Composition Interventions

"Writing is often one of the more difficult skills for children to master. Consequently, teachers are interested in models of instruction that clearly define the components of good writing or the writing traits. Beginning writers also require instruction in producing specific genres to effectively communicate ideas and messages. To give beginning writers a comprehensive approach to writing, this lesson combines word choice—as a writing trait—with procedural writing—as a genre."

"Students discuss types of monsters they know from literature, comics, cartoons, and trading-card games, generating a list of descriptive words and phrases to describe them. Students then use a template to create their own monster trading cards using "powerful," vivid language to describe their creatures. Descriptive imagery and word choice combine with visual elements to create a cross-disciplinary menagerie in your class."

"In designing a lesson to promote effective word choice in students' writing, the object is to start with something familiar. In this lesson, students start by discussing the associations they feel for car names from the 60s and 70s and analyze why those names were chosen. They then work in small groups on one of several possible activities, each exploring connotation in the context of car names."

"The Word Matrix is a tool designed to assist teachers in vocabulary instruction, but it has flexible applications in literary analysis and writing instruction as well. The interactive tool can be used to teach students the concepts of connotation and register; to help clarify differences between seemingly similar words; to explore the concept of diction in literary analysis; or to encourage more precision in word choice in student writing.

Using preconfigured word lists (or a list of synonyms they populate themselves), students organize words by their connotative charge on one axis, placing words with more negative connotations to the left and more positive connotations to the right. On another axis, students organize that same list based on their levels of relative register, from informal to formal. Students also have the option of providing a brief statement that justifies their placement of a word at a specific point on the matrix."

"The article discusses research on the use of mentor texts in the classroom to enhance students' word choice in writing and to convey a message. The study evaluated students' use of picture books as mentor texts to support their writing. Several interventions used for writing instructions including anchor charts, ABC graphic organizer and Wonderous Word Wall. Research findings reveal students' growth in terms of their word choice."

" article discusses the importance of word choice, often overlooked in English language education, and its significance for English language learners (ELLs). Topics include the relevance of good writing for both native and non-native speakers, the abstract nature of writing, the distinction between social and academic language, and strategies for explicitly teaching word choice to ELLs."

Semantic gradients are a way to broaden and deepen students’ understanding of related words. Students consider a continuum of words by order of degree. Semantic gradients often begin with antonyms, or opposites, at each end of the continuum. This strategy helps students distinguish between shades of meaning. By enhancing their vocabulary, students can be more precise and imaginative in their writing.

This resource helps the reader distinguish between an objective and a subjective tone in writing.

This resource helps the reader distinguish between simple and complex language