Writing a well-organized paragraph or essay‎ is a task that can be daunting for many students. Yet for students with ADHD, the writing process – one that involves coming up with a topic, creating a plan, structuring ideas, writing well-written sentences, and spelling words correctly, amongst other skills, can be downright grueling. In fact, research indicates that over half of children with ADHD struggle with writing. Yet as students progress through school, the writing demands increase exponentially. The ideas detailed below can help your ADHD child develop stronger writing skills.

Listing
For some students, even initiating the writing process can be challenging. They often feel overwhelmed and intimidated by the thought of having to compose a well-written paragraph or essay. To combat these fears, encourage your child to start by simply jotting down ideas about a given topic. For instance, if your youngster is asked to write a paragraph on why he likes summer, he can start by‎ listing ideas about the joys of summer. He might write in list format, for instance: one can play outside, spend more time with family and friends, go to camp, swim, travel, and lay at the beach. Once these ideas are on the page, he can then highlight the three or so points he plans to include in his writing.

Brainstorming
After your child has selected the points she plans to elaborate on in her paragraph or essay, she should brainstorm these ideas in an organized fashion. While there are various formats she can use for brainstorming, a web diagram is a useful tool. She can, for instance, brainstorm for a basic five sentence paragraph by writing the topic in a rectangular box at the top of the page, then connecting it to three circular bubbles beneath it (for the three key points, such as playing outside, spending time with family, and swimming), and finally ending with another rectangular box at the bottom for the concluding sentence. Computer-based programs, such as Kidspiration (for younger students) or Inspiration (for older students) can also serve as engaging multi-sensory options for brainstorming.

Writing
Once your child has listed his ideas and then created a brainstorm diagram, he can turn those boxes and bubbles into complete sentences to form his paragraph. Have him turn the “topic” box into a topic sentence, such as “There are many fun and engaging activities one can do during the summer.” Next, he can turn each detail bubble into full sentences. For example, “You can play outside at a park or playground. You can spend more free time relaxing with friends and family. You can also swim in a pool or at the beach.” Finally, he should turn the bottom box into a conclusion sentence, which can express his opinion on the topic, such as “I love summer” or “Summer is my favorite time of year.”

Self-Checking
Many students with ADHD have a tendency to speed through their work to “get it over with” and often neglect to self-check their writing. Rather than telling them to simply “check” their work, teach them specific tools for how to go about doing so, such as the COPS acronym, which stands for Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation, and ‎Spelling. Have her write the COPS acronym vertically at the bottom of her essay with a check box next to each letter. Once she is done writing her paragraph or essay, encourage her to go back and check for each individual item on the check list (one at a time) and check off each one once she makes the relevant corrections.

As students progress through school, the writing demands increase rapidly. Help your ADHD child learn to effectively express his ideas on paper in an organized, well-structured manner and he will be well on his way to academic success.

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These tips will help reduce careless mistakes

Your child comes home from school, eyes his newest video game, and speeds through his school work to “get it over with” and start playing. Does this scenario sound familiar? Many students rush through their schoolwork, doing the absolute minimum required, and make careless mistakes along the way. Rushing through work in this fashion can harm students’ grades and negatively affect their overall performance in school. Help your child slow down and improve his homework skills with the ideas detailed below.homework

Use a Timer
Identify a specific amount of time that your child should spend completing homework in a given night, and set a timer for that period of time. A general rule of thumb is 10 minutes of homework per grade per night. Thus, if your child is in first grade, she should spend roughly ten minutes per night on homework; if she is in third grade, she should spend about 30 minutes per night. When she sits down to begin her homework, set a timer for that specified amount of time. If she finishes before the timer rings, have her do another academic activity, like writing in a journal or reading a book.

Find the Right Homework Time
Children tend to perform best at various times in the day. For some children, completing homework as soon as they arrive home from school is best. Yet others many feel frazzled or overwhelmed after a long day of school and, if expected to do homework right away, may rush to “get it over with” and relax. Rather than forcing your child to work at a time that is not ideal for him, try to assess when he works best. He may need some down time after school to play outside or have a snack before beginning his homework. This approach can help him slow down and feel both focused and refreshed when starting his homework.

Encourage Self-Checking
Many students rush through their assignments and neglect to go back to self-check their work. Rather than telling your child to simply “check” her work, provide her with tools for doing so. The COPS checklist, for instance, is a useful one for self-checking writing assignments. Once she is done writing a paragraph or essay, have her go back and check individually for C (Capitalization), O (Organization), P (Punctuation), and S (Spelling). You can create similar checklists for math sheets, book reports, projects, and so on, and individualize them as much as possible to common errors that your child makes.

Prioritize
Encourage your child to prioritize his assignments. Some students prefer completing longer, more arduous tasks first. Others enjoy the confidence and momentum they gain by starting with smaller, easier tasks. Try to understand your child’s preference and help him order his assignments each night accordingly. For instance, if he prefers the harder assignments first option, help him number his assignments in order from most to least arduous, such as: “1) Complete essay; 2) Answer reading comprehension questions; 3) Complete math problems.” Encourage him to prioritize assignments in a manner that suits him best.

