Tips in Writing an Editorial by Graders for a Schoolpaper

 Basic Information on Editorial Writing - English and Filipino

What is an Editorial?

• It is a composition that expresses a person's opinion about an issue or topic
• It allows you to write about an issue or topic facing your school, community or the world.
• It can also be about any topic.
•  Examples: Buwan ng Wika, Our Environment Today, DRRM and Safety Awareness
• Be very specific about the issue you wish to focus on by collecting information and doing research. Feel free to use facts, statistics, quotations.
• Writing an editorial is like talking to the reader: write about the topic, then encourage the reader to make an action.
• An editorial is used to offer a better vision for the future by providing possible solutions, a pro-active approach to make the situation better by giving a realistic solution to the problem.
• Always make an outline (introduction, body, conclusion) to get your thoughts and ideas in order. You will know what to write about your topic if you have an outline as your guide. The outline helps you to arrange your sentences. *When coaching first-time writers, it is easier for them to write the composition when you provide guide questions in the outline. The answer to the questions will form part of their composition. They can expand by adding their own ideas. Later, as they will become more familiar with what goes into each part of the outline (introduction, body, conclusion), they can write on their own without you providing guide questions. See sample below.

Important Reminders:

• Never use "I"
• Third personal pronouns can be used.
• Be careful of grammar, spelling, and neatness of your write-up.
• Observe coherence and unity of ideas (what goes into each paragraph)
• Make sure handwriting (if using cursive) is clear and can be understood by readers.
• Pick a headline or title that grabs reader's attention.

Writing the Editorial

A. Introduction

• First sentence in the Introduction is called a hook. The hook should catch the reader's attention. It can be statement, a question, or quotation.
• Examples: 
• Have you read the news today? (question)   
• During the month of August every year, we celebrate Buwan ng Wika. (statement)
• Health is wealth. ( quotation) 
• Include the 5W and 1H and other information, facts

B. Body or Discussion

• Discuss/Write more about the topic
• Present facts and information
• Try to explain
• Convince the reader to take your side - make the reader understand that what you are presenting is correct and that he/she agrees with you.

C. Conclusion

• This is the summary of all information you wrote about in the introduction and body.
• Give the importance - tell why the issue or topic is important.
• Give suggestions or possible solutions. Persuade/convince the reader to take action. Suggest a few solutions you think would help with the issue at hand.
• You can end with a statement, question or quotation. 
• Or give encouragement.
• Examples: 
• Ikaw ba ay isang bayani ng makabagong panahon?
• Bawasan ang basura at magtanim...ngayon na!
• "Sa paghahanda, kaligtasan ang napapala."

*Guide in making the draft

1. Give this outline with guide questions to the pupil-writer.

2. Let him/her answer each question. 

3. All answers in the form of sentences are written one 

    after the other in the form of a paragraph, observing proper indention 

    at the beginning of each paragraph.

3. All Part I answers will form the 1st paragraph, all 

    Part II answers will form  the 2nd paragraph

    and all Part III answers will form the 3rd paragraph.

4. Expand the composition by inserting more ideas, sentences into each part of the outline.

5. Later, after much practice and as he/she become familiar with the different parts of the Outline,

    give only the topic but no more of the guide questions.

Araw ng mga Bayani

I. Introduction

    

    First Sentence Ano nga ba ang isang bayani?

                            Kailan ipagdiriwang ang Araw ng mga Bayani sa ating bansa?

                            Sino ang pinaparangalan natin sa araw na ito?

                            Bakit natin sila pinaparangalan? (dahil sa kanilang mga dakilang nagawa para sa                                     bayan)

                            May pasok ba sa mga paaralan at opisina sa araw na ito?

II. Body

                            Sino ang ating Pambansang Bayani?

                            Ano ang nagawa niya para sa ating bayan?

                            Sinu-sino pa ang mga bayani ng ating bayan?

                            Sino sa tingin mo ang pinakadakila? Ano ang nagawa niya para sa bayan?

                            Ano ang magaganda niyang katangian?

                            Sa panahon ngayon, ang pagiging makatao, makabansa, maka-Diyos at makakalikasan                             ba ay maari ring mga katangian ng isang makabagong bayani?

III. Conclusion

                            Dapat bang kalimutan ang mga bayani ng nakalipas?

                            Sila ba ay may mga magagandang katangian na dapat tularan?

                            Utang ba natin sa kanila ang kalayaan na tinatamasa natin ngayon?

                            Kung magkaroon tayo ng mga katangiang maka-Diyos, maka-tao, makabayan at                                     makakalikasan, maaari ba tayong maging bayani sa makabagong panahon?

                            Tanungin ang sarili: Ikaw ba ay isang bayani ng makabagong panahon?

         

             /EAB