The Challenge of Teaching Effective Endings
POST UPDATED February 2021 The Challenge of Effective Endings? Let’s face it, as teachers of writing we have been much better at teaching our students about effective leads and introductions than we have about constructing effective endings. It has certainly been a feature of the way we teach expository writing, where the conclusion is promoted as a careful restating of the writer’s viewpoint, but generally we have devoted more attention to introductions. Our students need to understand that the energy they devote to writing an effective lead needs to be evident in the endings they create. Endings are the final contact the writer has with the reader. It is the last opportunity to make an impression. For this reason young writers should be encouraged to take time with their endings and write them carefully. A great ending will not only make reading a satisfying experience, but prospective audiences will be more likely to want to read more of that writer’s work. En...