How to Tutor Grades K to 12 Journalism

Even though journalism is not a required course for grades K to 12 curriculum, students still may need tutoring in it. Your purpose is to introduce the basics of journalism while encouraging additional practice in clear writing. Follow these simple steps to coach your journalism students more effectively.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Introduce and define key journalism concepts such as 5W1H, lead, headline, angle and facts. Have students scan newspaper articles to locate each concept within the article.

2. Prepare a blank chart containing an inverted pyramid. Explain that journalists write stories resembling this pyramid with the top of the story containing the most important information in the fewest number of sentences. Assign students to read newspaper articles and explain how each one resembles the inverted pyramid.

3. Assign the inverted pyramid chart for homework. Have students use it as a guide for writing their own news stories.

4. Explain that proper tone in journalism doesn't include the author's opinions. Ask the students to write the same news story using several different tones. Have them identify each tone and describe how it affects the news story.

5. Discuss the use of angle as a certain way of viewing a topic. Have students write the same news story from different angles. Ask them to explain how angle shapes the story.

6. Encourage students to use as many sources as possible to write their story. Have the students write a real news story using only one source of information. Then tell them to write the same story using several sources. Have students explain the importance of using multiple sources.

7. Create badly written news stories. Assign students to identify and correct the mistakes in the stories.