Writing Checklists for Students

My child is consistently getting lower marks on writing assignments, because he forgets to add a title or other detail.

Sometimes I wish I could sit on my students’ shoulders in class or at home when they are writing their papers and remind them to indent, to edit their work or to remember to include a title. Recently, I decided to print out a checklist for one of my students whom I’ll call, “Ben.” I printed out multiple copies, slipped them in a polyurethane sleeve, labeled the sleeve with the class name and had the student add a set to each class binder that requires writing.

I just got an email from Ben’s mother saying,

Ben revised his writing assignment tonight and did such a great job. I am so proud of him. Having the checklist in his head helped as he wrote. I sat with him, asked questions, and watched him type his own thoughts. At the end he went thru the checklist again and realized he had done everything. It was such a pleasant experience. No fretting, just cheering.

Here’s the checklist Ben’s mother is referring to:

Something that was so easy to create, made a big difference in Ben and his mom’s evening.