Ways to Give Students Free Choice on Essay Topics
Teachers should allow students to write topics of their choice. They can just be there to correct them where necessary. It is good to push students to do the best they can. Since some students can only be choosing specific topics, teachers can choose headings once in a while. The moment you permit students to choose whatever topic they want, they will write about things you didn't know they are capable of writing. They will amaze you in different ways.
- Make Them Focus
For example, students choose a topic concerning football. Let them know that it is not a must for them to talk only about the game. They can go ahead and mention the thoughts of the goalkeeper. They should be able to tell the feeling he/she had before the game ends. They should be able to write about the uniforms they wear and how it feels to get the privilege of wearing one. If the goalkeeper missed a ball and was defeated, they should tell who the team felt shaking hands with the other one that won.
- Switch Perspective
It is good for them to be able to tell a football story from the beginning to the end. It will be much better to change understanding. There are a lot of things that they can write about other than the people playing. They can write about a parent whose kid is playing. They can add how the parent feels about the game and which team he/she is rooting for the win. There are so many things to write about football. Some kids do not make it to the field. It is also good to talk about them and how they feel. It will be more fun if students change their tactics and use other things to bring out something good from a particular topic.
- Sensory Details
There is a possibility many students will write a dry and unpleasant essay. Try to talk to them and let them know the benefits of writing a good essay. You can start correcting them slowly for them to write better articles. It is not bad for them to add 25 words that make a lot of sense. It will make them write interesting and better essays. It will also improve their writing skills.
- Get Personal
Let them give you reasons as to why they are writing their stories in that manner. You should ask them if someone close to them got the essay they wrote, what would they think. It is a way of making them perfect their articles. The things you tell them will always be in their minds, and they will work hard to do better.
- Switch Forms
A specific topic can get boring and hard for students. Try and change the genre for them. You can decide to go with something more interesting. From that, you will be able to know their potential. You will also have an idea of the strongest genre and the weakest according to how they write. It will also let you know where to put your efforts more to make things better.