Puny paragraphs ("inadequate paragraph development" in
teacher-speak) is the bane of writing teachers from elementary school
to graduate school.
It's about time those of us in the business of teaching writing
did something to teach students how to develop a paragraph
instead of just yelling at students about their underdeveloped paragraphs.
Unless you teach them what a developed paragraph is, students don't
have a clue what you're yelling about anyway.
The solution is simple:
I know that sends chills down the spines of English teachers, but
breaking a complex skill down into a predictable sequence of activities
works.
Teach rote strategies first
The easiest skills to teach and to learn are those that require
the least creativity. So when you teach beginning writers,
teach them strategies that can be learned by rote, that
require no imagination.
In other words, start with the old standby: the kind of expository
paragraphs associated with the five paragraph essay.
Paragraph development requires using several strategies:
-
Expository
paragraph strategy plans a minimum of three pieces
of evidence per body paragraphs.
-
Ripple
strategy helps students to find different kinds
of evidence to use as support.
-
The evidence
waltz strategy enables students to compose paragraphs
that develop the significance of the evidence.
If their teachers switch to a different genre before students
can use the thesis + support pattern, they undo most of their
work.
Then add more development options
Instead of developing a paragraph by using three different pieces
of evidences from three different sources, a writer might use one
of these alternatives:
I recommend you gradually ease competent writers away from total
reliance on rote strategies for fleshing out their paragraphs to
using these less formulaic means when they are appropriate.
Let writing prompts name options
To accomplish that transition, use writing
prompts that require students to develop one body paragraph
of their essay using something other than the standard three pieces
of evidence.
That requirement is very realistic. Writers often have to develop
a paragraph or section of a long work using one of these alternatives
to straight evidence presentation.
The requirement also gives students a measure of grade protection.
They don't have to produce an entire paper in a new genre; lack
of fluency
with the new development technique won't sink their grade.
You can learn how to use writing prompts to ease students away
from formula writing in my workshop getting
creative with the 5 paragraph essay.
Teaching alternatives
In my experience, students who master standard formulaic paragraph
development don't need to be taught other means of developing paragraphs
if they are presented with authentic writing situations that require
an alternate type of development.
If your students do need help, you can teach a second alternative
by comparison to the one they already handle competently.
Remember, teach just one development technique at a time and give
students enough practice that they become competent at using it.
