I have been experimenting with ways to teach writing, especially writing main ideas and supporting details. Power Writing is one technique to teach students how to write an effective paragraph. Try it with your class.
POWER WRITING
Power 1: Main idea
Power 2: Major detail to explain or support main idea
(first, second, third, lastly, finally, another, moreover, in addition,
Besides that, apart from that, next)
Power 3: Minor Detail to explain a major detail
(For example, for instance, in such cases,
in other words, because of …..)
Power 4: Concluding sentence
( In conclusion, in summary, these are the reasons)
Examples:
Basic Power Writing Paragraph (P1 – P2 – P2 – P2 – P4)
There are many benefits of reading. ( P1 ) One benefit is it improves the command of your language. ( P2 ) Besides, it also helps to widen your knowledge. ( P2 ) Another benefit of reading is you will be able to read about experiences faced by different people. Reading also can make you knowledgeable. ( P2 )Reading certainly brings a lot of benefits.(P4)
POWER 1
(MAIN IDEA) There are many benefits of reading.
POWER 2
(MAJOR
DETAIL TO EXPLAIN MAIN IDEA) One benefit is it improves the command of your
language.
POWER 3
(MINOR DETAIL TO EXPLAIN POWER 2) For example, if you read a lot of English
story books, you will definitely enrich your
vocabulary as well as improve your essay writing.
Now, you try another paragraph by using the formula (P1 – P2 – P3)
POWER 1 :
(MAIN IDEA) .
POWER 2 :
(MAJOR DETAIL TO EXPLAIN MAIN IDEA)
POWER 3:
(MINOR DETAIL TO EXPLAIN POWER 2)
Try writing another paragraph about the benefits of reading using (P2 – P3 – P3- P4).
POWER 2:
(MAJOR
DETAIL TO EXPLAIN MAIN IDEA) Another benefit of reading is …..
POWER 3:
(MINOR DETAIL TO EXPLAIN POWER 2)
POWER 3:
(another minor detail)
POWER 4:
CONCLUDING SENTENCE
