Editing & Writing Lessons in High School

High school students can learn advanced editing and writing skills.

High school students should fine-tune their writing skills before graduation so they can enter the real world prepared. Whether a student attends college or enters the working world, good writing skills will help him succeed.

Writing

High school students, having grasped elementary writing skills, should learn how to write well. For example, assign students a paper but prohibit them from using "to be" verbs, which can indicate wordiness. Instead of, "I will be going," instruct students to write, "I will go."

Editing

Students can exchange papers, grading their classmates' for a homework assignment. Students should suggest revisions and examine the papers for sentence structure and writing ability. Students will strengthen their writing and editing skills through this assignment.

Editorials

Ask students to write letters to the editor for the local newspaper. These letters usually have strict word count requirements, which will require the students to write concisely. They can put their newfound writing and editing skills to use while thinking critically about local issues.

References

• Queen Homeschool Supplies Inc.: Scope and Sequence for Language Lessons for the High School Student
• Education.com: High School Writing Activities