Writing with Confidence: How to Support Your Middle Schooler’s Essays
Middle schoolers will begin to see an increase in essay writing as teachers prepare them for high school. For some students, writing may be something they do not look forward to. Giving middle schoolers essay writing tips and a process to stay organized, will give students confidence and success in their writing. Encourage them to write from their heart and with their own feelings.
Writing can be divided into 4 main categories. Knowing these types will give you a better understanding of your child’s essay format, giving you the ability to help where needed in their writing.
Narrative: fictional or non-fictional story with a beginning, middle and end
Descriptive: uses descriptive words to describe people, places and/or events
Expository: non-fictional informative text, gives facts or processes clearly
Persuasive: persuades audience to believe the author’s point of view, uses supportive evidence
Helping Kids with Their Writing
Middle school students need encouragement and constructive help without being corrected. Do not use judgement. Allow them to be experts in their writing. Try these strategies to help your child with their essays.
Getting Ideas Down on Paper
Once students know the essay type, starting the process with brainstorming will allow your child to get all their ideas down on paper. Help your child process their ideas out loud and assist them in organizing their thoughts. Use this time before starting an essay to lay out any information that may want to be included. Remind your child that they do not have to include everything they wrote down in their brainstorming session. Students are now ready to write their first draft.
Structure of an Essay
Every essay type consists of the same structure – Introduction, Main Part, and Conclusion. Creating an essay using this structure keeps students organized and intentional within their writing. Use “The Paragraph Hamburger” graphic organizer to help your child in the writing process, ensuring all three parts are included.
Introduction: Use a hook to kick off the essay and introduce the topic.
Main Part: This is the largest part of the essay. It consists of supporting details to support the topic of the essay. Evidence from literature, facts, or supporting arguments are examples of the writing that would be included in this section.
Conclusion: Summarize the essay in 2-3 sentences, restating the main idea of the essay.
Transitions In Writing
Creating a flow within writing keeps the audience’s attention when reading an essay. Read your child’s essay aloud. Help your child eliminate choppy sentences using the technique of sentence combining. Suggest that your child join two related sentences with a conjunction or subordinating conjunction to make the writing flow better.
Conjunctions: and, or, but, nor, so, for, yet
Subordinating conjunctions: after, although, as, because, before, if, since, so, that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, while
Using this technique gives your child a better flow in their writing, making it more engaging
Look It Over
Working with your child at the end of writing their essay gives you an opportunity to offer responsive feedback and ask questions. Before giving feedback, ask your child what your role is in reading their essay. As you look over their draft, offer suggestions on content and clarity. Encourage student decision making within their essay by asking questions. Frame your responses in a way that empowers them as writers.
As your child grows more confident in writing, they’ll begin to enjoy it more. Be their guide through the process, offering support when they need it most, but also allowing them to take the lead. The more they practice their essay writing skills, the more natural the process becomes.