7 Fun Writing Sub Plans for Substitute Teachers How To Teach Argumentative Essay Writing Teaching argumentative essay writing can be a real challenge. In addition to teaching writing, you’re also teaching skills like research and refutation. Luckily, this post includes the tips you need for effectively teaching argumentative essay writing. I have great news for any of you gearing up to teach argumentative essay writing. Those students of yours love to argue. (Don’t believe me? Just ask their parents!) Students love to stand up for their opinion, proving their view is correct. The challenge, then, is getting them to look at the whole picture, find supporting evidence and understand the opposing viewpoints. Only then can they craft an argument that is both factually strong and persuasive. Overall, it’s about moving them beyond the blinders of their opinions and taking a more sound evidence-based approach. Teaching argumentative essay writing doesn’t have to be such a painful experience for both you and your students. Follow the steps and strategies below to learn how to approach the dreaded argumentative essay more easily. The Challenge with Teaching Argumentative Essay Writing Why is teaching argumentative essay writing so difficult, you ask? I’ve been there. The truth is, when teaching argumentative essay writing, you’re teaching more than writing . You’re also teaching research skills and encouraging critical thought and analysis. You also need to explain how to evaluate sources and evidence and the difference between fact and opinion. In many ways, you’re teaching tolerance and perspective. (The list goes on.) Long story short, it makes sense that it’s a challenge. The key is to not rush into it. Take it step-by-step, building upon what students already know. Moving Beyond Persuasion The good news? Many of your students have a foundational knowledge of persuasive writing that you can use as a springboard for teaching argumentative essay writing. However, it’s important to note that, while many use the terms interchangeably, they’re not quite the same. The main difference? Factual evidence. Your students might be used to persuasive writing, meaning writing to convince the reader of a claim rooted in their personal opinion . While it’s likely that students will argue something they are in favor of, argumentative essay writing involves using claims supported by factual evidence. Additionally, a hallmark of the argumentative essay is addressing the opposing viewpoint, a step that many students are unfamiliar with– and find rather challenging. Consider the following steps as you move from persuasion to argumentative essay writing: Step 1: Start with Casual Augmentation Engage your students in a low-stakes debate before formally teaching argumentative essay writing. This approach will help get students in the right mindset as you begin to lay the foundation for effective argumentation. Don’t even mention the word essay at this point. Keep it fun and casual to break the ice. There are many ways to approach casual argumentation in class. You can begin with an anticipation guide of controversial yet appropriate statements. After students fill it out, foster a group discussion in which students share their thoughts regarding each statement. Encourage them to move beyond simple opinions by asking why to get them to dig deeper as they support their stance. To get your students up and moving, consider playing a game like Four Corners to get them to take a stance on a topic. Regardless of which activity you choose, spend time discussing the students’ stances. Small debates are likely to unfold right then and there. Step 2: Add In Evidence, But Still Keep It Casual You’ve causally engaged students in basic argumentation. However, before moving into a full-blown argumentative essay, dip students’ toes into the world of supporting evidence. Use the same activity above or write a simple yet controversial topic on the board for them to take a stance on. This time, give students a chance to gather supporting evidence. It might be worth quickly reviewing what makes a sound piece of evidence (research, studies, statistics, expert quotes, etc.). Then, once they pick their stance, allow five to ten minutes to gather the best piece of supportive evidence they can find. After, give them another five to ten minutes to work with the others in their corner/on their side to determine the strongest two or three pieces of evidence to share with the class. Once each team does this, have them take turns sharing their stance and supporting evidence. I like to leave room at the end for “final words” where they can respond to a point made by the other side. During this simple activity, begin to unpack the importance of solid and relevant supporting evidence. Step 3: Bring in the Opposing Viewpoints Don’t stop there. One of the most challenging aspects of argumentative writing for students to grasp is acknowledging and responding to the opposition. They are often blinded by their experiences, perspectives, and opinions that they neglect the opposing side altogether. Here’s what you can do: Repeat either activity above with a slight twist. Once students pick their side, switch it up. Instead of supporting the side they chose, ask them to research the other side and find the best supporting evidence to bring back to the class. Therefore, students will engage in a casual debate, supporting an opposing viewpoint. (For a simpler, more independent version of this, write a controversial statement on the board, have students take a stance, and then find evidence for the opposing side, putting it all into a written response.) While many students might complain at first, you’d be surprised how quickly they get into the task. Activities like these lay the groundwork for making evidence-based claims. Additionally, students will begin to recognize the role of perspective in argumentation.   