Writing Paragraphs: Hamburger Style?

I have a confession to make. I have never taught my students to write a paragraph using the hamburger method. You know, the one with the topic sentence, three sentences each with supporting details, and then a closing sentence.

Never. Not once.

Do I teach my students to write in paragraphs? I do… but not in the way you might think.

Content dictates form.

When I teach narrative writing, I teach students to begin a new paragraph when a new character speaks. When we revise our freewriting, we find natural breaks in topic. When I teach students to write persuasively, we find an effective place to stop, using our paragraphing to add emphasis to our arguments.

Consider the paragraphing choices I made in this blog. Intentional? You bet! Hamburger style? Far from it.

One thought on Writing Paragraphs: Hamburger Style?

  1. Yes! Love it and so happy to hear it from an expert like you. Thank you for sharing your confession and letting me have a peace of mind that it is ok that I don’t drill the hamburger method 😉

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