Ask the student to say something to you. Then write it as a quotation using the student's name and exact words. Then you say something and have the student write it as a quotation (using "said Mrs. Thomas," for example).

Next give a simple page of quotations on which the student inserts quotation marks. The commas and end punctuation should already be included. Right now, the student should only have to think about quotation marks. Include John said, for example, sometimes at the beginning of the quote, sometimes at the end.

The next assignment should increase in difficulty. The student should now be responsible for commas and/or end punctuation as well as capitalization.

After this concept is understood, the student needs to progress to split quotations.

Finally the student needs to be give a practice test using multiple choice. For example, which is correct: Sabrina said, "May I go to the mall?" or Sabrina said, "May I go to the mall"?