Step 4: Introduce the Argumentative Essay Now it’s time to introduce the argumentative essay. Many students will be tempted to jump right into writing. Therefore, make it clear that argumentative essay writing involves deeply investigating a topic before writing. Next, explain how argumentative writing aims to take a stance on a topic and back it up with substantial supporting evidence. Additionally, include how argumentative essay writing requires acknowledging the opposing viewpoint. As for persuasion, explain that it must work in coordination with collected evidence rather than being rooted solely in one’s opinion. When introducing the argumentative essay, it helps to outline the essay structure, showing students where it is both similar and different from the essays they are used to: Begin with an introductory paragraph. This is where the students will hook their readers and provide a summary of the issue, any relative background information, and a well-defined claim. (This is a great place to explain that claim is another word for a thesis statement used in argumentative writing.) Then comes the logically organized body paragraphs, each unpacking evidential support of the claim. While students are used to using body paragraphs to support their claim, remind them one body paragraph must reference and refute the opposing side. Finally comes the conclusion. Students are no strangers to writing conclusions. However, they should be moving beyond simply restating the thesis at the secondary level. Guide them through readdressing it in a way that acknowledges the presented evidence and leaves the author with something to think about. Students will likely recognize the similarity between this and the traditional five-paragraph essay. Therefore, focus your teaching on the newer elements thrown into the mix that truly make it an argumentative essay. Teacher Tip. Incorporate various mentor texts to help students grasp the elements of argumentative essay writing. There are tons you can pull offline written by students and experts alike. ( The New York Times Learning Network has some great mentor text resources!) The more interesting your students find the subject matter, the better. Controversial topics always stir up an engaging conversation as well. Teaching the Argumentative Essay Writing Process Remember, students can quickly fall into old habits, neglecting some of the most imperative aspects of argumentative writing. Take it slow, walking students through the following steps – trust me, you’ll be thankful you did when it comes time to read a pile of these essays: Choose a topic. I recommend providing a list of argumentative essay writing topics for students to choose from. This prevents students’ classic “I can’t think of anything” roadblock. However, encourage students to choose a topic they are interested in or feel passionate about. With that said, I always give the option of letting students convince me (ha!) to let them use a topic they came up with if not on the list. Start the research. This is where students begin gathering evidence and is an opportunity to review what constitutes strong evidence in the first place. Understand the opposing side: Students are always confused about why I have them start here. One reason? It’s more challenging for students to see the other side, so this gets it out of the way first. Another? Some students never took the time to understand the other side, and in some cases, they switch their stance before writing their argument. It’s better to do so now than after you’ve done all your research and drafting. Lastly, I explain how understanding the opposing side can help guide your research for your side. Make a claim. While students may have an idea of their claim, the strongest claims are driven by evidence . Therefore, remind students that a claim is a statement that can be supported with evidence and reasoning and debated. Playing a quick game of two truths and an opinion (a spin on two truths and a lie) can reinforce the notion of facts vs. opinions. Write the body paragraphs. Each body paragraph should focus on supporting the claim with specific evidence. However, don’t forget to rebut the opposition! While they find it challenging, students learn to love this part. (After all, they love being right.) However, their instinct tends to be just to prove the other side wrong without using evidence as to why. Round out the intro and the conclusion, put it all together, and voila! An argumentative essay is born. More Tips for Teaching Argumentative Essay Writing Begin with what they know: Build on the well-known five-paragraph essay model. Start with something students know. Many are already familiar with the classic five-paragraph essay, right? Use that as a reference point, noting out where they will add new elements, such as opposing viewpoints and rebuttal. Use mentor texts: Mentor texts help give students a frame of reference when learning a new genre of