Helping with Writing

Even if you are among the most experienced teachers, you must continue to find out about your students -- look for their strengths. Capitalize on those strengths giving each student a chance to shine.
-Robert DiGiulio

One of the easiest things to do when commenting on a student's writing is to point out all of the obvious spelling and grammar errors. This sends the message to the student that the appearance of a piece of writing is more important than the content.

Students must pay attention to the mechanics, but the content of a piece of writing is the first thing you should comment on. This will allow the student to write more of what they want to comment on.

• Look for the message that the student is trying to convey.

• Respond to the message by commenting on what's written. Try to be positive when you comment on the mechanics of the writing.

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