Standard: 7.L.3a – Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.*
Grade level: Grade 7
Subject: English Language Arts
Domain: Language
Teacher Overview
This standard emphasizes the importance of choosing language that is precise and concise, helping students to communicate their ideas more effectively. Mastery of this standard is crucial for developing strong writing skills and is foundational for success in more advanced writing tasks. Students should be comfortable with basic grammar, sentence structure, and identifying main ideas and supporting details before tackling this standard.
After mastering this standard, students will be able to write more effectively across various contexts, enhancing their ability to convey ideas clearly and persuasively.
Common Misconception 1
A common misconception is that using more words makes writing appear more intelligent. This is incorrect because unnecessary words can dilute the main message and make the writing less clear.
Intervention 1
To address this misconception, provide side-by-side comparisons of verbose and concise texts, and engage students in exercises that practice editing for clarity and brevity.
Common Misconception 2
Another misconception is failing to recognize redundancy in writing. Students may not see that they are repeating the same idea in different words.
Intervention 2
To remediate this, use targeted exercises that identify redundant phrases and practice rewriting sentences to eliminate unnecessary repetition.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have a basic understanding of sentence structure, grammar, and the ability to identify main ideas and supporting details.
Subsequent Knowledge
Students will develop advanced writing skills, including the ability to write more sophisticated and persuasive essays, and improve their overall communication skills.
Instructional Activities
- Editing and revising peer essays for conciseness
- Writing summaries of articles or stories
- Creating clear and concise instructions for a task
- Comparing verbose and concise versions of texts
- Practicing rewriting sentences to eliminate redundancy