writing. However, don’t stop at reading the texts. Instead, have students analyze them, looking for elements such as the authors’ claims, types of evidence, and mentions of the opposing side. Additionally, encourage students to discuss where the author made the most substantial arguments and why. In [ARTICLE NAME/STUDY], the author states… According to…, This shows/illustrates/explains… This means/confirms/suggests… Opponents of this idea claim/maintain that…  however… Those who disagree/are against these ideas may say/ assert that…  yet… On the other hand… This is not to say that… Provide clear guidelines: I love using rubrics, graphic organizers, and checklists to help students stay on track throughout the argumentative essay writing process. Use these structured resources to help them stay on track every step of the way– and makes grading much easier for you . The bottom line? Teaching argumentative essay writing is a skill that transcends the walls of our classrooms. The art of making and supporting a sound, evidence-based argument is a real-life skill. If our goal as teachers is to prepare students to be skilled, active, and engaged citizens of the 21st century, effectively teaching argumentative essay writing is a must. So, what are you waiting for? Teach those kids how to argue the write way. 1 thought on “How To Teach Argumentative Essay Writing” This is very helpful. I am preparing to teach my student how to write an argumentative essay. This help me know that I am on the right path and to change how I organize some things in a different way. I really like how you recommended they pick out the elements of the writing. This will help them focus on the parts they dislike doing the most. Thanks for the writing. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. How to Teach Essay Writing Don't just throw your homeschooled-student intoformal essay crafting. Focus on sentence structure and basic paragraph composition before movingto more complicated formal essay composition. Are you a competent essay writer? Even if you know how to write an essay , chances are you are dreading the coming years of teaching homeschool writing just as much as your novice writer could be dreading learning how to write . Writing comes naturally for very few, but most view writing as an insurmountable abstract mountain. The Write Foundation writing curriculum is a divide and conquer method of teaching writing. Focusing on small portions of writing paragraphs and later five-paragraph college level essays, eventually you and your students will be able to use all the necessary writing skills to easily compose wonderfully crafted formal essays . Start with a good foundation That is, of course, what The Write Foundation teaches. Don’t just throw your homeschooled-child into the middle of essay crafting. Focus on sentence structure and basic paragraph composition before moving to more complicated formal essay composition . Learn to write essays one bite at a time. This helps students develop writing skills by using writing tools which helps them gain confidence and enables parents who are insecure about their own writing skills learn with their students. Hold their hand as much as they need you hold their hand. An abstract assignment with limited instructions can appear quite daunting to a reluctant, struggling, or new writer; tiny decisions can become writing blocks in a new writer’s mind. Share the experience with your homeschooler. Discuss writing blocks and ways to overcome them. Discuss the planning process and experience how it helps flesh out an essay. Walk them through each lesson making sure they complete each step successfully before attempting to move on in the writing process. Working side by side with your student also helps you become a better instructor by solidifying the lesson for yourself. As students gain confidence with their new skills they will need your help less and less so they will shoo you away as they learn writing is much easier using the complete writing process. Use concrete assignments Creative writing is very subjective, and it is also very abstract for a new writer. You need a writing curriculum which focuses on concrete assignments and provides a variety of writing topics that fit the type of writing being taught in that assignment. Give your students a structure to work into a paragraph using their creative information. Leaving several factors to the unknown, such as type of writing, structure, and so on, leaves more decisions that the novice writer is not ready to determine. An abstract assignment with limited instructions can appear quite daunting to a reluctant, struggling, or just new writer; tiny decisions can become writing blocks in a new writer’s mind. Even experienced writers face writer’s block. Students need to be given tools and taught skills that overcome “But, what do I write about?” Know your audience Let your child select from a list of possible writing topics that may be interesting to them. Your child may enjoy the experience more if he is writing about his favorite pastime instead of writing about your favorite pastime. Choosing topics about things that directly influence your child, such as different views about their favorite sport, the influence of network TV or political topics that hit close to home may open the doors for lively discussion and insight into your child’s mind. Writing is a necessary life skill. When teaching writing remember