A Case for Proofreading Right from the Start

Choose what’s true for you: 

It makes complete sense to teach/focus on editing and proofreading after the craft lessons. 

I wish my students’ writing were rid of niggling errors in basic conventions, especially the ones I have already taught. 

I chose both. 

Yes, focusing on conventions and spelling can sometimes stifle the writing process, especially at the beginning when students are trying to flesh their ideas out. 

Yet, I am often embarrassed by my students’ errors. Some of them are so basic that I catch myself wondering how this reflects on my teaching. Besides, waiting right until the end in the hope that they will proofread their entire piece and submit something reasonable has seldom worked for me no matter how badly I have wanted it to work. 

Here’s my attempt at solving the conundrum: 

1. Do not expect error-free writing during the drafting process. Instead expect proofreading at regular intervals: after every paragraph, after every page, when students take stretch-breaks from the draft, and/or right before they show their writing to me. This way, I am not asking them to think through every spelling or capitalization dilemma before they put pen to paper; I am however asking them to be responsible for their written word and correct errors before I have to. When they are utterly confused, I ask them to underline what they are struggling to make sense of so I can help them during a writing conference. The underlines make student effort visible and instantly turn the drafts from irresponsible pieces of writing to thought-through submissions from students who care about their written work.  
2. Do not wait until the tail-end of the first unit to teach proofreading. Nancie Atwell’s Individual Proofreading List and lessons on the proofreading process can be taught right at the beginning. I do it in byte-sized chunks and provide enough practice and reminders from as early in the year as possible. 

The reminders are, in fact, what have increased the likelihood that my students will not only proofread in my class but all the time. I make it a point to ask, “Did you proofread?” as many times and in as many contexts as I can. I also recommend a big poster like this one in the classroom for all the times you want to just point.

Sometimes, it can remind them by virtue of its very presence.

For younger or new students, I scaffold the process even more by providing timed slots in class for proofreading. They are a bit like Rebekah’s brilliant flash revisions: timed, guided by a common list of items that I might even walk them through one by one. 

“The first item on our common proofreading list is spelling. I’d like you to read your draft for the next three minutes and circle all spellings you’re not 100% certain of. 

Good. Now use [insert resource available in your classroom] to figure out the right spellings. You have 4 minutes to do this. And, I’m right here if you need me. 

Now, I’d like you to read your draft again – this time for apostrophes. You know apostrophes only have two jobs: to show belonging and to make words short. Check if you’ve used them where you have to. Check also if you’ve used them where you shouldn’t. You have 2 minutes.” 

Lastly, in cases where it’s possible, I highly recommend that English teachers share the following with the subject teachers of their students: 

1. Proofreading has been taught to the students. 
2. Here are the common items present in everyone’s proofreading list. These conventions have been taught to the students, so you can expect them to know it. Respond in ways that make sense to you and suit, in the words of Sarah Cottingham, the internal logic of your subject. But, I highly recommend you respond to the basics such as capitalization and end punctuation to drive home the fact that they are not required only in my class.
3. Please ask students, “Did you proofread?” every chance you get: before accepting test papers, assignments, etc. 

If you’re in a school where the leadership can drive this common expectation across subjects, nothing like it! 

What has worked for you to encourage correctness in your student writing without making it counterproductive? Comment below or get in touch with me on Twitter @teachingtenets.

For more of my writing, visit my Substack: https://teachingtenets.substack.com/

-Aishwarya

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