Confirm, listen, and see

Before a student is able to put a bow on the final version of a paper, it’s critical they give the paper a proper edit and final check. For some, the relief of just being done signals the end of their work, but a few minutes for a final review will always lead to a better product. Here are three strategies to employ:

1. Review the rubric. Rephrase each requirement as a question starting with: “Did I…?” This self-monitoring strategy will ensure that your child has successfully met all the requirements of the assignment. 
2. Read the paper out loud. By taking the time to decode each word and hear the flow of the writing, small errors that would otherwise have gone unnoticed (both by the student and by spellcheck) are more likely to become apparent. 
3. Use an editing checklist. CUPS is an easy acronym to guide your child. 
   • Capitalization. Capitalize the first word in every sentence and proper nouns. 
   • Understanding. Does the paper make sense? The read-aloud helps here.
   • Punctuation. Are periods, question marks, commas, semi colons, etc., used correctly?
   • Spelling. Circle then look up words they are unsure about.