you are not alone. If you are worried about teaching formal writing to your homeschooler, use the support system of The Write Foundation for any questions you may have through the process, and know that you are not alone. Look into a homeschool writing co-op in your area to lighten the burden and give new perspective on your child’s essay writing development. Use The Write Foundation and use a proven writing system. Questions or Comments? Recent articles. Correcting Run-on Sentences How Does Skipping the Writing Process Affect your Writing? Graduating Homeschooling Is My Child Ready for Formal Writing? Teaching Spelling Evaluating Homeschool Writing Curriculums Why Most Writing Curriculums Fail (and How to Make Sure your Homeschooler Doesn't!) Top Five Reasons Students Hate to Write (and How You can Help!) College Preparation for Homeschooled Students H e is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. Luke 6:48 View, Print, and Practice the Sample Lessons (We're here to help you teach!) Now Available! Free Reading Lists Get your copy today! Have a struggling writer? Maybe he hates writing? Does your student just need to learn how to write? Long for teacher-friendly lesson plans you can quickly prepare and teach? Desire a writing curriculum your children will enjoy while learning creatively? Complete Lesson Plans Free Assessment Tests Free Reading Lists Organization for Writing Checklists & Guidelines Brainstorm & Outline Forms Open doors to writing success! Contact Rebecca . Rebecca Celsor will answer your questions regarding how to easily teach your child to write. " Sentence structure was taught in an easy, natural way. We learned about adjectives and adverbs, descriptive verbs, and so on, and then Sarah was required to use these skills in the homework paragraphs. Only one concept was introduced in a lesson, so nothing was overwhelming. " Course Selection Assistance Suggested Age Levels for Homeschool Writing Entry Level I - Prepare to Write Entry Level II - Creating Sentences Level 1 - Sentence to Paragraph Level 2 - Paragraph Level 3 - Essay Free Curriculum Writing Samples Example Teaching Videos Online Grading Service Writing Skills Reference Folder How to Present a Lesson Grading Writing Key Points for Grading Writing MindBenders® Order Curriculum Packages Order Worksheets Only Refund/Return Policy Selecting Home School Curriculum Writing Preparation Writing Development High School and Beyond Homeschool Co-ops Homeschool How To The Story Behind TWF Why Another Writing Curriculum? Copyright Information He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock . Luke 6:48 Dedicated to equipping God's children with the ability to communicate His Truth to the world. Teaching Tools Curriculum Ordering homeschool writing curriculum home school writing samples Mind Benders® Online Grading Copyright © 2021 TheWriteFoundation.org web site design - evolvethebrand.com Buy ANY 3 Resources. Get the 4th FREE! 👉 SHOP NOW 👈 Making persuasive writing fun to teach and learn. April 21, 2021 How do you make persuasive writing fun in the classroom? Lots of the time, teachers and students alike don’t enjoy writing lessons. It can be a challenge getting ALL students motivated to put pencil to paper. That is where we step in to help you change that with these 5 fun strategies you can start using tomorrow to make persuasive writing enjoyable in your classroom. We want to begin by saying, children love learning through games, and as teachers, we have witnessed the benefits. These tips include a range of games for individuals, pairs and, whole groups that will have your students excited when you tell them that writing is next up on the daily timetable. 1. Would you rather game Build the field and get students talking with a Would You Rather game. Kids absolutely love playing this game, and it is an excellent way to get kids informally using persuasive language. An ‘Agree or Disagree’ game is another alternative you could play as a class (just make sure you include some funny or outrageous statements). 2. Spinner and dice games We know that speaking and listening is vital when it comes to writing development. Spinner or dice games are an engaging and different way for students to work on specific language conventions and have fun at the same time. We like to set games up as fast finisher activities or send them home for students that need extra support. 3. Word wheels These are a great alternative to word or vocabulary walls. You could have students make their own word wheels to use as a reference when writing or simply speaking before writing. They can be less overwhelming for students by presenting multiple options one by one. We have actually seen a creative teacher make large word wheels and pin them to her persuasive writing display. The students had the structure to refer to, examples, and could also access the word wheels on the wall if they needed help when writing. Find the UNO Games for Maths here.  4. partner writing. Don’t discount the learning opportunities that students obtain from working together on a piece of writing. Not only can they discuss and talk through their arguments but also mentor each other throughout the writing process. Peer or partner writing is another way to get reluctant writers engaged in the process. 