TSL 3107

TUTORIAL WEEK 8

TASK
a. Study a sample piece of writing.

b. Discuss ways to provide feedback and justify the feedback given.

Techniques in giving feedback

1. When you pick up a students piece of writing, dont immediately reach for a pen or a pencil. Read the whole piece through first before you write anything. It is surprising how difficult it is for teachers to approach student writing unless they are armed with a pen.

2. Look for strengths as well as weaknesses, and let the student know what the strengths are.
3. If you use any editing symbols (sp., cap., etc.), make sure that the students are familiar with all of them and know what to do when they see one. Provide opportunities for the students to use the symbols, too.

Techniques in giving feedback

4. Work out your own strategy for handling errors and explain it to your students. Decide if you will correct errors or simply indicate where they occur, if you will deal only with the errors you have discussed in class, with errors of a certain type, or with all errors; decide what importance you attach to grammatical errors and, again, let your students know. Remember that when you or any other reader response to a students piece of writing, your main job is not to pass judgment on its quality (unless you are an examiner and not a teacher), but to help the writer see what to do next. Ask yourself: What should the writer do now to improve this paper? What does this paper need most?

5.

SAMPLE OF WRITING

Retrieved from : http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/files/english/k6engsamples_syl.pdf

Feedback
Introduce a variety of conjunctions that could be used instead of then. Brainstorm a variety of verbs that could be used as alternatives to got. Model the use of direct speech. Introduce paragraphing by using the orientation stage as the first paragraph. Assist the students to identify other possible paragraph breaks. Introduce the use of adjectives to describe qualities, eg. a delicious breakfast in bed.

REFERENCES
BOARD OF STUDIES. New South Wales. Retrieved from : http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/file s/english/k6engsamples_syl.pdf Raimes, A. Techniques in Teaching Writing.(1983). Cambridge University Press (p139)