How to Help Students to Write an Essay

How to Help Students to Write an EssayWhat is the best way to help a student to write an essay? This is a question that has been discussed quite often in classrooms and discussion groups.There are many different approaches that teachers can use to help their students to write essays. Here is just a short list of some approaches that you may be familiar with:First, take your time. Allow your student to read the whole essay and to try to identify everything that he or she needs to. That is not easy to do. Don't be afraid to move ahead and throw things at your student at the last minute.Second, use the opportunities that present themselves in class to test the student's ability to find his or her own points. When you see him or her struggling, take it as a signal to check on the strength of the point that he or she has made. If the argument is weak, move it to the bottom of the list for revision.Third, when the essay is ready, check it carefully for spelling and grammar check. If you se e any of these errors, go ahead and correct them, if you think they are worthy of a correction.Fourth, once the essay is in its final form, be sure to express yourself using your own voice. Think of ways that your own experiences can be used to illustrate a point that your student is making. Try to put yourself in the reader's place and you will more easily be able to connect with your audience.Fifth, make sure to have the student write it under your supervision. Then you can observe and check for the accuracy of the work. This is especially important if you are using a critical essay, where an error might mean getting your grade in jeopardy.Finally, when you ask a student to help you write an essay, make sure to get help from your student. Tell him or her how you are going to make the essay easier for him or her to complete. Or, you can tell your student that the essay is yours to complete; don't try to force him or her to make a mistake.