5. Student choice and voice Give students a bingo board or a range of topics for them to choose something they are passionate about or know about. As adults, we know it is easier to write about something we know, and kids are exactly the same. By giving students a choice it will allow them to feel confident in the content and, therefore, be able to focus more on the punctuation, language conventions, and spelling required of them when writing. Create confident and enthusiastic writers with these persuasive writing activities and games. And remember, writing lessons don’t always require students to be sitting at a desk writing. Mix it up and make it fun! Loved these ideas and want to remember them later? Pin the image below. Need help when it comes to planning and preparing your persuasive writing lessons? Check out our ready-to-print resources for Grades 2-3 & Grades 4-6. “Fabulous addition to a unit we’ve taught many times before. This resource brought new perspectives & tasks to help revamp what we do.” Kristy T WHAT IF YOU COULD MASTER SETTING UP AND RUNNING YOUR READING GROUPS IN JUST ONE WEEK? Imagine running a reading group program which is uncomplicated, easy to implement and stress free. .., introducing…, transform your reading groups. Discover a streamlined system to take control of your reading groups. Learn our step-by-step instructions. Create a time in the day you and your students love. Click here to join us and TRANSFORM YOUR READING GROUPS. What to read next:. Ways to emotionally prepare your students for NAPLAN 8 Tips for Efficiently Running Reading Groups Time Saving Strategies for Teachers share this post Conquer teacher overwhelm with these 8 strategies, our number 1 favourite harmony week activity, ready to teach abroad discover the adventure, small group essentials: 8 components when reading or working, member logins. Rainbow Sky Creations acknowledges the Dharawal people and Whadjuk Nyungar people, the traditional custodians of the lands on which they live, work and learn. They pay their respects to the past, present and emerging Elders of this nation, and supports the cultural, spiritual and educational practices of First Nations peoples. Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Site Maintained by Nyssa This episode is an important one. We sit down with Amy, a renowned expert on teacher wellbeing, to debunk myths and provide actionable insights into how educators can improve their wellbeing.  Amy shares wisdom from her book Teacher Wellbeing: A Real Conversation for Teachers and Leaders. She discusses the deeper aspects of well-being and common mistakes schools make in addressing this crucial issue. Whether you're a teacher or a school leader, this episode is packed with valuable advice on fostering a healthier, more productive environment. In today’s episode we break down: Common myths about Teacher Wellbeing How ‘outsourcing’ our wellbeing isn’t helping us as teachers  Micro-stresses that teachers face Subjective and psychological wellbeing Mistakes we often make when it comes to wellbeing and what we can do as individuals to make a change The connection between productivity and wellbeing Moving away from reactionary environments in schools to being proactive and how this small change can have a massive impact Amy offers crucial advice that will help us take back our power and control over our wellbeing as teachers because at the end of the day teacher wellbeing impacts student wellbeing and we are there for the kids! This is the perfect episode to share with a teacher friend, especially one who may be struggling in this area of wellbeing and balance right now.  You can access more teacher strategies, classroom inspiration and a wealth of resources by visiting our website  www.rainbowskycreations.com . Rainbows ahead, Ashleigh and Alisha Resources mentioned in this episode Learn more from Amy at www.thewellnessstrategy.com.au Connect with Amy on socials @_thewellnessstrategy   Find Amy on Linked in here . Amy’s book:  Teacher Wellbeing: A Real Conversation for Teachers and Leaders   Let's hear from you! Text us! Share full article Advertisement Supported by 10 Ways to Teach Argument-Writing With The New York Times By Katherine Schulten Oct. 5, 2017 Updated, Feb. 2020 How can writing change people’s understanding of the world? How can it influence public opinion? How can it lead to meaningful action? Below, we round up the best pieces we’ve published over the years about how to use the riches of The Times’s Opinion section p to teach and learn. We’ve sorted the ideas — many of them from teachers — into two sections. The first helps students do close-readings of editorials and Op-Eds, as well as Times Op-Docs, Op-Art and editorial cartoons. The second suggests ways for students to discover their own voices on the issues they care about. We believe they, too, can “write to change the world.” Ideas for Reading Opinion Pieces 1. Explore the role of a newspaper opinion section. How would your students describe the differences between the news sections of a newspaper and the opinion section? What do they have in common? How do they differ? Where else in newspapers are opinions — for instance, in the form of reviews or personal essays — often published? Bring in a few print copies of a newspaper, whether The Times or a local or school paper, and have your students work in small groups to contrast a news page with an opinion page and see what they discover. We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber?  Log in . Want all of The Times?  