It’s important to help students understand that thoughtful word choice makes their writing stronger and more clear.
Create a mini lesson. Share samples of good and less successful writings. Ask students:
Do the writer’s words describe the main characters so we can almost see them?
Do the verbs show specific actions? (race instead of went or walk?
Can we imagine the setting by what the writer shares about where the story takes place?
Does the writer engage our senses with sounds, smells, tastes, and touch as well as what we see?
Are the transition words appropriate rather than repetitions of words like, ‘and then’?
Encourage students to make their writing as clear and concise as possible to create a stronger outcome.