Ideas for Writing in the language classroom

M.Ed. Maria Luisa Mu

The writing process

PLANNING DRAFTING

FINAL VERSION? EDITING

FINAL VERSION

Characteristics of the written textPermanence

Explicitness

Density

Detachment

Organization

Characteristics of the written textSlowness of production, speed of

reception

Standard language

A learnt skill

Sheer amount and importance

Purposes of writingThe expression of ideas, the conveying

of a message to the reader.

Writing as an end in itself

Writing as both a means and end

Writing as a means

Writing as an endStudents are writing real messages

for real audiences.

The choice of writing tasks willdepend on why students are studying English.

Writing as a meansReinforcement writing

Preparation writing

Activity writing

Look for examples in your textbook

What type of writing texts are studentsasked to create?

Generating ideasThe buzz group: a collaborative

model.

Individuals, pairs and groups.

Pyramid planning:Students thinkabout a topic individually and thendiscuss it in pairs and then in groups.

Generating ideasNote making: the spaghetti

approach, the spidergram or mindmap.

Ordered points

For and against

Making a plan

Board fill

For and against

Main idea magnets

Papers in a hat

Responding and correctingResponding: we are concerned with

the content and design of the writingmore than with the accuracy of thetext.

Correcting: we indicate whensomething is not right: syntax, concord, collocation.

Ways of correcting students´workSelective correction

Using marking scales

Using correction symbols

Reformulation

Peer review

Practical activity

Chinese proverb

Metacognitive activityWhat have you learned?

What have you remembered?

What have you decided to do as a consequence of these sessions?