Which practice is identified as a technique to teach effective writing, including planning, revising, and editing?

• A. Focus exclusively on spelling drills
• B. Teach techniques to plan, revise, edit
• C. Assign lengthy reading without writing
• D. Require students to memorize model essays

Answer: (B)

Teaching writing as a process that students actively manage is what this item is getting at. When we focus on planning, revising, and editing, we’re giving students a structured path to build a piece from idea to final draft. Planning helps writers organize their purpose, audience, and main ideas before they start writing. Revising encourages them to look at the piece as a whole—how ideas are arranged, whether evidence supports the claim, and how clearly the message flows. Editing sharpens the craft: sentence structure, word choice, punctuation, and grammar, so the writing sounds right and reads smoothly. Together, these steps scaffold student independence and improve quality over time.

Focusing only on spelling drills doesn’t teach how to plan or develop an argument. Assigning lengthy reading without any writing practice misses the chance to apply what readers learn to their own writing. Requiring memorization of model essays can limit creativity and doesn’t teach students how to plan, revise, or edit their own work.