Revenue shortfall delays LIRR service improvements

Ben Amato | Educational consultant

Editorial Writing--All Four ELA Standards

"I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts."
Will Rogers (1879-1935), humorist

Mass transit is the only way to move millions of people around busy city centers. Long Islanders have battled rush hour congestion for decades and depend upon the Long Island Railroad and other forms of mass transit to get to work each day. Today's lesson looks at new problems facing L.I. commuters.

TV Component
The CW 11 News at Ten had two stories relating to mass transit proposals and problems. View the video clip twice and then answer the Multiple-Choice Quiz.

Newspaper Component
Newsday has two stories detailing problems and proposals involving Long Islands and their daily battle to commute to work. Read the piece and then using the facts and details within, complete the Comprehension Crossword Puzzle.

Language Arts Component
Critical lens

"The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."
Ronald Reagan (1911--2004)

Situation
Commuting costs drain the take-home pay from workers and recent proposals to improve mass transit have not worked out. New taxes and fees are planned to charge commuters even more. Write an EDITORIAL on the daily battle for workers to get to their jobs. Include your feelings about the LIRR recent ticket price increases, Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan and rising cost of fuel.

The Nature and Structure of an EDITORIAL
An EDITORIAL is a persuasive style of communication. Writers present their opinion on an issue and try to sway readers to adopt their position. Typical of all formal styles of writing, editorials follow a set pattern and are usually divided into 3 paragraphs.

INTRODUCTION
Editorials begin with the TOPIC, where in short, direct sentences the issue is stated. Details about the SETTING and CAST are presented next. These sentences tell WHO the major players are and WHERE the issue is being played out. The final sentence is where the writer presents his/her OPINION. This is a "grabber" that makes the reader want to read the rest of the editorial to discover why the writer feels this way.

BODY
This section contains the facts that support your opinion. An editorial is more than a statement of how you feel. It is a collection of the important information that led you to "feel" the way you do. Begin this section with the details about rising cost of the daily commute to work. Be sure to organize the information in an ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, with major relevant details appearing early in the paragraph and less important details later.

This section may be longer than just one paragraph depending on how many facts and details you gather from the article and television news story. Use the Comprehension Crossword Puzzle and answers to the Multiple-Choice Quiz as a RUBRIC to see if all the important facts have been included and described.

CONCLUSION
This section of an editorial is reserved for the opinions of the writer. These feelings should in the form of answering some basic questions about the topic. What is the best way for people to get to work? Is mass transit the answer to traffic, congestion and rising fuel prices? Is government action the best way to solve the average citizen's issues of transportation and a failing economy? End this portion of your editorial with a look towards the future. What will the commute be for future Long Islanders?