One Addition to Better Writing in Grades 2-8

Article 4th graders were Writing About 

Often I see hardworking teachers trying to ensure their students compose clear, meaningful writing by relying on mnemonics, like R.A.C.E. (Restate question, answer question, cite evidence, explain evidence) and failing.  The issue with this strategy is that the single most critical aspect of writing, especially for younger learners is missing! Most students are able to restate the question and then they offer an answer and this is where the essays fall apart. The ‘answer’ almost always is incorrect, unclear, or vague. As a result, the ‘evidence’ that follows is usually wrong or unclear as well or at best too obvious. If an explanation follows it most often is an attempt to summarize what has been previously stated and given the absence of clarity, it too offers little to the reader. 

This is a recipe for failure. What is missing? The key term has not been defined or explained. I cannot overstate how critical this is. If children fail to define the term they are writing about, often what follows is a mess. 

Strategy in Action 

I had the opportunity last week to observe learning in a great 4th grade classroom in NJ. Students were engaged in writing an essay about how Yolanda Renee King is an activist. The teacher smartly provided early feedback to her students saying that they had not yet included evidence of what Ms. King had done and instead focused their writing on her grandfather, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  As I read students’ drafts, I noticed that all had neglected the critical step of defining the topic, in this case what an activist is. I mentioned this to the teacher and she regathered her students for some quick instruction. 

Seated in a circle, I asked the students to explain what an activist was. As the term was defined in the article they had read, students with some guidance were able to paraphrase quickly. Within a minute or two, we determined what an activist was and how Ms. King was an activist. I then asked them to insert that explanation of what an activist is into their essays—as the second sentence. We listened to a few students who read their revisions. Last, we discussed how this explanation of the key term now provided a guide for everything else that would follow. Their essays now could explain how Ms. King campaigned for change (environmental and gun control)  in order to make the world a better place. 

Focus on Thinking First

Without a definition to guide the composing, students often make a lot of syntax (sentence) errors and teachers spend considerable instructional time helping students correct those errors. What needs to be attended to initially is the students’ reasoning once a definition of the key term has happened. In this 4th grade classroom, because students had clarity about the topic, writing quality improved. Once clarity occurred, syntax errors were reduced as students focused on explaining how Ms. King was an activist by using the definition to guide the evidence they selected and their explanation. They made less errors simply because they understood what their argument was.

Instead of blindly following a formula that too often leads to error making, students stated an idea and expanded on it. What a difference this brief shift in instruction made in the students’ confidence and performance.