Opinion
Reading & Literacy Letter to the Editor

Use Letters to the Editor During Writing Instruction

September 06, 2022 1 min read
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To the Editor:

One of the most effective ways to teach writing is to have students write letters to the editor (“I Teach Writing. It’s Emotional Work,” July 15, 2022). Doing so allows them to develop the ability to express their opinions in a condensed format. It’s a discipline that can be applied to longer compositions. It’s extremely rare to have students who don’t feel strongly about issues in the news. Letters to the editor provide an outlet for their emotions.

Walt Gardner
Los Angeles, Calif.

Walt Gardner, who taught for 28 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District, blogs about education at theedhed.com. Formerly, he wrote the Reality Check opinion blog on edweek.org.

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A version of this article appeared in the September 07, 2022 edition of Education Week as Use Letters to the Editor During Writing Instruction

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