Talk to the Teacher
Some kids rush through their work simply because they are challenged by it. Rather than trying to grasp a confusing topic, they may choose to rush through the assignment just so they can be done with it and put it aside. If you notice this pattern, talk to your child’s teacher to see if she is noticing these patterns at school, too. If so, help your child (or seek outside support) to truly understand the content being taught.

Many students experience slipping grades and poor work products as a result of rushing through their work. Use these tips to help your child slow down, stay focused, and ultimately excel in school.

The post Help Your Child Slow Down and Focus on Schoolwork appeared first on EBL Coaching.

“I need to write a five paragraph essay.  Where do I begin?  How do I compose a thesis statement?  What is a transition word?  And how do I end with strong concluding remarks?”

Do any of these words sound familiar?  As your child advances through elementary school, he or she will inevitably face the often daunting task of writing a five paragraph essay.  Many students have little direction, and some have no clue at all, as to how to plan, write, and self-check their essays using an organized, logical flow.   Since writing is certainly one of the most important skills for school success, it is imperative that students learn an effective strategy for organizing their thoughts and ideas on paper.

Here is a step-by-step process for how to write a perfect five paragraph essay:

1. The introduction paragraph.  This paragraph tends to be, by far, the most difficult one for students to write.  It is here that the student must lure in the reader with an interesting, thought-provoking remark or anecdote.  The paragraph must end with a well-constructed thesis statement to set the organization and tone of the essay.  Here are some guidelines for writing a strong introduction paragraph:
   1. The opener.  Students can choose one of the following five ways to start the essay:

• • • Question (Ex.  Have you ever wondered how baked ziti is made?)
    • General Statement.  (Ex. Wearing a seatbelt can help protect your life.)
    • Quotation.  (Ex.  A wise man once said, “If it ain’t broke, don”t fix it.”)
    • Opposite Statement (Ex. Many people believe that all “˜healthy” foods are healthy.)
    • Story (Ex. The manager left his store to take a quick lunch break.  He was sure all of his employees were trustworthy.  He was gone for one hour, and when he returned, all of the cash was missing from his register.)

For practice, encourage your child to write just the opener of several different essays on various topics.  These five choices will add variety and creativity to his or her writing!

1. 2. The thesis statement.  The thesis statement should always come at the end of the introduction paragraph.  It should always contain the student”s opinion on the topic and his or her plan for the essay.  For example, a well-constructed thesis statement might be as follows:  Rocking Horse Grill is the best restaurant in town because of its food, atmosphere, and friendly staff.  Note that for this thesis statement, the opinion is Rocking Horse Grill is the best restaurant in town and the plan is because of its food, atmosphere, and friendly staff.  Thus, the first body paragraph of this essay would be about Rocking Horse Grill”s food, the second body paragraph would be about its atmosphere, and the third would be about its friendly staff.  For practice, have your child write thesis statements on the following topics:  winter sports, junk food, and holidays.
   3. The lead-in.  The lead-in actually comes before the thesis statement (3-5 sentences) and after the opener.  We teach the lead-in after teaching the thesis statement, however, because it flows together and is easier to grasp this way.  As practice, students should read well-written introduction paragraphs and highlight the opener in one color, the lead-in in another color, and the thesis statement in a third color.

2. The three body paragraphs.  Remember that the thesis statement sets the plan for the content of each body paragraph.  Ask yourself the following:  If our thesis statement is:  Snowboarding is a great sport because it is fun, social, and athletic, what would each body paragraph be about?  Hopefully you answered that the first body paragraph would be about why snowboarding is fun, the second would be about why it is social, and the third would describe why it is an athletic sport.

Each body paragraph should include details, examples, statistics, quotations, and any other specific information.  The old adage “Show, don”t tell” certainly applies here.  It is important that the student describes information in detail, with concrete backup from credible sources, rather than just “telling” about it.  Remember that if any information is taken from other sources, it must be credited as an outside source.

3. The Conclusion Paragraph.  This paragraph can be a tough one to write!  How does one reiterate all of the information from the essay without being redundant?  And how can we add more information without really adding more information?  The solution for writing this paragraph is as follows:
   1. Restate the thesis statement.  This is where the student should remind the reader of his or her opinion on the topic and restate the three supporting points.  For example, for our Rocking Horse Grill essay, we might start our conclusion paragraph with the following:  “Because of its delicious Mexican cuisine, convivial ambiance, and energetic staff, Rocking Horse Grill is one of the best restaurants in Chicago.”
   2. Lead–out.  The next 2-4 sentences should lead the reader to the author”s final, conclusive remark.  The student can reiterate some points about each of the body paragraphs.  These sentences should, of course, contain words that are different from those used in the actual body paragraphs.
   3. Concluding Remark.  This remark should be conclusive, strong, and perhaps profound.  It should leave the reader thinking.  For example, a concluding remark for our Rocking Horse Grill essay might be:  “The next time you are in town, do not bother with any other restaurants since Rocking Horse Grill has it all.”