Subscribe . Teacher Must-Haves Writing Ideas Get to Know You Ideas Procedures Checklist Review Procedures Morning Work Ideas Classroom Management Character Traits Compare and Contrast Read Alouds Point of View Reading Response Ideas Summarizing Text Features Text Structures Find the Fib Reusable Ideas Disclosure Policy Dollar Deals Lifetime Access 8 Ideas and Activities for Making Writing Fun in Upper Elementary Making Writing Fun Activities Written by Guest Blogger Jessica Thompson, 4th Grade Teacher Writing. The minute the word is mentioned there is an audible, in-sync sigh from the students. Of course, there are a few super excited students who cannot get their ideas down quick enough. For every handful of excited writers, there is a large portion of the class that “has nothing to write about.” The struggle is real, y’all. For both teachers and students. The big question for teachers is not only how to make writing fun and engaging, but how do we get students excited about writing? Fun Writing Activities To Try Here are 8 Activities to try with third, fourth, and fifth grade students. These activities are to get our young writers excited about writing which will make formal writing tasks less daunting. 1. Think-Write-Pass: This is always a favorite that gets lots of laughs.  Put students in groups of four.  Give each student a piece of paper and have them write their name on the top.  Have students write for 2-3 minutes.  You can give them a topic, or simply have them write about whatever they want.    When the time is up, students pass their paper to another student in their group.   Each student in the group will have to read, continue the writing, and pass the paper again 2-3 minutes later. When each student gets their own paper back they get a few minutes to complete the story. If time allows: let the groups choose their favorite one to share.  2.  Sticky Note Stories: Students want to share stories with us. There are so many stories - from their weekend, the ball game, recess, at their Aunt Barb’s birthday party 5 years ago - they have so much that they want to tell us! It’s usually the same students ones who are constantly trying to tell us stories that, come writing time, same they have nothing to write about.   Sticky Note Stories are an easy solution. A sticky post it note is not nearly as intimidating as a piece of notebook paper. When a student has a story to share, tell them how much you want to hear it - but they have to write it down on the sticky note. A holiday weekend? A school event?  A birthday party?  A football game?  Write it on a sticky note. Save yourself some time, stress, and over 40% those first weeks of school with this back to school bundle. It includes: No Prep Emergency Sub Plans No Prep Beginning of the Year Fun Packet A Classroom Procedure Review Activity An Interview a Friend Activity What I Wish My Teacher Knew About Me Back to School Ice Breakers & Writing Prompts Classroom Procedures Checklist 3.  Found Poetry Make copies of text from a book you are reading and have them find words or groups of words throughout the text to create a poem. They can circle these words and draw pictures or designs around everything else to make the poem pop.  See some examples of found poetry here.    Or, check out these other ways to help students enjoy writing poetry.  4.  Go Outside! A change of scenery makes everything more fun.  Take the notebooks and pencils to the outdoors for 10-15 minutes. Have students sit and use their 5 senses to write observations. You can stop there, or take this activity a little further and have students write some poetry! Give them free rein, or add some guidelines for structure. This free cinquain writing template is perfect for an activity like this! Or, have students write a short haiku!  This no prep resource gives students a chance to read and write haiku, as well as answer comprehension questions! You might also like some of these other outdoor lesson ideas. 5.  This or That Sometimes all students need is a little bit of choice and control.  Give them that control with This or That.   This is easy - simply provide them with 2 writing prompts and let them choose! It can be time consuming to create choice boards with 9 options, but with This or That you only need to create two.  You can use these example discussion questions as writing prompts if you need help coming up with options!    6.  Silly Pictures This is an easy way to make writing fun! There are millions of funny pictures without captions on the internet. The key is to find appropriate ones and save them for later use. Put the picture up on a projector, mirror it to a screen, or print it out. Have students write about what is happening in that picture. This is great to practice skills such as predicting, inferring, cause and effect, and problem and solution. Or, inspire even more creativity by having students create their own silly drawings to write about using these Squiggle Drawing Story Starters!  7.  Persuasive Letters or Opinion Writing Two birds, one writing piece.  The key to making this writing activity fun is choosing a topic that is sure to of interest of students.   What student wouldn't love to try to convince their teacher that recess should be longer?  Or that they should be able to skip homework one night?  Or that they should have a pizza party? The list of ideas is endless.  