You MUST Know How to Outline

I’ve been a tutor for seven years now. One of my favorite aspects of my profession is getting to know different students with their various strengths, interests, and attitudes. However, despite their unique attributes, students are not immune to the natural development of their age group. After years of experience, it’s not difficult to recognize learning patterns.

Although, one new pattern has emerged.

I hate to acknowledge what we all fear to be true - COVID had a significant impact on the learning development of even the most academically inclined students.

One skill I’ve noticed that has been significantly impacted is written expression. This is true for all ages, but especially for students who were in their fluent writing development stage and slightly older (3rd-6th grade) when COVID interrupted their education.

No matter the age, the ability to develop a strong outline is vital for any effective writer. And, it can be more difficult to master than one would expect.

Outlines encourage the intentional organization of a story/essay/paper so that each idea is conveyed clearly and effectively. They also support a student through the writing process as a reference.

I’ve included a link to my simple guide to outlines here. The packet includes a graphic organizer and practice prompts for your student to practice with. It’s geared toward younger students but the principles of a thesis, and generic outline structure, apply to any age.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/How-to-Outline-with-practice-prompts-ELA-Mini-Lesson-9630301