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Writing objectives

Confused about how to translate school standards into class goals? Pulled in 18 directions by all the stuff you have to stuff into your ELA curriculum? Share your frustration. We've been there. If writing it out doesn't help you solve your own problem, other readers can offer sympathetic advice.

Writing prompts

Formal prompts on authentic ELA topics other than literature are rare finds. Got a great one to share? We'd love to see it and hear how you use it. Or perhaps you have questions about using informal writing prompts as teaching tools. If you have writing prompts on your mind, please share your thoughts here.

Thesis statements

The thesis statement is central to expository writing, but teaching students how and when to use them is challenging, to put it mildly. Instead of tearing your hair, share your frustrations with your peers. And when your students finally get it, share your success. We'll cheer for you long and loud!

Writing process

Teaching a writing process is almost as hard as applying one. Please share tricks that worked for teaching your students to write expository works or for teaching parts of the process. If you haven't a success story yet, share what didn't work for you. Someone else might have a tweak to fix it.

Teaching grammar for writing

Grammar is the ugh! part of writing that students (and many of us) would rather skip. As conscientious teachers, we try to teach students to use grammar correctly in their writing, but it's a hard slog. How do you handle teaching grammar for writing? What worked? What blew up in your face?

Assessing & grading writing

Grading papers is a thankless job. If you need help or can provide help with formative assessments (including peer mediated ones), summative assessments, matching course objectives to assessments, or any other topic related to evaluating writing, please visit this forum.

Your terrible, horrible, no good, very worst experience teaching writing

You know the story I mean. It may seen funny now, but at the time, there was nothing funny about it. Share your experience teaching writing to a student who was turned-off, struggling, learning disabled, or just plain ornery. Or if you have a story about a wonderful experience, inspire us with it instead.

I have to write an essay & I don't know how.

Students, this forum is for you. Instead of going to Yahoo! Answers or emailing me for essay help, you can ask your question here at You-Can-Teach-Writing.com where hundreds of writing teachers come by every day.