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9 EdTech Tools for Essay Writing All Teachers Should Know About

October 15, 2015 by Cathy Vandewater

You were a student once, so you understand how overwhelming an essay assignment can be. If you’re like most teachers, you’ve forgotten all about the moments of frustration and anticipation related to a writing assignment. You think it’s easier for today’s students because they have access to online materials. However, you should keep in mind that all other teachers ask students to complete papers for their courses as well. You may want to find a way to make these projects less of a burden for students.
 

There are many online tools that can help your students improve their essay writing skills. You’ll notice the difference as soon as they start relying on technology. Check out the following 10 tools!

1. Read-Able

Although the quality and effectiveness of the essay’s argument are somewhat subjective, you still need specific grading standards that enable you to grade it as objectively as possible. One of the most important criteria is readability. This website offers an automated tool that enables you to test the readability level of your students’ work.

Show them the results and explain that complex sentence structures are not always the right choice. Advise them to make the content as readable as possible before submitting it for final grading.

edtech essays

2. Quillpad

It’s not easy to make students enthusiastic about essay writing. Many of them perceive these projects as the most boring thing in the world. Quillpad changes that! The website includes awesome online resources and books that make writing fun, as well as cool new words that boost students’ vocabulary.

With Quillpad, your students will be able to identify content that’s illogical or incomplete. They will also discover writing techniques that will boost the quality of their content.

3. The Grammar Gorillas

Do your students think you’re weird when you try to explain how fun grammar can be? This awesome game will show them that grammar is actually fun. The Grammar Gorillas are in trouble; they need your students to help them get bananas by identifying certain parts of speech. Who would want a gorilla to starve?

The players intuitively learn the grammar rules as they continue playing. You can recommend that your students play this game at home, but you can also organize a competition during class.

4. Essay Punch

You can’t pay equal attention to each and every student in class no matter how hard you try. Your students need in-depth support and individual treatment, which is why you need to rely on technology. Essay Punch will guide them through every stage of the essay writing process. This site also offers writing prompts that will help your students practice their skills and overcome writer’s block. The best part is that you can track the work of your students and offer focused comments that will push them forward.

5. Thesis Generator

Your students know that the thesis statement is the most important part of the essay, and that’s exactly why it’s hard for them to make it perfect. Instead of explaining how they can develop a thesis statement with a complex lecture on the matter, you can simply use this tool that provides the guiding points.

The users should state the topic, the opinion, the main idea about that topic, the strongest reason that supports their opinion, two more reasons for support, an opposing viewpoint and a possible title. Basically, your students will end up with a complete outline when they use the Thesis Generator. However, they will also get a thesis statement that will enable them to understand how all these aspects of the paper can be combined into a single statement.

6. Parapal-Online

You need online exercises that will motivate your students to master the art of writing without being intimidated by any expectations. Parapal-Online offers great lessons and exercises on academic writing. Once your students learn how to develop a particular skill, they will be able to implement the knowledge into practice.

7. PlagTracker

There is no bigger sin in essay writing than plagiarism. PlagTracker is plagiarism detection engine that will help you reveal academic dishonesty.

8. Purdue Online Writing Lab: Essay Writing

This website contains full instructions on each stage of the essay writing process, as well as definitions for different types of essays, for students to peruse on their own time. In addition, your students will find the formatting guidelines for the citation style you want.

9. Vocaboly

This vocabulary-building online program offers five books that will help your students learn new words and understand their meaning. Rich vocabulary is an essential aspect of essay writing. You want your students to avoid repetition, so don’t hesitate to recommend Vocaboly as a tool that will help them replace their habit words with other terms.

Julie Petersen is a tutor, writer, and a blogger who specializes in the latest career and educational trends. She runs an essay writing blog AskPetersen.com and is writing her first ebook dedicated to online learning. You can see Julie’s professional experience and contact her via Linkedin.