How can I help beginning writers learn to shift focus from grammar and sentence structure to issues of content and organization?
This is a major concern of tutors, especially because many beginning writers see us as editors, not writing assistants. Spend some time at the beginning of the appointment explaining why grammar is important, but also emphasize that it is a lower-level concern when other structural issues are present. Use specific questions dealing with higher-order concerns to lead students away from wanting you to “bleed” (in red pen) all over their paper. Another preventative method involves removing the grammatical evidence and reading aloud to the student: when your students doesn’t have a copy of their paper in front of them, they can’t play the editor; they are forced to listen and make genuine responses as an audience. So, for this reason, sometimes not having drafts in front of the student you are tutoring can produce higher-level discussion.
Related Questions
- How can the workshops help students learn to shift focus from grammar and sentence structure to issues of content and organization?
- How can I help beginning writers learn to shift focus from grammar and sentence structure to issues of content and organization?
- Where can I get help with basic English skills (grammar, usage, punctuation, and sentence structure)?
