Composition Presentation

I've been asked to do a presentation on composition for a group of homeschoolers tomorrow. I will cut and paste my outline here, in case anyone is interested in it. I cannot get the indentations to work the way they should--some do and some do not. I hope you can decipher it! Blessings.

Teaching Composition

I. Composition—Step by Step
A. A complicated process if not taught in steps
B. Skills used build upon each other
C. Maturity of the child is necessary

II. Step 1—Reading and narration
A. Before one can write cohesively, he must be able to put his thoughts in order (sequential thinking)
B. Reading to the child before he can read
1. 1st he narrates back to you what he has heard
2. 2nd he dictates to you while you write
C. Help the child by asking questions and giving suggestions for word choice, or sentence construction.

III. Sentences (penmanship, spelling)
A. Begin by illustrating the history lesson or literature selection with captions.
B. Include grammar study
1. What is a sentence?
2. Subject/Predicate
3. Statement, question, command, exclamation
4. Learning correct punctuation
5. Correct grammar forms

IV. The Paragraph
A. Topic/Supporting Sentences
1. What belongs, what doesn’t?
2. Sequential: giving directions or order in a story
3. Order of importance,
B. ALWAYS DOUBLE SPACE—helpful for corrections
C. Require the student to use the grammar and punctuation he has already studied when grading the paper
1. A good grammar handbook
2. Look up grammar/punctuation error and site page


V. Other skills
A. Outlining
1. Can be used to summarize what has been read
a. The child reads & I take notes/outline—they copy this
b. I read & child takes notes—I make suggestions
c. They read and they take notes on their own
2. Use to prepare what you will write

B. Letter writing
1. Thank you notes
2. Friendly letter

C. Book reports and summaries
1. Start by giving them an outline
2. (Handout)

D. The story
1. Creative writing (optional)
2. Writing a dialogue

E. 1st Report (A book on animals is a good place to start)
1. Read an article/taking notes
2. Use the notes to write a paragraph (Topic/supporting S’s)


VI. The older child
A. 5 Paragraph essay
(Handout)

B. Research Paper

C. Steps in writing
1. Organize your information
a. (Research notes)
b. Outline
c. Write
d. Evaluate it/rewrite
e. Proof it
-Whenever possible do this again the next day—before handing the paper in
-Teach the stdt to read the paper out loud to himself
2. Teach your child the necessity of multiply drafts!
3. Final product: Keyboarding skills, size print, margins

VII. Grading
A. (Handout)
B. Two grades—original paper and final copy


VIII. Textbooks and programs
A. Texts I have/recommend
B. Progymnasmata
1. Origins
2. 16 stages
3. Based on the writing of the “Greats”