Writing can be more complex than we think it is. To do it right, we must use several other skills we often take for granted. Being a student, writing is one of those skills that you dare not take for granted because you’ll need it throughout your academic sojourn. So, you must do all you can to improve your writing skills.
One way to improve your writing is to practice deliberately. You can demystify writing by taking on several exercises specifically targeting some skills, which are gradually improved. Getting better at writing is a must for you as a student. In the long run, it might help you save money from seeking dissertation helps from several writers and writing companies. To improve your writing, here are five strategies you should practice.
Sentence crafting
This is a quick and effective way to become a better writer. In crafting sentences, you’re rewriting simple sentences more complexly. This means you need to add complex ideas and thinking.
You might be asked to start your sentence with a present participle verb or a noun appositive. For instance, a sentence like:
“Shakespeare writes about the power wielded by men.”
In rewriting this sentence, it can become:
“Mirroring his experience of the patriachal society he grew up in, Shakespeare writes about the power that men wield.”
Another simple sentence is:
“Egeus cares more for his reputation than his daughter’s happiness.”
In rewriting this, it can become:
“Being a father who loves to wield his power over his children, Egeus cares more for his reputation over his daughter’s happiness.”
Sentence expansion is a very transformative activity that helps the student in the way they think and write, and it helps them improve both skills.
Live modeling and writing.
It’s important to talk students through your thinking process as you build your writing piece one block at a time. If they understand your reasoning, they can use the same to select a particular word and a complex sentence structure. This helps them to learn how to use punctuation and connectives to join two sentences together.
You need to make them see you at work. Afterward, you can ask them to go and work in pairs. One of them would be verbalizing their thoughts and writing, while the other would be coaching and asking questions, such as:
- What synonym can you use in place of this verb?
- How can you rewrite this sentence in a more complex way?
Structures and writing
There are several useful strategies for students to learn to write more effectively, but this strategy is probably one of the best as they learn how to structure their sentences.
You could do this by writing the topic sentence and planning the paragraphs. Then you write a concluding sentence linking back to the topic sentence. Then, plan about 3 or 4 points in different paragraphs and arrange them logically.
This strategy is very helpful because many students struggle to structure their texts.
Writing criteria
When students have to answer a question, they should be encouraged to use higher-level thinking and be more sophisticated. This feature of AI Marketing, for instance, is why it’s effective. So, students have to learn certain criteria to follow when answering questions. This is how they can become more sophisticated and think on a higher level. This way, you’re also ensuring that the students are thinking carefully about the way they craft their sentences, including their use of vocabulary and punctuation.
Feedback and writing
There’s a way to give feedback that they come out excellently, and the student learns much from it. For instance, Rebecca Foster created a feedback sheet that helped to achieve this goal excellently.
We’re using MAD (Making a Difference) Time to check the SPaG (spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar) and other errors using live modeling of incorrect and correct uses and questioning and spelling strategies.
You can give the students targets in the form of numbers that they’re to read and discuss among themselves. This ensures they understand the target and the ideal steps to take in addressing it while redrafting.
There can also be a praise box that allows you to focus on the students’ writing and analyze it as a class to see why it’s effective. The student should learn to ‘magpie’ specific phrases, words, and even entire sentences if they link to a personal target.
It’s also important to learn that in writing, there’s a mantra: “it’s not finished if it isn’t perfect.” A good writer is a perfectionist. You don’t stop until you’re satisfied that your work is perfect. Otherwise, you’ll continue to redraft and rewrite constantly. Learning this early builds a culture of excellence as you can sweat through the small stuff.
Conclusion
Learning to write is an important skill for all students. It’s crucial to your success as a student and in your professional life. This article discusses some of the most effective strategies for students to learn to write like professionals until they attain perfection.