How to teach writing
Why write? To communicate over distances To communicate across time To participate in society To remember and record To “make thought visible” and express your inner self
Grading the writing skills and Activities Writing word Writing sentence Writing paragraph Writing a composition Copying Dictation Rearranging Gap filling Composing Identifying vs producing, which is difficult?
Is writing difficult ? Problems found Problems in generating ideas Problems in organizing ideas Problems in coherence Problems in language competence
How we write Notes emails letters essays stories Signs advertisements subtitles articles Diaries/journals magazines plays recipes Labels/brands brochures maps textbooks
The Writing Process
These are the steps in the writing process.
What are the steps?
Prewriting Drafting Editing / Revising Presenting
Free-write, outline, notes #1 Prewriting Planning and Thinking Getting your thoughts down on paper. Free-write, outline, notes Discuss, think
EXAMPLES Brainstorming / Vocabulary Surveying / forms Researching / Discussion
Authors must think about…. The purpose of their writing The audience they are writing for The content (structure / sequence) ( genre / register)
Putting your ideas and thoughts together #2 Writing First Draft Putting your ideas and thoughts together Forming sentences and paragraphs
Revising and Reflecting Rewriting or rearranging sentences. #3 – Editing Revising and Reflecting Rewriting or rearranging sentences. Getting feedback Proofreading
# 4 Presenting Final Draft Sharing your work publishing, speaking
The whole process
Conclusions? What are the BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS of using the Writing Process in our classrooms?
DRAWBACKS Takes too much time Loss of student focus / interest Not suited to some personalities Students need to be taught it (peer editing / planning / stages) Restricts spontaneity and range of writing activities.
Benefits The creation of a product Writing seen as a communicative and purposeful activity Teaches students to plan and research Student collaboration is developed. Feedback and response given.
Speaking Vs Writing “Writing is a way of talking without being interrupted.” -- Jules Renard Isn't it surprising how many things, if not said immediately, seem not worth saying ten minutes from now? ~Arnot L. Sheppard, Jr.
Immediate (unplanned) Conventional / Stylized Speaking Vs Writing Impermanent Permanent Immediate (unplanned) Delayed (planned) Variation / Casual Conventional / Stylized Low lexical density High lexical density High Paralinguistics Low Paralinguistics Communal activity Solitary Activity Universal Learned We have produced a Venn Diagram object. Each part is a separate PowerPoint object, so you can colour them as you please
Speaking Vs Writing Simple sentences Complex sentences Voiced Thought / Read Pronounce Spell Feedback No feedback Pause / Intonation Punctuation
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