They could write to their parents on why they should have a later bedtime or get a dog. They could write to the principal on why donuts should be served with breakfast. They could write to an author on why they should write another book in their favorite series.  You could also let students choose the topic.  3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students have fun arguing their point and they will learn quickly the importance of supporting their claim.  Use these ideas and paragraph writing frames to help students with their opinion writing.  8.  Quick Writes Quick Writes are a timed writing. The idea is not to scare the students, but for them to get their ideas on paper as quickly as possibly and to be writing or thinking the entire time. Give students a prompt, and then tell them to write down whatever comes to mind over the next 5 - 10 minutes.  Make sure students aren't worried about spelling or a grade - the goal is to just spend some time writing. If you are looking for a more polished piece, you can have students do this daily for 3-5 days.  Then, have them choose their favorite quick write to revise, edit, and turn in. 9.  BONUS - Secret Descriptive Writing Activity Make writing a descriptive paper fun!  Have your students secretly draw a picture and use describe with vivid descriptive language.  Then, students read their descriptions aloud while their classmates try and figure out which drawing is theirs! This works best if students are all drawing something similar.  This is an easy activity to create on your own, but you could also try out one of these secret descriptive writing activities for a no prep way to walk your students through the entire writing process: Alien Descriptive Writing Activity Snowman Descriptive Writing Activity Monster Descriptive Writing Activity An Extra Tip for Making Writing Fun A personalized writing notebook can be an easy way to motivate students to write. This is something that is theirs and they have more ownership over. Composition books can easily be decorated with pictures, stickers, photographs, etc. and covered with contact paper.  Letting them take the time to decorate a notebook with things that are important to them can give them more ownership over their writing - as well as help stir up ideas for writing! Bonus: Writing will not get lost easily! Make one yourself as a teacher and use it! Let the students see you write. Read your writing to them and make time for students to share too.  Sometimes it's not about making writing fun - it's about your mindset as the teacher.  Check out these 7 tips for rethinking your writing instruction.  Or, you might find these other writing tips and ideas helpful.    Never Stress Over Sub Plans Again! Make copies, find a fiction book, and you'll be ready for any emergency that comes your way! Leave a Reply Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment. 400 COMMENTS Tips and Techniques to Teach Essay Writing effectively Polish Writing Mechanics: Writing an exceptional essay involves more than just ideas and creativity. Our guide will provide you with practical tips to refine grammar, spelling, and punctuation, ensuring that your students' written work is polished and professional. Structure with Purpose: Teach your students the art of organizing their ... How to Teach Essay Writing in a Fun Way Role-playing. Role-playing is another effective fun way that trainers can use in teaching essay writing. For instance, the teacher may request learners to read and act scenes from plays or stories they are reading. It will help them in understanding aspects such as sentence structure, word choice, and the logical flow of ideas. Making Essay Writing FUN with the Bing, Bang, Bongo Method Writing a five paragraph essay can seem intimidating for a child, but The BING, BANG, BONGO Method uses colors to help children see the separation of the paragraphs and make that differentiation easier. The fun method of teaching essay writing breaks up a very overwhelming concept and teaches children the step-by-step process of essay writing ... 10 Fun Writing Activities for Reluctant Writers 7. Comic Strip Script. The Purpose: Give your students the chance to improve their dialogue writing skills and work on their understanding of character development in this fun activity which combines writing with a series of visual elements. The Process: There are two ways to do this activity. 8 easy ways to teach essay writing skills This post discusses 8 easy ways to teach essay writing skills, which you can share with your students to make essay writing an easy and enjoyable activity. Nurturing essay writing skills in your pupils. Choose an interesting topic. The first thing your pupils should consider before writing an essay is the subject. Remember that an essay reveals ... Thesis Statement Throwdown! Here's how it works: Step 1: Write an essay prompt on the board. I vary my questions between informative and argumentative topics. KQED's Do Now series is an excellent place to grab writing prompts! Step 2: Put students into small groups and give them 5 minutes to construct a solid thesis statement in response to the essay question. How to Teach Essay Writing in Secondary ELA Once students have their introduction and body paragraphs complete, I then have them move on to writing the conclusion. At this step, I teach conclusion writing to my students and have them restate the thesis and add a general thought to the end of the paragraph. At this point, I emphasize that students should not be adding in any new information. Essay Writing: A Complete Guide for Students and Teachers Whether writing a particular academic essay (such as persuasive, narrative, descriptive, or expository) or a timed exam essay, the key to getting good at writing is to write. Creating opportunities for our students to engage in extended writing activities will go a long way to helping them improve their skills as scribes. 