If your child follows the above model when writing, he or she will be well on the way toward a perfect five paragraph essay.   But first, to your child, a few other pointers:

1. Try not to directly state your opinion.  Avoid phrase like:
   • “In this essay, I will talk about”¦”
   • “I think that smoking is bad for you because” (rather, simply state “Smoking is bad for you because”¦”)
   • “In conclusion, my essay proves”¦”
2. Remember to use transition words when transitioning between paragraphs and between points within paragraphs.  For example, at the start of your first body paragraph, you might write, “The first reason why Rocking Horse Grill is the best restaurant in town is because it offers delicious Mexican cuisine.” Between points within that paragraph, you might write, “Next, the burritos at Rocking Horse are some of the best I have ever had.  They are warm, thick, and are filled with fresh ingredients.  Furthermore, there is a wide variety to choose from.” The words in italics are some transition words you might use.
3. Perhaps the most important advice you should follow is to always use three steps when writing:  brainstorm, write, andself-check.  Use the following guidelines when doing so:
   • Brainstorm.  Use a visual diagram, a word processor, or even a hand-written list to plan your essay.  Make sure you write out your opener, your thesis statement, your three points for your body paragraph, and some details, quotes, statistics, or other specific information that you might include in each body paragraph before writing.  This step sets the stage for the organization and flow of your essay.
   • Write.  Use the above-mentioned guidelines for specific information on how to write the essay itself.
   • Self­-check.  This step is critical; one that many students neglect!  When self-checking your work, do not rely solely on the spell check or grammar check on your word processor.  Many mistakes are missed by using just these tools!  Instead, self-check your work using the following checklist:

• • • • Capitalization:  re-read your essay and make sure that all letters that should be capitalized are, and those that should not be capitalized are not.
      • Tense:  re-read your essay and make sure that all tense is consistent.  That means that you should not mix past and present tense together.  Rather, you should choose one of the two and stick with it throughout the essay.
      • Organization:  re-read your essay and ask yourself the following questions:  Does my essay have a strong opener?  Is that opener followed by a lead-in, and then by a well-constructed thesis statement?  Have I clearly stated my points in each body paragraph?  Have I restated my thesis statement in my conclusion paragraph and ended my essay with a thought-provoking remark?  If so, then check off this box.
      • Punctuation: again, re-read your essay and make sure all of your punctuation is correct.
      • Spelling:  re-read the essay and make sure all spelling is correct.

Note that the key theme here is re-read.  You should re-read your essay five times, each time checking for a different element.

This information is certainly a lot to absorb “” but it will make a real difference in your child”s writing!  Remember that for many students, coming up with the content is not the challenge.  Rather it is organizing that content into a well-written, well-structured, and logically flowing essay.  Use these strategies to make the five paragraph essay writing process step-by-step, fun and easy for your child.  So get to work!
Emily Levy is the author of “Strategies for Study Success:  Writing Five Paragraph Essays,” one of her three-part writing workbook series.  She has also written twelve other workbooks as part of this “Strategies for Study Success” series, covering test taking, note taking, reading comprehension, and auditory processing strategies.  For more information on these books and related tutorial services, contact EBL Coaching at 646-342-9380 or by visiting www.eblacademy.com.

The post How to Write a Great Five Paragraph Essay appeared first on EBL Coaching.

The process of applying to independent schools often creates a whirlwind of emotions for prospective students.  Will I like my new school environment?  Will I meet new friends?  Will I be able to manage my new homework and test demands?  And, most importantly, Will I even get in?

Before applying to an independent school, students entering grades 5 through 12 must take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE).  They need to earn a stellar score on this three-hour SAT-like aptitude test in order to compete with their fellow applicants and earn a slot in one of the ultra-competitive New York City independent schools.

With all the hype centered on this anxiety-ridden entrance exam, is there some way for students to prepare adequately for the test?  The answer isyes.  The ISEE is actually structured in a format that resembles the new SAT test.  It mixes verbal and math questions in multiple choice and quantity comparison formats and ends with a thirty-minute expository writing sample.  Students should take note: the essay portion of the ISEE is actually not graded!  This writing section is included on the exam so that schools can gain a sense of how students present arguments and express themselves on paper.  With this in mind, although the writing portion is not graded, itâ€s still a good idea for students to learn some strategies for how best to build their written expression skills.  In fact, learning strategies for all sections of the test is a sure-fire way to improve oneâ€s overall score.  Practice with these strategies builds automaticity, comfort, and confidence – all keys to exam-day success!

