Writing in ENGLISH Professor Reinildes Dias, Ph.D. FALE - UFMG com

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Writing plays an essential role in students’ language interactions, in their daily lives, academic, and job contexts. day-to-day written demands: messages, notes, s, lists, schedules, cards, blogs, etc.

Writing plays an essential role in students’ language interactions, in their daily lives, academic, and job contexts. day-to-day written demands: messages, notes, s, lists, schedules, cards, blogs, etc. academic demands: slides, reports, papers, essays, blogs, written exams, etc.

Writing plays an essential role in students’ language interactions, in their daily lives, academic, and job contexts. day-to-day written demands: messages, notes, s, lists, schedules, cards, blogs, etc. academic demands: slides, reports, papers, essays, blogs, written exams, etc. job demands: resume, interviews, portfolios, application letters, etc.

Two prevailing notions of writing Writing as a product (a one-draft written text)

Two prevailing notions of writing Writing as a product (a one-draft written text) Writing as a thinking process (a planning-writing-reviewing framework).

Current view of writing Writing as a social task which involves thinking processes and special attention to purposes and for whom it is intended.

Current view of writing Writing as a social task which involves thinking processes and special attention to purposes and for whom it is intended. It encompasses the notion of genres as abstract, socially recognized ways of using language for a variety of purposes.

Current view of writing Writing as a social task which involves thinking processes and special attention to purposes and for whom it is intended. It encompasses the notion of genres as abstract, socially recognized ways of using language for a variety of purposes. It acknowledges writers’ awareness of discursive, semiotic, and linguistic features involved in different genres.

Teaching writing … follows current theories of learning

Teaching writing … follows current theories of learning. … is mainly based on Vygotskian view of learning.

Teaching writing … follows current theories of learning … is based on Vygotskian view of learning … recognizes the importance of collaboration, peer interaction and teacher-supported scaffolding.

Teaching writing … follows current theories of learning … is based on Vygotskian view of learning … recognizes the importance of collaboration, peer interaction and teacher-supported scaffolding. … encourages students’ use of these phases during the writing process:

Teaching writing … follows current theories of learning … is based on Vygotskian view of learning … recognizes the importance of collaboration, peer interaction and teacher-supported scaffolding. … encourages students’ use of these phases during the writing process: (1) Brainstorming to generate ideas. (2) Planning. (3) Ongoing process of writing (drafts, rewriting, reviews, feedback, scaffolding). (4) “Publication”.

Brainstorming. Reading samples of the genre that will be produced. Learning the discursive features of the genre that will be produced. Brainstorming. Reading samples of the genre that will be produced. Learning the discursive features of the genre that will be produced. Planning First / Second Third drafts First / Second Third drafts Reviews by teacher & peers Reviews by teacher & peers Rewriting Final Version Editing Feedback Scaffolding Feedback Scaffolding Feedback Scaffolding Feedback Scaffolding “ Publication ” DIAS, 2004

(1) Brainstorming to generate ideas (2) Planning In the two first stages: Students discuss about the production conditions under which their texts will be produced in the attempt to generate answers to this set of questions: who writes what to whom for what purpose, why, when, where, and how? (PCN, 1998)

(1) Brainstorming to generate ideas (2) Planning In the two first stages: Students read different samples of texts in the target genre and content they are going to write about.

(1) Brainstorming to generate ideas (2) Planning In the two first stages: Students plan what they will compose. They have to take into consideration the textual features (discursive, semiotic and linguistic) of the genre they intend to produce, that is, HOW they are going compose their texts. They have also to take into account the content of the text, that is, WHAT they are going to write about.

(3) Ongoing process of writing (drafts, rewriting, reviews, feedback, scaffolding). Students work in groups collaboratively. In the third stage:

(3) Ongoing process of writing (drafts, rewriting, reviews, feedback, scaffolding). In the third stage: Students draft, write, rewrite, review. They get feedback from their peers and teacher.

(3) Ongoing process of writing (drafts, rewriting, reviews, feedback, scaffolding). In the third stage: Students review their work: they check if the text they are writing is well structured in terms of its discursive, semiotic and linguistic features. Teacher provides feedback and scaffolding.

(3) Ongoing process of writing (drafts, rewriting, reviews, feedback, scaffolding). In the third stage: They also check if the subject of their texts is well developed. Teacher and peers provide feedback and scaffolding.

(3) Ongoing process of writing (drafts, rewriting, reviews, feedback, scaffolding). In the third stage: Students go on writing. Teacher and peers provide feedback and scaffolding.

