Editing for Grammar

Editing for grammar develops students' ability to critically evaluate written work for grammatical accuracy and clarity, applying their knowledge of grammar rules to identify and correct errors in context. Fifth-grade instruction should position editing as more than just error correction, but as a process of enhancing communication by ensuring grammatical choices support the writer's purpose and audience. Teach a systematic approach to grammar editing through focused "editing rounds" where students search specifically for one grammatical element at a time (e.g., first checking subject-verb agreement, then pronoun clarity, then punctuation) rather than trying to identify all errors simultaneously. Implement peer editing protocols with specific grammatical focus areas, providing students with guided checklists and sentence frames for constructive feedback ("I noticed that... You might want to check...") that build both editing skills and metalinguistic awareness. Address common editing challenges by teaching students to read their work aloud, read backward sentence by sentence, or create physical distance from their writing before editing, strategies that help them see what's actually on the page rather than what they intended to write. Connect grammar editing to authentic purposes by having students prepare work for real audiences (class publications, letters to community members, informational materials for younger students), emphasizing how grammatical accuracy contributes to a writer's credibility and effectiveness. Extend editing instruction beyond identification of errors to include decision-making about alternatives, having students discuss multiple correct ways to fix an issue and the stylistic or clarity implications of different choices, developing editorial judgment alongside rule knowledge.