The Test Overview

There are actually three different ISEE tests, depending on the studentâ€s grade level:  the Lower Level (for students entering grades 5 and 6), the Middle Level (for students entering grades 7 and 8), and the Upper Level (for students entering grades 9-12).  The questions, of course, vary in complexity depending on the level of the test.  Each exam is composed of the following sections:  Math I, Verbal (containing synonyms and sentence completions but not analogies!), Reading, Math II, and the essay.  It is important for students to note that there is no penalty for incorrect answers, so unlike the SAT, there is no harm in guessing!

Strategies for the Verbal Section

The Verbal section of the ISEE contains 40 total questions, including sentence completions and synonyms.  For the Lower Level, students are given 40 minutes to complete the questions and for the Middle and Upper Levels, they are given 20 minutes to complete the same number of questions.

Sentence Completions

Within the 40-question Verbal section, 20 of the questions are sentence completions.  The sentence completions are arguably the easiest types of questions on the exam, but they can certainly be confusing without the right strategies.  For these questions, students must select the best word (or words) from the multiple choice selections to fill in the blank (or blanks) and complete the sentence.  Building a strong vocabulary base is of course key for best answering the sentence completion questions, but beyond that, students should use the following practice-makes-perfect strategy:   predicting and plugging.  For starters, the student should read the question without looking at the answer choices.  He should then fill in the blank with a word in this head– anyword, not necessarily a complex vocabulary word – which would make the sentence complete.  For example:

On the day of his grandfatherâ€s funeral, James had a _______ look on his face.

1. Happy
2. Gloomy
3. Irate
4. Ugly

Before even looking at the answer choices, the student should try to complete the sentence with his own word selection.  For instance, he might choose the word sad (before looking at the answer choices) so that the sentence reads:  On the day of this grandfatherâ€s funeral, James had a sad look on his face.

Next is the plugging step.  Once the student has selected what he feels would be a good fill-in-the blank word (or words), he should look at the multiple choice selections and try to find an answer that best resembles his own.  In the case of this example, gloomy is a synonym for sad, so the answer would be (B).

Synonyms

The other 20 questions on the Verbal section are synonyms.  Synonyms are two words that bear the same meaning, like car and automobile, seat and chair, or old and ancient.  Again, for this section, building a strong vocabulary (with lots of reading and learning the prefixes, suffixes, and roots of words), is critical.  However, a great tool for solving synonyms questions is the define and select technique.

Basically, when a stem word (the word in capital letters at the top of the question) is given, the student should come up with his own definition of the word (the define step).  Then he should read each of the multiple choice selections and decide which word best fits his definition.  For example:

GENUINE:

1. fake
2. similar
3. real
4. common

After reading the word GENUINE, the student should first define the word.  Real or authentic should immediately come to mind as possible definitions.  Next, he should select the choice that best fits his definition.  In this case, real happens to be one of the choices, so (C) would be the correct answer.

Strategies for the Critical Reading Section

The critical reading section contains about seven or eight passages (articles, stories, and poems) with multiple choices questions that follow.  Some of these questions can be tricky, and often ask students to identify the topic and main idea of the selection, find facts and figures, and make inferences.   A great tool for this section is the read, summarize, and predict strategy.  It works as follows:

The student should read the passage first, before looking at the questions.  He should try to read at the right pace – not too fast or too slow (the read step).  Practice will help him figure out the right pace.  After reading, he should ask himself what he feels the topic and main idea of the passage are, then create a one-to-two line summary in his mind of what he read (thesummarize step).  Finally, as he answers each question, he should always read the question first, predict what he thinks the best answer would be, and then look at the choices to find the selection that best matches his prediction (the predict strategy).

Strategies for the Essay Section

As mentioned earlier, the essay section is not graded but it is an important way for schools to gain a feel for how students express themselves on paper.  In 30 minutes, students must read the essay prompt (for example:  Living in the country is better than living in the city), think about their ideas, and organize their thoughts on no more than two pages of paper.  Many students lose valuable sleep just thinking about the essay-writing process.  The following tips are sure to help:

The three most important steps involved in the essay writing process are as follows:  brainstorm, write (in an organized fashion),and self-check.  First, brainstorm.  Students should create either an outline or a visual web diagram containing all information that they wish to include in their essay.  They should write out their thesis statement (whether they agree or disagree with the prompt and two or three reasons why) and also list those reasons with specific examples and facts as back-up.  Next, they should write the essay in a structured, organized, and well-thought-out manner.  Finally, they should self-check their work using the acronym COPS, which stands for Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation, and Spelling.  The acronym should be aligned vertically on the page underneath the essay with a single check-box next to each letter.  Students should self-check for eachelement on the list and place a check in the appropriate box after self-checking that aspect of the essay.

Strategies for the Math Section

The math portion of the exam contains two sections:  Math I, which has 35 questions and allots 35 minutes, and Math II, which contains 35 questions and allots 40 minutes.  The best advice for scoring well on the math section is to learn and re-learn (and practice!) all topics that may be covered on the test.  To answer the questions most efficiently, students must have enough practice with each type of question and the way it may be presented to feel fully comfortable and at-ease with the different types of questions that may be presented.