Students who understand how texts are typically structured, understood, and used become better writers. Creating quizzes, for example, requires that students understand that this type of genre is structured in questions and multiple- choice answers; that this genre is written for testing a person’s knowledge about a specific subject; and that page layout, colors, different fonts and sizes can also be used to convey meaning.

Students who understand how texts are typically structured, understood, and used become better writers. During the ongoing process of writing, students can study the linguistic features (grammar and vocabulary) to improve their texts. Teacher can recommend linguistic activities so students learn what is unknown or unfamiliar to them.

They can also go back to samples of the genre to review its discursive and semiotic features to improve their writing. Students who understand how texts are typically structured, understood, and used become better writers.

They can also read more about the content of the text they are writing about. Students who understand how texts are typically structured, understood, and used become better writers.

The writing teacher’s goal is to develop learners’ awareness, understanding and control of “the processes of text creation; the purposes of writing and how to express [them] in effective ways; the contexts within which texts are composed and read and that give them meaning” (Hyland, 2004: 21).

“ Publication ” The act of making what students write available to the specific audience of their writing. Students should be encouraged to share their writing with real readers, e.g., parents, teachers, friends, family, etc.

Students should be encouraged to share their writing with real readers, e.g., parents, teachers, friends, family, etc. Places for publication: the classroom walls, the school bulletin board, the internet. “ Publication ” The act of making what students write available to the specific audience of their writing.

Students should be encouraged to share their writing with real readers, e.g., parents, teachers, friends, family, etc. Places for publication: the classroom walls, the school bulletin board, the internet. Attention: A classroom magazine can be created to hold students’ texts. The magazine can be on display in the teachers’ room or in the school library, for instance. “ Publication ” The act of making what students write available to the specific audience of their writing.

Example of a writing task. From: Prime (Macmillan, 2010), p. 62

Shared consciousness — the idea that learners working together learn more effectively than individuals working separately. Borrowed consciousness — the idea that learners working with knowledgeable others develop greater understanding of tasks and ideas. Writing as a collaborative process is based on these key notions Hyland, 2004.

In sum, when writing collaboratively, students should … Research about the topic Create a plan of action Read samples of genres they are going to produce in their writing. Draft, Discuss, Rewrite, Write again … Exchange their work with peers. Count on peer editing. Count on feedback and scaffolding from teacher. Edit the final version. “Publish it”.

In sum, students should think about … Who is/are writing? (authorship matters) About what? (content) To whom? (Intended audience) What for? (Purposes for writing) How? (Genre) When? Where?

The guiding principle is that writing literacy development requires an explicit focus on the ways texts are organized (genre structures) and the language choices that writers must make to achieve their purposes in particular contexts. Students should be provided with the discursive and linguistic resources they need to express themselves. In conclusion: Hyland, More by Hyland on this site:

References DIAS, Reinildes. A produção textual como um processo interativo no contexto do ensino e aprendizagem de línguas estrangeiras. Matraga 16. Rio de Janeiro: Caetés, p Disponível em: AGUIAR, A. A. S. A produção textual em L2 no contexto universitário: possíveis contribuições do procedimento sequência didática Dissertação (Mestrado em Estudos Linguísticos) – Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte. Disponível em: VEADO, M.C.M. Colaboração no processo de produção textual em uma atividade online: um estudo de caso com o gênero resenha de filme Dissertação (Mestrado em Estudos Linguísticos) – Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte. Disponível em: MURADAS, P. M. A escrita em inglês do gênero “biodata” por meio de colaboração on-line em turmas numerosas do Ensino Médio: um estudo de caso Dissertação (Mestrado em Estudos Linguísticos) – Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte. SANTOS, V. A. R. A. Wikis na produção textual colaborativa de notícias on-line em inglês como L2 no meio virtual: um estudo de caso Dissertação (Mestrado em Estudos Linguísticos) – Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte Disponível em:

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Publicações Recentes DIAS, R; DELL’ISOLA, R. L. P. Gêneros textuais: teoria e prática de Ensino em LE. Campinas: Mercado de Letras DIAS, R; CRISTOVÃO, V. L. L. O livro didático de língua estrangeira: múltiplas perspectivas. Campinas: Mercado de Letras DIAS, R. Inglês na escola: pelas trilhas da inclusão social. Belo Horizonte: Editora Dimensão DIAS, R; JUCÁ, L.; FARIA, R. Prime – Inglês para o Ensino Médio. São Paulo: Macmillan

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