If you’ve written a good plan, it should be relatively easy to write a good paragraph. Simply follow the numbers to write your five sentences.
For example, look at my 5-sentence plan in last week’s lesson, then read my 5-sentence paragraph below. I’ve highlighted the key idea in each sentence.
Note: this is just one paragraph, not a full essay.
There are several reasons why I believe that schools should focus on teaching national literature and history. Firstly, children enjoy learning about where they live, and by studying the ideas, culture and history of their own countries they begin to develop a sense of identity. At the same time, this approach is likely to please parents, who studied the same books and historical events and can therefore help their children with school work. English children, for example, read Shakespeare and learn about the Battle of Hastings just as their parents did, and there is educational continuity across the generations. Finally, an emphasis on national literature and history gives educators a narrower teaching scope, making curriculum design an easier task.