Remember that if your child is feeling at all nervous about this exam, he or she is certainly not alone!  The ISEE elicits a nerve-wrecking experience for many students.  Yet learning and implementing these tools well before the test date is a promising way to create a successful outcome.  You can also purchase ISEE study guides at local book stores.  One-on-one and small group test preparation is another option for students who need some guidance along the way.  Remember that with enough practice and the right tools, your child is well on his way to independent school admissions success!

Emily Levy is the founder of EBL Coaching, which offers one-on-one and small group academic instruction.  Read more about EBL Coachingâ€s programs at www.eblcoaching.com.

The post Taking the ISEE? Strategies for Success appeared first on EBL Coaching.

For many students, the thought of having to write a well-constructed essay causes a chronic case of the jitters. Adding a time constraint to this task only fans the flame of their already raging anxiety. Unfortunately for many, an increasing number of standardized and in-class tests incorporate timed essay writing as part of an overall academic assessment. Learning strategies for composing a well-written essay in a timely fashion can help students feel relaxed and well-prepared for these types of exams. Encourage your child to try using some of these techniques!

The Prompt

When students are asked to write an essay, they are usually given a prompt, generally a statement to let students know the general topic. Some prompts might include: Discuss your idea of a Utopian world, Describe the advantages of technology. Or, explain how eyeglasses and the sewing machine have had important influences on our lives.

Students should take particular note of directive words such as discuss, describe, and explain. Other directives might include analyze, compare, contrast, compare and contrast, and persuade. Students should always underline the directive after reading the prompt to make sure they answer the question correctly. You may notice that your child sometimes veers off topic when answering an essay question. By identifying and underlining the directive, he or she can avoid making that mistake.

After reading the prompt and underlining the directive, students should rewrite the prompt in their own words. This step ensures that the student is aware of precisely what the prompt is asking and how to correctly write the essay.

Brainstorm

Before writing, students should always organize their ideas on paper, even if they are under a tight time constraint! This step helps ensure their essay will be well-organized and include the necessary information in a structured format. What is the best style for brainstorming? Students may have their own preference for jotting down their ideas, but one useful strategy is to create a web diagram.

For this strategy, students should draw a vertical web diagram with a box on top for the opening and thesis statement, three bubbles beneath it, and a box at the bottom for the conclusion paragraph. They should write their opening sentence inside the upper part of the box for the introduction paragraph, and their thesis statement inside the bottom part. They should then create branches stemming out of each bubble with ideas for the body paragraph.

After completing their brainstorm diagram while practicing, students should write an estimated time (ET) detailing how long they think it will take them to complete their essay. When they have finished writing and self-checking their work, they should write the actual time (AT) it took them to complete the process. By practicing this step, students will develop time management skills and gain a realistic sense of how long it might take them to complete their essay during the exam.

The Essay

It’s time to begin writing! Students should note that the hard part is done, they have already detailed the ideas which they will include in their essay. Now they must translate that information into words to form a well-organized essay.

How do I begin writing? This is a question students frequently ask themselves, and often struggle with. Learning five options for opening their essays can be a helpful tool. To add variety, students can also start their essays with a question (Have you ever wondered how lasagna is made?), quotation (If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it), opposite statement (Some people believe that all water is safe to drink), or a story (David decided to go for a hike one day). These alternate choices can help your child add creativity to his or her essay.

The thesis statement is another sentence that gives students trouble when writing, and it can be considered one of the most important parts of the entire essay. A thesis statement should be composed of an opinion and a plan.

When writing, students should remember to use transition sentences at the beginning of each body paragraph. They should also start their conclusion paragraph by restating their thesis statement, and end their essay with a unique thought or idea.

Self-Checking

Self-checking is a step many students love to leave out! Students often lose points because of careless mistakes they could have fixed by self-checking their work. Here’s a helpful self-checking tool:

C
T
O
P
S

C stands for Capitalization
T stands for Tense (students should make sure they use a consistent past or present tense)
O stands for Organization (students should include an opening, a thesis statement, well-organized body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph)
P stands for Punctuation
S stands for Spelling

Students should be sure to re-read their essay five separate times to check for each element on this list. Once they have finished brainstorming, writing, and self-checking their essay, they should look at the clock and record AT, the actual amount of time it took them to complete this process.

The more students practice these strategies, the easier and less daunting the essay writing process will become. With these tools, students will be well on their way to writing a good, well-organized essay for any timed exam.

The post Effective Writing Strategies for Students appeared first on EBL Coaching.

As students progress through school, they are expected to take countless in-class and standardized tests that include essays. Students are often baffled by this type of exam. How do I begin? How do I write an effective thesis statement? How do I organize my ideas? These are just some of the questions that run through the minds of students who are facing these essay exams. Learning strategies for how to write effective essays for timed tests can help students build confidence, ease anxiety, and ace these exams.

