When I first broke the news to my students that we would be playing with punctuation, I
was met with inquisitive looks. A student whispered, “Did she say play with punctuation?”
We began with the initial step of the mini-lesson, and I asked students my first question:
“Why does punctuation matter?”
Most students reacted by saying that punctuation helps their writing make more sense, but
they also expressed frustration over the endless rules they were expected to follow. Instead
I encouraged students to think of punctuation as an interactive game in which they had
choices to make and as a tool box of strategies that would help them write and
communicate better.
I reminded them that punctuation is not simply following the rules of grammar, because
“the rules of punctuation can be as hard to remember as the Pythagorean theorem. And at
times, they are downright arbitrary” (Rosenthal, par. 3).
I told students that my goal was for them to start to understand what punctuation means,
not just when to use it. We discussed the idea that punctuation does not have to be a
complex, confusing blur; it can be straightforward, understandable, and obtainable.
Step 2
Direct Instruction of Selected Punctuation: Hyphen, Dash, Ellipsis, and Exclamation Mark
After discussing the practicality and importance of punctuation, explicit instruction was the
next step. For this part of the mini-lesson, I was the authority; it was my place to share my
knowledge about the punctuation rules and the purpose behind the rules (Atwell 151).
I walked through the four selected forms: hyphen, dash, ellipsis, and exclamation mark, and
elicited questions and comments from students. For each of these, I had a simple example
or two written on the board for reference.
I pointed out to students how the hyphen can be used to join two or more words so they
work together to modify a noun, and how this can sometimes be used to emphasize an idea.
I discussed with students how the dash is used to show emphasis. We also talked about
how the dash shows a sudden break in thought, an interruption, or stuttering.
The dash, I said, can heighten or shift the tension of a sentence.
We then compared the dash to the ellipsis. We talked about how the ellipsis can actually
slow your writing down by indicating a trailing off or hesitation in thought. We also
discussed how the ellipsis is often used in long quotations to show the omission of words.
The exclamation mark was already a familiar form of punctuation for students, as a way to
emphasize a statement strongly or indicate emotions such as surprise or shock.
Step 3
Looking at Mentor Texts
We then turned to an examination of everyday examples of punctuation and mentor texts. I
showed students multiple examples from “ordinary” language, so they could see how these
forms of punctuation function in daily communication.
The examples I used range from advertisements: “Everything—beds, dressers, tables—
must go!” and “Where will you find the most mind-blowing, spine-tingling, jawdropping
rollercoaster in the Midwest?” to conversational dialogue: “The subway ride was fun . . . for
about the first two minutes.”
Mentor Text: Use of Exclamation Marks
I also used extraordinary examples of punctuation found in mentor texts, such as Sophie
Kinsella’s Confessions of a Shopaholic— a terrific text for showing students how to use
exclamation marks. For example, the novel’s protagonist,
Rebecca Bloomwood, comically describes her foray into the world of retail:
“You want to scream at them, LEAVE IT ALONE IF YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BUY IT! I
watched one girl even pick up a cardigan identical to the one she already had on!” (125).
Mentor Text: Use of the Ellipsis
Toni Morrison’s Sula modeled wonderful use of the ellipsis. In the following passage, she
describes the state in which one of her characters, Shadrick, returned from WWI:
Twenty-two years old, weak, hot, frightened, not daring to acknowledge the fact that
he didn’t know who or what he was . . . with no past, no language, no tribe, no source,
no address book, no comb, no pencil, no clock, no pocket handkerchief, no rug, no bed,
no can opener, no faded postcard, no soap, no key, no tobacco pouch, no soiled
underwear and nothing nothing nothing to do . . . he was sure of one thing only: the
unchecked monstrosity of his hands. (Morrison 12)
I gave students a few moments to react to this example and helped them see how the
ellipses are used to slow the pace and provide emphasis for the long list of things Shadrick
lacked and to strengthen the effect of how broken the war had left him.
Mentor Text: Use of the Dash
To model use of the dash, I used Langston Hughes’s Theme for English B (available from the
Academy of American Poets site at http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15614
I showed students how, in the last four lines of the poem, Hughes uses the dash to
emphasize the characteristics that separate him from his English instructor.
Mentor Text: Use of the Hyphen
Although hyphens are used less frequently than other forms of punctuation in literary
texts, Ann McGovern’s The Lady in the Box shows students how the hyphen can be used to
combine words together to make a statement. Students chuckled as I read McGovern’s
words, imitating a mom on a mission:
“Mama got that look on her face. It was her I’m-going-to-do-something-about-it look.”
