Five Paragraph Essay Tutorial for Struggling Homeschooled Writers

Proper organization in writing is imperative. Teaching children and beginning writers to organize their thoughts on paper effectively can be a daunting task. It may even go against the natural instincts of natural creative and generally "good" young and beginning writers.

Implementing a tried and true technique such as the classic "Five paragraph essay" style is quite effective, and goes a long way to helping anyone struggling with writerly organization. Essentially a formula, it is quite easy to follow and implement. It will appeal to and is ideal for kids (and perhaps even parental instructors!) who find writing intimidating and mysterious, or too abstract and "right-brained."

Further, using the suggested points of initial engagement and final payoff, really makes the finished essay stand out in tone and style, as well as allows the beginning writer to inject some spirit and personal voice into the essay, in an appropriate way. Below is a template, followed by notes and ideas.

Paragraph 1

Engagement/motivator: Why should someone want to read this essay? What's in it for them?

Topic's Thesis

3 Specific supporting details: These should be as engaging and promising as possible

Paragraph 2

Topic sentence: The most engaging facts/ideas here

3 supporting details

Paragraph 3

Topic sentence: The most mundane or less engaging elements here

3 supporting details

Paragraph 4

Topic sentence: The second most engaging facts/ ideas here

3 supporting details

Paragraph 5

Restatement of thesis: reworded, and reworked

General support details: These should beconclusion-oriented

Reader's payoff: This is the "punchline," something memorable that will stay with the reader

Notes & ideas

Choosing a topic

Remember that while this is certainly an academic endeavor, it is likely not going to be published in a peer-reviewed scientific or academic journal anytime soon. Therefore, the subject of the essay should be interesting to the student, and focus on something, no matter how non-academic, philistine, or trivial it would seem to the parent.

For example, my son once chose a topic for a persuasive essay about the online game Runescape and resultant real-life benefits. I was somewhat internally appalled, but allowed him the subject matter that he was familiar with, and believed in.

Following the five paragraph essay template, he was able to complete a very good first draft in a very short time. For a student who has struggled with organizational writing profoundly, this was quite an amazing accomplishment. Allowing stuggling writers to initially choose their own topics can lead to miraculous breakthroughs in writing issues.

Motivators and Payoffs

Beginning the essay with a motivator and ending with a payoff is important not only to the reader and audience, but for the student/young writer as well. A great beginning is key to keep the writer engaged in the writing. Keep in mind the goal with using this essay method is to teach the struggling writer organization and form, not necessarily "substance" or deep, meaningful rhetoric at this point yet. Basics first.

An enthusiastic motivating first sentence such as "The Ramones are the best rock and roll band on the planet-rock on, Ramones!" might not be exactly Pulitzer material, but there is obvious engagement, both for the writer and reader. Even if you don't care for The Ramones, aren't you a bit curious to find out just what inspires such enthusiasm?

Payoffs at the end are much the same. A statement like, "As you can see, The Ramones rocked it crazy for 25 years, and no other band has or ever will come close to their genius or influence. Now, go listen to some Ramones and have smashing good time. You're going to party like it's 1979!"

One of the issues with struggling writers is that often much of the writing seems canned, cliché, and rambling. Allowing a real voice to come through like the above can go a long way in further, more formal endeavors and assignments. Although the payoff statement here isn't exactly profound or deep, it's authentic and convincing. Later, incorporating real ideas like this within more academic parameters will be easy.

Overall, this particular five paragraph essay method is a device to teach structure and organization-the subject matter and content take a second seat. Once a writer has learned the basics, she or he can apply them to more academic topics, and then delve into more advanced writerly techniques and formulas.