Here is a step-by-step process for how to write a perfect timed essay:

Brainstorm
Even if time is limited, it is always important for students to brainstorm before they begin writing. To do so, students can draw a vertical web diagram with a box on top for the opening and thesis statement, three bubbles underneath it, and a box at the bottom for the conclusion paragraph. They can write their opening sentence inside the upper part of the box and their thesis statement inside the bottom part. Next, they can create branches stemming out of each bubble with ideas for their body paragraphs. Look at the following model as an example for an essay on a prompt that reads: Eating Healthy Food verses Eating Junk Food:

Write the essay
For the introduction paragraph, begin with an interesting, unique remark or story. The paragraph should end with a well-constructed thesis statement to set the organization and tone of the essay. Students can start with a question, general statement, quotation, opposite statement, or story. The thesis statement should always come at the end of the introduction paragraph, and should contain the student’s opinion on the topic and his or her plan for the essay. For example, a well-constructed thesis statement might be as follows: Red House Grill is the best restaurant in town because of its food, atmosphere, and friendly staff. Note that for this thesis statement, the opinion is Red House Grill is the best restaurant in town and the plan is because of its food, atmosphere, and friendly staff. Thus, the first body paragraph of this essay would be about Red House Grill’s food, the second body paragraph would be about its atmosphere, and the third would be about its friendly staff.

The body paragraphs should include details, examples, statistics, quotations, and any other specific information. It is important that the student describes information in detail, with concrete backup from credible sources, rather than just “telling” about it. Remember that if any information is taken from other sources, it must be credited as an outside source.

The Conclusion Should Do the Following:

(1) Restate the Thesis Statement
This is where the student should remind the reader of his or her opinion on the topic and restate the three supporting points. For example, for our Rocking Horse Grill essay, we might start our conclusion paragraph with the following: “Because of its delicious Mexican cuisine, convivial ambiance, and energetic staff, Rocking Horse Grill is one of the best restaurants inChicago.”

(2) Lead-out
he next 2-4 sentences should lead the reader to the author’s final, conclusive remark. The student can reiterate some points about each of the body paragraphs. These sentences should, of course, contain words that are different from those used in the actual body paragraphs.

(3) Concluding Remark
This remark should be conclusive, strong, and perhaps profound. It should leave the reader thinking. For example, a concluding remark for our Rocking Horse Grill essay might be: “The next time you are in town, do not bother with any other restaurants since Rocking Horse Grill has it all.”

Self-check
It is very important that students always self-check their essays when they are done writing. They can do so by using the following acronym:

• Capitalization
• Tense
• Organization
• Punctuation
• Spelling

Students should check for each of these elements, one at a time. By practicing this technique of brainstorming, writing, and self-checking, students can learn to master writing timed essays.

Dr. Emily Levy is the author of Strategies for Study Success, a 13-part student workbook series that teaches students research-based strategies for test taking, note taking, organization, reading comprehension, and writing. She is also the founder and director of EBL Coaching, a tutoring organization based in Manhattan and New Jersey. Learn more at www.eblcoaching.com or call 212-249-0147.

The post How To Take Essay Tests: Tips for Student Success appeared first on EBL Coaching.

For many students, the thought of having to write a well-constructed essay fills them with a chronic case of the jitters. Adding a time constraint to this task only adds flame to their already raging anxiety. Unfortunately for many, an increasing number of standardized and in-class tests incorporate timed essay writing as part of an overall academic assessment. Learning strategies for how to compose a well-written essay in a timely fashion can help students feel relaxed and well-prepared for these types of exams.  Encourage your child to try using some of these techniques!

The Prompt

For starters, when students are asked to write an essay, they are usually given a prompt. The prompt is often in the form of a statement and lets students know what the essay should be about. Some prompts might include: Discuss your idea of a utopian world, Describe the advantages of technology, or Explain how eyeglasses and the sewing machine have had important influences on our lives.

Students should take particular note of words in the prompt such as “discuss,” “describe,” and “explain.” These words are called “directives,” or words which direct students on how to answer the prompt. Other directives might include analyze, compare, contrast, compare and contrast, and persuade.  Students should always underline the directive after reading the prompt to make sure that they answer the question correctly. You may notice that your child sometimes veers off topic when answering an essay question. By identifying and underlining the directive, he or she can avoid making that mistake.

After reading the prompt and underlining the directive, students should rewrite the prompt in their own words. This step ensures that the student is aware of precisely what the prompt is asking and how to correctly write the essay.

Brainstorm

Before writing, students should always organize their ideas on paper – even if they are under a tight time constraint! This step helps ensure that their essay is well-organized and includes the necessary information in a structured format. So what is the best style for brainstorming? Students may have their own preference for jotting down their ideas, but one useful strategy is to create a web diagram.

