Top Priority: 5 Ways To Make Students into Proofreading Superheroes
Proofreading, aka the final step of the writing process, is often the trickiest for students. As teachers, we want to see our students not just write, but write well. The secret? Turning them into their own best editors.
Ready to set your students up with the tools they need to master punctuation, capitalization, and grammar on their own? Here are five ways to help them become proofreading superheroes.
Classroom Strategies
1. Checklists
COPS is a very popular checklist that helps guide students check their writing. Here is a great example, from Second Grade Wonder on Teachers Pay Teacher. Click here or on the image to grab it from her.
And my writing prompts on Teachers Pay Teachers always include a checklist for student accountability. Here is an example from the Fall Writing Prompts resource:
2. Peer Editing Swaps
Peer editing is very popular and sometimes students will pay more attention to tips from peers than teachers. My fellow second grade teachers and I used Keys to Writing from Keys to Literacy for a long time and they have peer editing checklists here.
I really found the blog post from Teaching from the Fast Lane to be very helpful! She has practical tips and examples of peer editing strategies and checklists that you can use!
I also use whole class sentence editing as a quick lesson some days. Some teachers use this every day as a morning work, or as part of morning meeting. I also have picked up a few editing task cards materials for reading centers from Teachers Pay Teachers.
3. One Thing at a Time
Have students focus on one skill at a time – for example, have students at the beginning of second grade focus on capital letters for the beginning of sentences and names only. Students do not need to have every word and every sentence correct the first time they write, the first time they edit… it will only become frustrating if they have to edit everything!
4. Model
Model, model, model! Use sample writing or make your own (or use pages from the Editing and Proofreading resource) with small groups or your whole class! I used to do this on the overhead projector back in the day. LOL!
Ready to Go Activities from Teachers Pay Teachers
Wouldn’t be it easy for you if you had ready-to-use activities and resources from Teachers Pay Teachers? These proofreading “fix-it” printable worksheets have editing and proofreading practice for sentences, paragraphs and texts!
Different types of activities are included, ranging from multiple choice worksheets to open ended response pages and even cut and paste options. The goal is to then have students improve their proofreading ability and find errors in their own writing (with less cueing from you!).
To help you or substitute teachers, answer keys are included so it’s great for sick days! They are an easy to use and effective way to help students with proofreading skills!
Five Star Reviews:
(Just a few of the more than 55 positive reviews)
“This editing and proofreading resource is clear, effective, and perfect for helping students improve their writing”.
“My students have been working well with this resource. They are able to complete the work with minimal assistance and has already made a difference in their editing of their own writing“.
Benefits for Teachers:
- Saves time: The included answer keys make this a great resource for quick practice or for your substitute teacher plans.
- Ready-to-use: The proofreading and editing bundle includes worksheets that are ready to go to save you time.
- Provides support: CCSS “I can” statements/posters are included to help your students understand the learning goals and fulfill any requirements you have for posting standards..
Benefits for Students:
- Improved writing skills: Students improve their writing by practicing proofreading capitalization and punctuation.
- Targeted practice: The worksheets are designed to help students who struggle with specific punctuation errors.
- Effective learning: The resource is described as “clear, effective, and perfect for helping students improve their writing.”
- Differentiated: The activities range from basic and easy to more complex to help you meet all of your students’ needs.
Ready to make a difference in your students’ skills? Grab this resource and watch their skills soar!
Other blog posts you may want to check out:
- Sick Day? 7 Grab And Go Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Activities for your Sub Plans
- Transform Phonics Learning with Fun Centers
- 7 Strategies for Prioritizing Phonics and Phonemic Awareness
- 10 Fun Alphabet Activities to Try Today
If you want to save this blog post for later, pin this Pinterest ready image below! If you try any of the strategies, or grab the TPT resources, please take a moment to leave feedback. It means the world to me!
And also, it is that time of year (back to school!). I go back tomorrow. If you are heading back to school, you got this!!
