How to Teach Expository Writing

							How to Teach Expository Writing
Different techniques used in expository writing can be taught with the help of a carefully planned
step-by-step process. Here are some useful tips and procedures on how to teach expository
writing to beginners.

Expository writing is the activity of
explaining a particular event, process,
concept, etc., to the readers. There are some
rules and guidelines that the writer needs to
follow in order to present information in an
easy-to-understand manner. The writer has to
be highly organized in the way he presents
facts before the readers. In this form of
writing, one has to explain a piece of
information from scratch. The writer cannot
assume that reader has prior knowledge about the topic being discussed. It is important to teach
expository writing to your students considering all these points.

Teaching Expository Writing

Teaching the art of expository writing is not that difficult, provided you take a step-by-step
approach. Don't expect your students to grasp everything in a matter of few weeks. After all,
writing cannot be taught like in a crash course. It requires great amount of patience and hard
work to teach students to write. Some of the useful points and steps to be taken for teaching the
art of expository writing are given below.

      The different sections of expository writing are topic sentence, elaboration, facts and
       conclusion. Students should be taught to write with the help of these points. The write up
       is considered complete only if it incorporates all these points.
      Short sessions of teaching are far more fruitful than longer ones; it is observed that long
       sessions bore them and prove to be a waste of time. Short practice sessions bring out the
       best in students.
      In first few sessions, students should be asked to write on lighter and interesting topics. It
       helps them express their ideas in a better manner. As the student makes progress he must
       be asked to write on challenging subjects.

Expository Writing Exercise
There is one simple technique that can be used in teaching expository writing to students. First of
all choose an interesting topic for writing. If you choose 'sports', then ask your students to list
down sports they know (5-10 sports are enough). Write these names on the blackboard. Ask the
students to write 2-3 lines on each sport. Once they finish writing these short descriptions, ask
them to write about sports in general. By the end of the session, you will have as many articles as
the number of students on a single topic and with completely different views and information.
This activity of writing seems fun and doesn't bother the students with doing work that they don't
enjoy. However, this is not all. Students need to be taught about proofreading, formatting and
other aspects. The above mentioned exercise functions like a trigger or starting point for students
to learn the art of expository writing. You can think of repeating this activity with some
interesting expository essay topics every few days.

Use of Cue Words
The cue words prove to be of great help in illustrating a particular concept. For example, you can
use the cue words, 'first', 'second', 'third', etc., in the process of listing data in a sequence.
Comparison is done with 'as a result', 'because', 'therefore', 'reason why' and other such words.
Learning the cue words should help in organizing the data in a proper manner.

Points to Remember
Content presented in the write up should satisfy the reader. You should understand the exact
need of readers and write accordingly. For example, if you are writing about 'how to make a
paper boat', try to explain the procedure in simple words. Since kids are going to be the readers
of such topics, the content should be written in a way that is easy-to-understand. The language
use for such kind of expository writing should contain a limited vocabulary that is easily
understood by children.

Through all these lessons and practice sessions of expository writing, students should also be
encouraged to use their natural style of writing. Even if you are teaching expository writing to
the students, it is important to maintain flow of language that keeps the readers interested in your
write up. Most of the scholarly article tend to become a bit dull and boring; however, if you are
able to add a little spice even to this informational stuff, you would find more and more readers
appreciating your work.