Paragraph Writing



Paragraph Writing

Category: Writing

Grade level: Grade 4 to 12

1. What is the purpose of Paragraph Writing?

Paragraph writing is a succinct five sentence plan for producing a paragraph.

2. With whom can it be used?

Paragraph writing is best introduced and taught in grades four to six. It can, however, be used beyond that level, and as a model for paragraph definition and analysis.

3. What teaching procedures should be used with paragraph writing?

An overhead or handout of the following plan should be made:

Paragraph Plan

Topic/Title

_____________________________________

Topic Sentence

____________________________________

Ideas & Facts

1. __________________________________

2. __________________________________

3. __________________________________

Concluding Sentence

____________________________________

The instructions to be given are:

a) Write a topic sentence.

b) Write three descriptive sentences.

c) Write a clincher or emphatic concluding sentence.

The teacher should model a sample before the students work independently. The notion of a

"clincher" should be discussed and practiced.

Conventions such as indentation and capitalizing the title should be introduced.

4. In what types of settings can paragraph writing be used?

Paragraph writing can be taught to a whole class or a small group. It is also a technique used in process writing to expand an idea into a paragraph. In this situation, the teacher might introduce the strategy during a conference with a student. Upon mastery, paragraph writing becomes a tool for independent writing. It can later be expanded upon with Kerrigan's Integrated Method.

5. To what extent has research shown paragraph writing to be effective?

Instruction in paragraph formats has been shown to assist students greatly in writing. The recognition and construction of the parts of a paragraph is a basic writing skill.

References

1. Arnold, M.T. (1981). Teaching theme, thesis, topic sentences and clinchers as related concepts. Journal of Reading, 24, 373-376.

2. Nichols, J.N. (1980). Using paragraph frames to help remedial high school students with written assignment. Journal of Reading, 24, 228-31.

3. O'Donnell, H. (1980). Eric/rcs report: Writing problems of the learning disabled student. Language Arts, 57, 802-805.

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