Improving the Writing Performance of Eighth Grade Students


 


Eighth grade refers to an educational year in the United States, Canada, Australia and


other countries which is commonly the final grade before high school and with students


who are usually 13-14 years old, and can be the third and final grade of middle school


or junior high school’s second and final grade.[1]


 


Eighth graders are self-aware of physical and emotional changes along with academic


concerns, are accustomed to the middle school routine and typically more self-involved


than younger students. They are more personal in reacting to academic and social


situations, and they begin to appreciate written and spoken language beyond the school


setting and to read popular adult authors like John Grisham and Mary Higgins Clark.


Eighth grade students continue to refine their writing skills in essays and narratives,


develop their writing styles and use strong verbs, adjectives and adverbs throughout the


grade. They begin to develop social consciousness and to favor writing in the first


person and be responsible for their own task within a group setting.[2]


 


Eighth-grade teachers can incorporate writing activities into their classes to develop


their students’ creativity and love for writing. Asking eighth graders to keep a journal is


effective in cultivating a safe writing environment in which they can freely express


themselves without concern for being right or wrong. Subjects can write on any general


or specific subject that interests them. A letter-writing partner or group for exchange of


thoughts on paper can also be assigned to students for participation credit. The writing


of students can be improved by letting them do it without pressure and this will also


inform the teacher of the students’ ability on the grade level.[3]


Teachers can display artwork and make it a subject for creative writing for eighth


grade students and allow students to use a thesaurus for reference, vocabulary


expansion and more depth and choices in writing. Collaborative writing can be done


by making students form separate groups and converse in writing on chart paper on any


subject area. A prompt, which can be a quote or a picture, is provided each group to


which students respond by writing something about the prompt or about the previous


responses of classmates. The introduction of the five-paragraph essay format enables


eighth graders to structure their ideas for argumentative writing. Giving assignments


on familiar and relevant topics of the day builds their researching skills and enhances


their social awareness.[4]


 


Eighth grade is a transitional year with more research work and advanced assignments


for middle school students that will give them a taste of writing on a high school level.


History, science and world cultures are topics with a wide range of resources that can


be chosen by eighth graders if no topic has been assigned.


Research on the topic by checking out books at the library or visiting websites should be


done before writing the essay. Older community members who have lived through


historic events may also be consulted.


All research information must noted down and an outline of it must be made on a


separate paper.


The essay should be typed in a word processing program, with the outline and notes


serving as a reference. An introduction should start the first paragraph of the essay,


followed by the body of the essay, with the main ideas detailed in each paragraph. The


essay can be ended with highlights of the important points in a one paragraph


conclusion.


Resource materials and websites that were used as references should be sighted on


the bottom of the last page or on a separate sheet.


The essay should be proofread before submission.[5]


 


Teachers should consider integrating technology to improve the writing of eighth grade


students. A computer linked to an LCD projector where students can view and learn the


writing process can be used. Such tools and software as Thesis Builder and Online


Outline Builder, EndNote and Turnitin Write Cycle can help students in their writing


assignments.[6]


 



 

[1] “Eighth Grade”, Wikipedia, 25 May 2011, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighth_grade> 


[accessed 31 May 2011]


[2] “Grade Eight” pdf, 13 July 2006, <http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/Grade%20Eight.pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F63D97C892EB89F5D50ACDFA211BA7DA3F458BFD8B4C613A1B&Type=D>  [accessed 31 May 2011]


[3] “Eighth-Grade Writing Activities”, eHow, 2011, <http://www.ehow.com/info_7884844_eighthgrade-writing-activities.html>  [accessed 31 May 2011]How


[4] ibid


[5] “How to Write a Eight Grade Essay”, eHow, 2011,


<http://www.ehow.com/how_7865208_write-eighth-grade-essay.html>  [accessed 1 June 2011]


[6] “Improving Student Writing Using Technology”, WikEd, 3 March 2010,


<http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Improving_Student_Writing_Using_Technology>


[accessed 1 June 2011]



Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com


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