Step 3 of the writing process is Revising.
This is where your child gets to reorganize sentences, improve words, and give the paper a total makeover.
Your child may think that she doesn’t need to make any changes, but there is always room for improvement.
Let’s look at what she can do.
The Writing Process Step 3: Revising
Sharing
You might want to consider having your child share his draft with somebody first. This can be a parent, sibling, or trusted friend or neighbor. It is usually helpful to get someone else’s opinion about a work. That person can offer useful suggestions.
Revising on Paper
If your child wrote her essay on notebook paper, then I would recommend she use something like a colored pencil to revise it. That way the corrections will stand out more clearly.
Revising on Computer
If your child used a word processing program, then he has two ways available to him for revising. He can either print it off and revise it with a colored pencil. Or he can simply make corrections on the computer.
How to Revise
Here are some things for your child to think about when he is revising his paper.
- Did I include everything that I needed to?
- Are there some things that I could take out that don’t fit with my topic?
- Are there any sentences or words that could be rearranged?
- Are there any words I could change to make my paper more interesting or more clear?
- Are there any words that I use too much? (A thesaurus is helpful here)
- Did I include transitions? (For older kids)
- Does every paragraph have a topic sentence?
- Does my intro have a good thesis statement or topic sentence? How about a hook?
- Does my conclusion briefly restate what was covered in my paper?
- Does the whole paper flow smoothly?
You might want to create a check off list with these questions. That way you can be sure that your child checked her paper for everything that she should. I’ve had some kids believe that their paper was perfect the first time and didn’t need revising. (Wow! They must be good writers. 😮 ) I just gently reminded them that there is always something that can be improved. 😉
The revision phase should only take about a day or two to do. Now your child should be ready to go on to Step 4.
Many blessings,
