TEACHING WRITING.pptx

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LESSON 6:TECHNIQUES FORTEACHING WRITING SKILLS

PART 1

TSL3107TEACHING WRITING SKILLS INTHE PRIMARY ESL CLASSROOM

Mohd Iskandar Daud

IPG Kampus Kota Bharu

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Mohd Iskandar TSL3107 Lesson 6


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Learning outcome(s)

Students will be able to develop an understanding ofvarious techniques for teaching writing.

Techniques in focus:

Techniques in using picturesTechniques in using readings

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Lesson lay-out

Presentation on teaching writing techniques assuggested by the syllabus

Strategies and suggested activities

Suitability factors

Quick practice

Q & A

Lesson evaluation (group tasks)

Group discussion Trainees presentation

Feedbacks / Q&A

Reflection and conclusion

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Technique

What is technique?

Specific activities (Brown, H.D., 2001)

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Techniques in using pictures

What is the definition of pictures?

Visual representation of something (Collin Concise EnglishDictionary)

What kinds of visual representations are categorisedas pictures? Drawings, photographs, posters, slides, cartoons, magazine

advertisements, diagrams, graphs, tables, charts and maps(Ann Raimes, 1983)

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Focus of lesson

This lesson focuses only on the use of real pictures,not graphs, diagrams, maps, etc

Reasons:

1. Cognitive ability of young learners Too young to understand certain advanced pictures - eg:

tables, diagram, etc (normally dealt with in secondary schools)

2. Maturity level of young learners

Could not understand difficult concept eg: graph requiresspecial skill to understand

3. Interest

Graphs, diagrams are dull materials


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Advantages of using pictures

1. A shared experience in the classroom common basefor a variety of language actvities

2. A need for common language forms to use in theclassroom teacher can help to prepare a whole class todeal with the language aspects (tenses, structures,

vocabulary, etc)

3. A variety of tasks sentence construction, paragraphwriting, whole essay, etc

4. A focus of interest for students stimulating focus,bring outside world into classroom, etc

5. Authentic communicative activities (oral & written)

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Suggested general strategies and techniques

1. Create whole-class discussion

Can be generated by many types of pictures

Good starting point for various writing activities

2. Provide student audience for student writers Opening opportunities for real communicative tasks

Give half picture to one and the other half to another, onedescribes, the other writes

3. Work in pairs/small groups Different pair gets different pictures no need to find pictures

in sets

Opportunities for many writing activities

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Suggested General Strategies (cont)

4. Develop real communicative tasks

Students provide pictures themselves

Adv: Teacher doesnt have to supply pictures

The pictures have personal meaning to learners

Learners can be asked to provide stories behind their favouritepictures (oral communication)

May exchange with others, write stories about them ,etc

5. Delimit the boundary of pictures

Encourage learners to infer, predict or make suppositions about theworld beyond the frame of the picture

Tap imaginative, critical and creative thinking (eg: what happennext? What happened before? Why it happened? Supply the ending,create a different ending, etc)


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Factors to consider

What are the factors to consider when choosing apicture(s)/materials for young learners?

1. Proficiency level

2. Maturity level 3. Opportunities for exploitation

4. The activities planned

5. Pictures/materials that learners can relate to 6. Avoid controversial pictures/materials : Violent, Sexually offensive, Politically biased, Racial

undertones, Against the norm of the culture, etc


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Suitability: Sample picture 1


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Is this picture suitable for young learners?


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Practice: One picture many diff. techniques


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Is this picture usable for young learners?

How can we exploit this picture for a writing activity? Suggestions?


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Techniques in using readings

What do we mean by readings?

Short stories, newspapers, advertisements, letters,articles, poems, students own writing, etc

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Advantages

1. The same as the advantages for the use of pictures(refer slide 6)

2. In a situation where learners have little opportunity touse English or hear it spoken, then reading is the onlyactivity that gives them access to unlimited exposure toEnglish the more they read, they more familiar they are

with English

Learners interact with the texts they learn a great dealabout writing (word choice, style, etc)

Direct access to product of native speakers

Learners can return to the text again and again


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Types of reading for learners

Extensive reading

Read a whole range of reading materials (across topics)

Normally for pleasure

Normally done outside lesson time

Close / Intensive reading

In class

Doing a lot of analysis of the text content, tenses, structures,organizations, etc)

Both types help improve English oral, reading andwriting (as all readings relate to writing because theyread written works)


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Categories of activity in using readings for writing

Work with the text

Copy the text

Examine writers use of language (words, structure, tenses,text organization, mechanics, etc)

Work from the text

Use the text to create a text of their own summarizing text,completing text, speculating ending, reacting to events in thetext, etc


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Factors to consider

The same as in the use of pictures (slide 9)


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Suggested techniques

1. Copying

Frequently used with elementary level learners

Practice handwriting, shaping the alphabets, mechanics(punctuations, spelling, capitalization, et)

Can be boring, try make authentic copying

2. Examining cohesive links Make students aware of the importance of cohesive devices to

coherence, how to use them correctly and effectively

3. Examining punctuation and grammar

Helpful for students to examine where and how writers usemechanics of writing


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4. Examining sentence arrangement

Accurate sentences may not hang together very well.

Eg:

Our house had four bedrooms and two sitting rooms. A largegarden was in front of the house. My father had planted a lot offlowers in the garden.

Is the paragraph above good?

Or is this one better? Our house had four bedrooms and two sitting rooms. In front

of the house was a large garden. In the garden my father hadplanted a lot of flowers.

Our duty is to make them aware of better sentences.Mohd Iskandar TSL3107 Lesson 6

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5. Summarising Provides learners with valuable practice in searching for

meaning and communicating that meaning looking for mainideas and rewriting them in own ideas

Suitability not to very young / under proficient learners

6. Completing Filling missing parts requires learners to consider many

features of the text (eg; meaning, tenses, syntactic fit, etc)


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7. Speculating Involves thinking beyond the given text

Gives opportunities for both discussion and writing

8. Reacting Bring in texts that can stir discussion eg: stories that they can

connect to their own personal experience (eg: Bicycle riding) / textsthat give them opportunities to explore new world of interests (eg:Malaysias first astronaut) / controversial issues (eg: Text about

father and son riding a motorbike without helmet) We can get them to react to these through discussion and

writing


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Next lesson

Techniques in using all language skills

Techniques in teaching practical writing

Techniques in using controlled writing

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Techniques in teaching writing

Any questions?


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Lesson evaluation (group tasks)

Objective: to assess understanding of the input

Tasks:

Divide yourselves into a group of 3 or 4

Each group will be given a material Discuss:

Whether the material is suitable to be used with younglearners

Explain two possible activities that can be developed from thematerial

Present to the class

Class gives feedbacks


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Techniques in teaching writing

Conclusion of session:

1. There are many possible techniques to teachwriting, syllabus covers 5, we have just discussed 2.

Be inventive and creative, innovate your owntechnique(s).

2. Always check the suitability factors when choosingthe materials

3.


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Tutorial tasks

In a group of three:

Select a technique to teach writing skills. Differentgroups deal in different technique

Design a suitable activity for average learners basedon the technique chosen

Present and share with friends in class.

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ISL

Source for articles on the techniques for teachingwriting skills

Read Techniques In Teaching Writing, Ann Raimes,

Oxford University Press, 1983 (old but useful!)

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TEACHING WRITING.pptx