Teaching the Six Stages of the Writing Process

Writing is more than just putting words on paper—it’s one of the main ways we express our views, opinions, and creativity. It’s important that kids know they don’t need to be geniuses to write. They just need a process that works for them. 

The writing process is not a new idea; it’s a structured series of steps all writers use to develop their work.  Students benefit from being taught the writing process as it helps them organize their thoughts, refine their ideas, and strengthen their writing skills. By breaking writing down into a clear process, teachers can help students see it as a series of manageable steps. Let’s explore the six different stages of writing. 

The Six Stages of the Writing Process

1. Generate

This will look different depending on what type of writing you are teaching. If you are teaching your students how to write a short story, you should offer them some prompts to get their creativity flowing. For essays or nonfiction, you could give them a list of topics that they can then start researching and form their own opinions. 

The most important thing your students should be doing is writing down all their ideas. It’s perfectly okay if its messy—they will sort through their ideas during the next stage. 

2. Develop

Now that your students have finished brainstorming, they will need to start organizing their ideas. This is a great opportunity to teach students how to use charts, checklist, and outlines. It might be helpful for them to verbally explain their plan, as this makes it easier to identify any gaps in their thought process. 

3. Draft

Now that their ideas are organized into an outline, they will need to begin writing it. You should remind your students that the only thing a first draft needs to do is exist. While grammar and structure are important, at this stage it’s more important to have a rough draft that captures their ideas. 

4. Revise

At this stage, you should encourage your students to try to look at their drafts with fresh eyes. Does it successfully deliver their message? Is there a more concise way to get their point across? Your students should be looking at the broader picture such changes to the structure.  

5. Edit

When your students are happy with their revisions, they should take a close look at their spelling, grammar, and punctation. It might be helpful to give them a checklist of common mistakes and other elements they should be looking out for. This can be a great time for peer reviews as sometimes it’s easier to catch mistakes in someone else’s work. 

6. Publish

The last step to the writing process is for your students to share their writing. Writing for real audiences is a powerful motivator and helps kids become better writers and readers. It gives them a sense of purpose, boosts their confidence, encourages them to set new goals, and makes the entire writing process feel more concrete and meaningful. 

You should make sure to celebrate every stage of the writing process, not just when they finish their final draft. By embracing these steps, you are teaching your students to approach writing with confidence and creativity. 

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