Perhaps you can relate…
Punctuation is a powerful tool for communicating — to colleagues or families in emails, to loved ones in texts, and to readers of our work. Yet, punctuation doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. It lives on editing checklists and is given quick reminders for as we move around the room to confer.
When writers are not yet using punctuation, or are using punctuation incorrectly, or are not incorporating much variety in punctuation, we can provide more explicit and engaging instruction. As a start for doing so, we can study a mentor text, name the purpose for punctuation, and provide a variety of tools for writers to practice with.
Kelsey Sorum 