Examples of Punctuation in Longer Texts
The various excerpts I showed my students varied greatly in theme, context, and genre. I
also found it helpful to show students examples of punctuation embedded in a larger text
(Weaver) so they could see different forms of punctuation in action. I used fictional works
like Sharon’s Creech’s Walk Two Moons, an excerpt from Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged,
Patricia Polacco’s Mr. Lincoln’s Way, and an excerpt from the nonfiction work King of the
World by David Remnick. From Creech’s novel, I shared snippets from the entire first
chapter including the following line: “On the night that we got the bad news—that she was
not returning—he pounded and pounded, on that wall with a chisel and a hammer” (3).
In Rand’s work, I pointed out several sections of the text including the use of the ellipsis in
the following line: ““His face . . . Dagny, it didn’t look like any of the others, it . . . it showed
that he understood so much . . . I was glad, whenever I saw him there, in the cafeteria . . . I
just talked . . . I don’t think I knew that he was asking questions . . . but he was . . . so many
questions about the railroad and . . . and about you”” (986).
Polacco’s book, Mr. Lincoln’s Way, is rich with various forms of punctuation: “”I see
sparrows, jays, cardinal, nuthatches . . . and the mallards. Don’t all of those beautiful types
and colors make this a beautiful place to be—for all of them?”” (21).
In Remnick’s autobiography of Muhammad Ali, I shared former fighter Floyd Patterson’s
words after getting knocked out, “. . . And what follows is a hurt, a confused hurt—not a
physical hurt—it’s a hurt combined with anger; it’s a what-will-people-think hurt; it’s an
ashamed-of-my-own-ability hurt. . . ” (33).
Step 4
Turning to Our Writing
After reviewing these diverse examples, I told students I
would be asking them to find a sentence from their writing
that could be “spiced up” a bit and then play around with
punctuation to enhance the meaning of their sentence.
I reminded them of the four forms of punctuation discussed
in class: the dash, hyphen, ellipsis, and exclamation
mark. I also encouraged students to try to play with other
forms of punctuation they were comfortable with (such as
the question mark, the colon, the semicolon, and parentheses)
and that they felt would enhance the voice in their
sentences.
I often try to let my students know that I am a writer
because I want them to know I have the same passion and
high expectations for my own writing that I do of my students’
(Atwell 150–151). To make this point, and also help prepare
them for their writing task, I showed students examples of
sentences that I had improved in my own writing, including
the before and the after.
Before
One sentence I showed was about my mom’s adorable
but rascally dog. I started with, “We’ve all heard about the
story Marley and Me, a tale about a rambunctious pup
and the memorable relationship with his owner. Marley
was a ‘flawed’ puppy dog who liked to find trouble, but
Marley’s wayward behaviors seem tame compared to Dino
the Devil Dog.”
After
After my own attempts at playing around with punctuation,
I wrote, “We’ve all heard about the story Marley and
Me, a tale about a rambunctious pup and the memorable
relationship with his owner. Marley was a ‘flawed’ puppy dog
who liked to find trouble, but Marley’s wayward behaviors
seem tame compared to Dino—Dino the Devil Dog!”
I read both sentences aloud, allowing the punctuation to
alter my diction of the words. Students nodded and chuckled
to themselves as they heard the improved sentence,
strengthened by the emphasis of the dash.
I told my students that as they experiment with punctuation
and how it affects the voice of a piece, they’ll find they
like the effect of one form more than another depending
on the context, and sometimes in a given sentence, only
one (or none) of the four forms will make sense. I pointed
out that in my example sentence, both the dash and the
exclamation point helped to add a little suspense and
heighten the emotion.
The Assignment
Next I asked students to take out a piece of writing we
were working on as a class assignment, such as a narrative,
and re-read their writing noting the swells in the action. The
students then played “seek and find” in order to locate a
sentence in these marked areas where the meaning could
be enhanced and the voice could be modified or used
more effectively.
Soon students’ hands flew into the air. One student said,
“I want to try using the hyphen in this sentence to combine
these words. Do you think it’ll work?” Another student motioned
me over: “I really want to try to add emphasis to
set these words apart from the others. Can I use the dash
here?” Students were full of questions, but I could also tell
they were excited to be using punctuation with a purpose.
Student Example: the Dash
Amanda wrote a piece about a terrible, chaotic, and yet
redemptive day this past summer. In her first draft she wrote,
“Driving frantically down the freeway, my sister’s truck stalled
out in the 112-degree heat of the Arizona sun.”