For this strategy, students should draw a vertical web diagram with a box on top for the opening and thesis statement, three bubbles beneath it, and a box at the bottom for the conclusion paragraph. They should write their opening sentence inside the upper part of the box for the introduction paragraph and their thesis statement inside the bottom part. They should then create branches stemming out of each bubble with ideas for their body paragraph. Look at the following model as an example for an essay on a prompt that reads: Compare and Contrast Living in the Country verses Living in the City:

After completing their brainstorm diagram, students should write an estimated time (ET) detailing how long they think it will take them to complete their essay. When they have finished writing and self-checking their work, they should write the actual time (AT) that it took them to complete the process. By practicing this step, students will develop time management skills and gain a realistic sense of how long it might take them to complete their essay during the exam.

The Essay

It’s time to begin writing! Students should note that the hard part is done – they have already detailed the ideas which they will include in their essay. Now they must translate that information into words to form a well-organized essay.

How do I begin writing? This is a question that students frequently ask themselves, and often struggle with.  Learning five options for how to open their essays can be a helpful tool for them. Note the opening sentence that was used in the above brainstorm web: While some people prefer living in the country, city life has much to offer. Here, the student chose to start his essay with a general statement. To add variety, students can also start their essays with a question (Have you ever wondered how lasagna is made?), quotation (“If it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it”), opposite statement (Some people believe that all water is safe to drink), or  a story (David decided to go for a hike one day…). These alternate choices can help your child add creativity to his or her essay!

The thesis statement is another sentence that gives students trouble when writing, and it can be considered one of the most important parts of the entire essay! A thesis statement should be composed of an opinion and a plan. Note the thesis statement from the diagram above: City life is more exciting than country life because of its fast-pace, nonstop entertainment activities, and financial opportunities. The opinion here is “City life is more exciting than country life.” Note that the student did not use words such as “I think,” “I feel,” or “In this essay I will prove…” The plan, which sets the stage for the organization of the essay, is: “because of its fast-pace, nonstop entertainment activities, and financial opportunities.” The three body paragraphs of the essay will each be about one of these ideas.

When writing, students should remember to use transition sentences at the beginning of each body paragraph. They should also start their conclusion paragraph by restating their thesis statement, and end their essay with a unique thought or idea.

Self-Checking

Self-checking is a step that many students love to leave out! Students often lose points because of careless mistakes that they could have fixed by self-checking their work. A helpful self-checking tool is:

• C
• T
• O
• P
• S

C stands for Capitalization, T stands for tense (students should make sure that they use a consistent past or present tense), O stands for Organization (students should include an opening, a thesis statement, well-organized body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph), P stands for Punctuation, and S stands for Spelling. Students should be sure to re-read their essay five separate times to check for each element on this list. Once they have finished brainstorming, writing, and self-checking their essay, they should look at the clock and record AT, the actual amount of time it took them to complete this process.

The more students practice these strategies, the easier and less daunting the essay writing process will be come. With these tools, students will be well on their way to writing a fantastic, well-organized essay for any timed exam.

The post Top Writing Strategies to Master Timed Exams appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Do you find that your child has interesting, smart, and creative ideas but struggles to put them down on paper? Many students are unsure how to begin the writing process, how to write well-organized thesis statements, and how to structure each of their body paragraphs. As the writing demands of school increase, these struggles tend to follow. Yet learning the steps for composing a well-written five paragraph essay can help all students improve their writing. Read more at Help Your Child with Dysgraphia Build Stronger Writing Skills – EBL Coaching.

Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: The Introduction Paragraph. This paragraph tends to be the most challenging one for students to write. At the start of the essay, the student must lure in the reader with an interesting, thought-provoking remark or anecdote. The paragraph must end with a well-constructed thesis statement to set the organization and tone of the essay. Here are some guidelines for writing a strong introduction paragraph:

1. The Opener. Students can choose one of the following five ways to start the essay:

• Question (Ex. Have you ever wondered how lasagna is made?)
• General Statement. (Ex. Growing trees is an easy process.)
• Quotation. (Ex. A wise man once said, “If it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it.”)
• Opposite Statement (Ex. Many people believe that all water is safe to drink.)
• Story (Ex. The manager left his store to take a quick lunch break. He was sure all of his employees were trustworthy. He was gone for one hour, and when he returned, all of the cash was missing from his register.)
• For practice, encourage your child to write just the opener of several different essays on various topics. These five choices will add variety and creativity to his or her writing!

2. The Thesis Statement. The thesis statement should always come at the end of the introduction paragraph. It should contain two parts: the student’s opinion on the topic and his or her plan for the essay. For example, a well-constructed thesis statement might be as follows: Blue Man Grill is the best restaurant in town because of its food, atmosphere, and friendly staff. Note that for this thesis statement, the opinion is Blue ManGrill is the best restaurant in town and the plan is because of its food, atmosphere, and friendly staff. Thus, the first body paragraph of this essay would be about Blue Man Grill’s food, the second body paragraph would be about its atmosphere, and the third would be about its friendly staff. For practice, have your child write thesis statements on the following topics: winter sports, junk food, and holidays.

