Activity Summary:
This activity teaches students how to paraphrase. I use an example paragraph and model my own paraphrasing technique. The activity provides a number of activities that both give students examples and provide opportunities to practice.
Instructions:
“This activity works best in the classroom. If you are trying to teach students how to paraphrase, say before a large research paper, I recommend this activity as a way to both model paraphrasing and to practice the art of paraphrasing in the classroom. I find that many students struggle with proper paraphrasing: they may copy too much from the original text or use too many quotes in their own essays. This activity helps them see what might be a more appropriate amount of paraphrasing and direct quotes.”
- For this activity, the students should bring at least once source with them to class.
- I start by placing a paragraph on the screen with my own notes placed next to the paragraph.
- Then, I place another paragraph on the screen. I ask them how they would take notes.
- As they are talking, I am writing their ideas on the whiteboard.
- Once we finish our class paraphrase, I give them another paragraph that they are to practice with partners. Once the students finish paraphrasing in groups, I put those examples on the screen for the whole class to discuss.
- Finally, I give them a sheet on which they are to list a source and to have taken ten notes on the source. This way they can practice doing short phrases in their own notes.
- I think it is important to show examples and to repeat the action of paraphrasing as a class, as a small group, and finally on your own.