As the class was playing with punctuation, Angela called
me over to ask if she could use the ellipsis to show the
car’s sudden halt in speed. I asked Amanda to identify the
purpose of the ellipsis. She said, “Well, it can be used to
show trailing off or a hesitation in thought.”
I responded, “So do you want to show hesitation in the
car’s speed?” Almost without pause, she said, “I know! I can
use the dash to enhance the tension of the piece and show
how the car slowed down suddenly and came screeching
to a halt.”
In her final draft she wrote, “Driving frantically down
the freeway, my sister’s truck began to slow down—60
mph—40 mph—20 mph—stalling in three short seconds in
the 112-degree heat of the Arizona sun.” Amanda thought
about the punctuation forms, considered her options, and
ultimately chose the tool that best enhanced the voice in
her sentence.
Student Example: the Hyphen
Carrie wrote a narrative piece about a relationship she
hoped to hold onto for many years. She was looking for a
powerful way to give voice to the routine kiss she received
every day from her boyfriend. We engaged in a discussion
about the benefits of certain forms of punctuation. She
settled on the hyphen, combining together three words into
a single unit to enhance the meaning. She wrote, “. . . and
that’s when I know that I’m safe. That’s when I know that I
can count on an I’m-home-kiss for many years to come.”
Student Example: the Ellipsis
Ashley wrote a memoir memorializing her uncle who had
just passed away. Her Uncle Mark was a fun, motorcycleloving
man, and she wanted to show that riding a motorcycle
would never be the same without him.
Ashley considered using the dash to show that her father’s
words trailed off, filled by the memories of Uncle Mark. She
said, “I want to use the dash here to show that my dad’s
thoughts were interrupted by memories. Would that work?”
I responded, “Was it a moving, reflective moment for your
family?” Ashley replied, “Definitely. It was a tough moment
for us.” I said, “Was there a hesitation in his voice as your
family thought of Uncle Mark or was there a sudden break
in his words?”
Ashley realized, “Maybe the dash isn’t the best option
then. Maybe I should use the ellipsis to show that thoughts of
Uncle Mark kind of took over and we all started to reminisce
about him silently.” Ashley wrote in her improved sentence,
“Riding down the road, my dad mournfully said, ‘This is the
road that Mark has traveled down many times. . . . ’”
Thanks to this simple mini-lesson, I now find myself in
rich dialogue with students about what specific types of
punctuation mean and why one is more appropriate in a
given context than another.
Of course, playing with punctuation won’t produce successful
results every time. Students may misunderstand the
purpose of the punctuation or go overboard in their attempts
to integrate it into their writing. But after a few attempts at
playing around and with some constructive suggestions, I
found they gained some valuable practice in using grammar
strategies, began to see punctuation as a purposeful
tool, and were engaged as real writers and thinkers. They
began asking questions about why certain rules worked with
particular sentences and started to see how these conventions
could serve as support for their writing.
Step 5
Whole-Class Share and Wrap Up
The final step in the lesson was to share our sentences
with the whole class. I had students volunteer to share their
examples, asking them to write their original and newly
improved sentences on the board. The social element of
the mini-lesson allowed students to observe and model after
one another and inspired them to continue to improve the
punctuation in their writing (Bandura).
Further Application
Students can apply the concepts learned in this mini-lesson
to other genres of writing and I often alter this lesson to
fit other genres, such as expository or persuasive writing.
With narratives, I have taught the hyphen, dash, ellipsis, and exclamation mark as
described in this lesson. These
forms of punctuation can be used to increase or decrease
the tension in a piece and allow for asides, which is why I
find them fitting for the narrative.
With expository writing, however, teaching students to
play with punctuation such as semi-colons, colons, and
commas may help maintain the formality of the piece while
also enhancing voice. Playing with the conventions of writing
can go beyond punctuation, as well; mini-lessons that
encourage students to play with sentence variation and
paragraph length can help students look at conventions with
a new, experimental, and purpose-driven approach.
Initially I feared that it was too much to focus on four
forms of punctuation at once. I knew each of these
forms—the dash, the hyphen, the ellipsis, the exclamation
mark—could serve as their own mini-lesson, but I chose to
teach these four together because I felt like they are often
underutilized or misused in narrative writing.
Ultimately I found that giving students a choice among
four forms helped contribute to the atmosphere of play and
gave students a greater comfort level in their exploration.
And through this lesson, I saw that I’m more successful with
my students when I teach them the purpose of punctuation
forms rather than only showing them the rules (Singleton
111).
Punctuation does not have to be a stodgy, boring topic.
What is most important about this mini-lesson is that students
play, enjoy themselves, and never forget how important their
own voice is in their writing.