3. The Lead-in. The lead-in is composed of 3-5 sentences and should come before the thesis statement and after the opener. We teach the lead-in after teaching the thesis statement, however, because it flows together and is easier to grasp this way. As practice, students should read well-written introduction paragraphs and highlight the opener in one color, the lead-in in another color, and the thesis statement in a third color.

Step 2: The Three Body Paragraphs. The thesis statement sets the plan for the content of each body paragraph. When writing the body paragraph, students should ask themselves: If the thesis statement is: Skiing is a great sport because it is fun, social, and athletic, what would each body paragraph be about? In this case, the first body paragraph would be about why skiing is fun, the second would be about why it is social, and the third would describe why it is an athletic sport.

Each body paragraph should include details, examples, statistics, quotations, and any other specific information. The old adage “Show, don’t tell” certainly applies here. It is important that the student describes information in detail, with concrete backup from credible sources, rather than just “telling” about it. Remember that if any information is taken from other sources, it must be credited as an outside source.

Step 3: The Conclusion Paragraph. This paragraph can be a tough one for many students to write. Students must reiterate all of the information from the essay without being redundant, and add more information without really adding more information. How is this done: The solution for writing the conclusion paragraph is as follows:

1. Restate the Thesis Statement. This is where the student should remind the reader of his or her opinion on the topic and restate the three supporting points. For example, for our Rocking Horse Grill essay, we might start our conclusion paragraph with the following: “Because of its delicious Mexican cuisine, convivial ambiance, and energetic staff, Rocking Horse Grill is one of the best restaurants in Chicago.”
2. The Lead-out. The next 2-4 sentences should lead the reader to the author’s final, conclusive remark. The student can reiterate some points about each of the body paragraphs. These sentences should, of course, contain words that are different from those used in the actual body paragraphs.
3. Concluding Remark. This remark should be conclusive, strong, and perhaps profound. It should leave the reader thinking. For example, a concluding remark for our Rocking Horse Grill essay might be: “The next time you are in town, do not bother with any other restaurants since Rocking Horse Grill has it all.”

If your child follows the above model when writing, he or she will be well on the way toward a perfect five paragraph essay. But first, to your child, a few other pointers:

1. Try not to directly state your opinion. Avoid phrases like:
   • “In this essay, I will talk about…”
   • “I think that smoking is bad for you because” (rather, simply state “Smoking is bad for you because…”)
   • “In conclusion, my essay proves…”
2. Remember to use transition words when transitioning between paragraphs and between points within paragraphs. For example, at the start of your first body paragraph, you might write, “The first reason why Rocking Horse Grill is the best restaurant in town is because it offers delicious Mexican cuisine.” Between points within that paragraph, you might write, “Next, the burritos at Rocking Horse are some of the best I have ever had. They are warm, thick, and are filled with fresh ingredients. Furthermore, there is a wide variety to choose from.” The words in italics are some transition words you might use.
3. Perhaps the most important advice you should follow is to always use three steps when writing: brainstorm, write, and self-check. Use the following guidelines when doing so:
   • Brainstorm. Use a visual diagram, a word processor, or even a hand-written list to plan your essay. Make sure you write out your opener, your thesis statement, your three points for your body paragraph, and some details, quotes, statistics, or other specific information that you might include in each body paragraph before writing. This step sets the stage for the organization and flow of your essay.
   • Write. Use the above-mentioned guidelines for specific information on how to write the essay itself.
   • Self-check. This step is critical; one that many students neglect! When self-checking your work, do not rely solely on the spell check or grammar check on your word processor. Many mistakes are missed by using just these tools! Instead, self-check your work using the following checklist:
     • Capitalization: re-read your essay and make sure that all letters that should be capitalized are, and those that should not be capitalized are not.
     • Tense: re-read your essay and make sure that all tense is consistent. That means that you should not mix past and present tense together. Rather, you should choose one of the two and stick with it throughout the essay.
     • Organization: re-read your essay and ask yourself the following questions: Does my essay have a strong opener? Is that opener followed by a lead-in, and then by a well-constructed thesis statement? Have I clearly stated my points in each body paragraph? Have I restated my thesis statement in my conclusion paragraph and ended my essay with a thought-provoking remark? If so, then check off this box.
     • Punctuation: again, re-read your essay and make sure all of your punctuation is correct.
     • Spelling: re-read the essay and make sure all spelling is correct.

Note that the key theme here is re-read. You should re-read your essay five times, each time checking for a different element. Read more at Help Your Child Build Stellar Writing Skills – EBL Coaching.

Encouraging your child to follow this step-by-step guide to writing a five paragraph essay can help him structure his thoughts on paper in a well-organized, logically flowing fashion. It may take some time, but the more practice, the more progress you will see – so help him get to work!

Dr. Emily Levy is the Founder and Director of EBL Coaching, which offers one-on-one tutoring and intensive summer programs. For more information, visit www.eblcoaching.com or call 212-249-0147.

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The post How to Write a Perfect Five Paragraph Essay appeared first on EBL Coaching.