3 Ways to Teach Essay Writing Try having students post a weekly response to a writing prompt or question that you assign. You may also want to create a separate discussion board where students can post ideas about their essay and get feedback from you and their classmates. 6. Give students homework to help them develop their essays. 10 creative approaches for developing essay-writing skills An adequately constructed essay will consist of isolated analytical statements. A well constructed essay will consist of analytical statements, linked together in a logical way. 2. Narrative Skills: "Mr. Interpretation". Read out a sentence of factual detail to someone else in the class from your essay. 3 Hands-on Essay Writing Activities Your Students Will Love Hands-on Essay Writing Activities #3: Stations. Stations are just what they sound like-stations set up around your classroom. Each station includes the directions and materials needed to complete a different task. In order for students to complete all of the required tasks, they have to rotate to each station. How to teach essay writing skills Understanding the Basics: Before delving into the intricacies of essay writing, it's imperative to ensure that students grasp the fundamentals. Begin by explaining the structure of an essay, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Emphasize the significance of a clear thesis statement and topic sentences to guide the reader through the essay. Teaching Narrative Writing: 14 Activities to Help Your Students Learn Arrange your students in a circle. The teacher joins the circle. Start the round-robin by reading aloud one of the Narrative Sentence Starter Cards. Moving in a clockwise direction, ask the next person to continue the story. The teacher finishes off the story when it returns to the starting point. Four Strategies for Effective Writing Instruction The Four Square is a graphic organizer that students can make themselves when given a blank sheet of paper. They fold it into four squares and draw a box in the middle of the page. The genius of ... Argument Games! Play These Fun Games to Practice Analyzing Arguments These fun and engaging argument games will get your students reading for their analyzing rhetoric unit or their argumentative writing unit! ... students still struggled with the essential argument writing skills. I yearned for a way to practice skills such as evaluating the sufficiency of evidence and seeing multiple perspectives on a topic ... How to Teach Your Students to Write an Essay Outline. The last thing to do before starting to write an essay is to make its outline. Choose some topic and make a list of points your students would need to mention if they wrote an essay on it. Such a technique will give them a better understanding of what and essay is, and how it should be written. Make sure that all students perfectly ... 10 Fun Classroom Writing Games to Improve Literacy Skills They can then rearrange the sentence parts to see how many ways they can make another meaningful sentence. Alternative. Other parts of speech can be used for each number thrown. Toss and write. Before the activity, a cube is prepared. Upon each face of the cube, a task is written that requires specific grammar knowledge. For example: Make a ... How To Teach Argumentative Essay Writing Step 1: Start with Casual Augmentation. Engage your students in a low-stakes debate before formally teaching argumentative essay writing. This approach will help get students in the right mindset as you begin to lay the foundation for effective argumentation. Don't even mention the word essay at this point. How to Teach Essay Writing Discuss writing blocks and ways to overcome them. Discuss the planning process and experience how it helps flesh out an essay. Walk them through each lesson making sure they complete each step successfully before attempting to move on in the writing process. Working side by side with your student also helps you become a better instructor by ... Making Persuasive Writing Fun to Teach and Learn Peer or partner writing is another way to get reluctant writers engaged in the process. 5. Student choice and voice. Give students a bingo board or a range of topics for them to choose something they are passionate about or know about. As adults, we know it is easier to write about something we know, and kids are exactly the same. 10 Ways to Teach Argument-Writing With The New York Times 4. Identify claims and evidence. Related Article Tim Lahan. The Common Core Standards put argument front and center in American education, and even young readers are now expected to be able to ... 8 Activities for Making Writing Fun in Upper Elementary Here are 8 Activities to try with third, fourth, and fifth grade students. These activities are to get our young writers excited about writing which will make formal writing tasks less daunting. 1. Think-Write-Pass: This is always a favorite that gets lots of laughs. Put students in groups of four. assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis