Session 4.

Teaching writing
Handout 1. Key features of speaking and writing

Individually, read the statements below and decide

whether they refer to speaking or writing. Put ‘S’
for speaking and ‘W’ for writing in the column
provided. Don’t worry about the column, headed
‘Criteria’: it will be needed in the next activity.

Statement

Criteria

No S/W
W
1. Communication happens in real time. Time and space
2. W

The receiver is not present, so any response

Participants
comes later.

W A native speaker has to be taught how to do

3. Process
it.
S Expressive features such as intonation, facial
4. expression and gesture are used to make Signs and symbols
meaning clear.
S It is usually planned in advance, so there is Organisation and
5.
time to think about the language used. language
 S Native speakers acquire it, rather than learn
6. Process
it.
7. W It stays as a permanent record. The product
W Features such as layout and punctuation are Organisation and
8.
used to make meaning clear. language
S The receiver is present and can give an
9. Participants
immediate response.
W It is usually spontaneous, so there is no time
10. Time and space
to think about the language used.
11. W Communication doesn't happen in real time. Time and space
12. S It disappears. The product

Session 4. Teaching writing

Handout 2. Similarities between speaking and writing

In your group, identify similarities between speaking and writing. Fill in the table.
Provide examples to support your ideas. Refer to the statements and criteria
suggested in Handout 1 as well as to your own experience. Report your findings
in class.

Criteria Speaking and writing

Time and space
Involve communication.Speaking: Having a conversation with a
friend. Writing: Composing an email.
Participants Involve communication between participants, but the nature of their
presence differs.Speaking: Using hand gestures. Writing: Employing
commas for better understanding.
Process
Speaking and writing involve processes.Speaking: Learning a
language through immersion. Writing: Studying grammar rules.
Organisation and Require organization and language skills. Expressive features are
language used in both, such as intonation in speaking and layout in writing, to
 convey meaning.Speaking: Using facial expressions to express
emotions. Writing: Employing proper punctuation for clarity.
Signs and symbols
May use signs and symbols for clarity.Speaking: Using hand
gestures. Writing: Employing commas for better understanding
The product
Result in a product, but in different forms.Speaking: Giving a
speech. Writing: Creating a report.

Session 4. Teaching writing

Handout 3. Differences between speaking and writing

In your group, identify differences between speaking and writing. Fill in the table.
Provide examples to support your ideas. Refer to the statements and criteria
suggested in Handout 1 as well as to your own experience. Report your findings
in class.

Criteria Speaking Writing

Time and space Real-time communication; Not in real-time; Planned in
Happens in the moment; Example: advance; Example: Emails,
Face-to-face conversation essays
Participants Direct interaction; Immediate Absence of immediate
 feedback; Example: Dialogue with feedback; Written for an
a friend audience; Example: Reports
Process Learned through instruction;
Spontaneous; Natural acquisition;
Example: Classroom writing
Example: Casual conversation
exercises
Organisation
and Relies on intonation, facial Relies on layout, punctuation;
language expressions; Example: Tone Example: Proper structuring
conveying sarcasm of paragraphs

Signs and
Uses expressive features like Relies on written symbols;
symbols
gestures; Example: Waving to say Example: Punctuation marks
goodbye conveying emphasis
The product Temporary; Fades away after Permanent record; Example:
spoken; Example: Verbal Printed documents or
instructions published articles

Session 4. Teaching writing

Handout 4. Types of writing

Consider types of writing and say which of them you teach most / least
frequently. Give reasons.
 Types of writing
Personal writing Public writing
journals letters of - enquiry
shopping lists -complaint
addresses -request
diaries -filling
recipes applications (for membership)
eminders for oneself

Social writing Study writing

letters making notes while reading
invitations taking notes from lectures
notes- of condolence making a card index
- of thanks summaries
of congratulations synopses
cablegrams reviews
telephone messages reports of – experiments
instructions – to friends - workshops
- to family - visits
essays
bibliographies

Most Frequently Taught:

1.Study Writing:
Study writing is essential for academic success, it helps me organize
information, understand concepts, and prepare for exams.

2.Personal Writing:
Personal writing, like diaries and journals, allows me to express my thoughts,
emotions, and reflections, promoting self-awareness and creativity.

3.Public Writing:
Public writing skills, including letters and applications, are practical for
effective communication in various personal and professional situations.

Least Frequently Taught:

1.Creative Writing (Poems, stories)

While creative writing is enjoyable and encourages imagination, it is taught less
frequently because the focus more on academic and professional writing skill.

2.Institutional Writing:
 Institutional writing, such as creating posters or public notices, is less
emphasized unless directly relevant to specific career paths.

Session 4. Teaching writing

Handout 5. ‘Writing-for-writing’ and ‘writing-for-learning’

Fill in the table with as many examples as you can think of for writing-for-writing
and writing-for-learning.

Writing-for-writing Writing-for-learning
(writing to develop (writing to support Comments
writing skills) other learning)
Note-Taking Writing essays to
Summarizing Texts enhance writing
Practice Essays Reflective Journals proficiency.
Concept Mapping Engaging in creative
Creative Writing Research Papers writing prompts for skill
Exercises Response Papers development.
Problem-Solving Focusing on specific
Grammar Drills Essays grammar rules for skill
Study Reports improvement.
Editing and Critical Analysis Essays Polishing writing by
Proofreading Exercises Taking Lecture Notes correcting errors and
improving style.
Storytelling Practice Developing narrative
skills for storytelling.
Peer Review Providing feedback on
Assignments peers' writing for
improvement.
Writing Prompts Using prompts to
stimulate creative
Sentence Construction thinking in writing.
Practice Enhancing sentence
structure skills.
Blog Writing Writing blogs to refine
expression and style.
Resume Building Creating effective
resumes and learning
 through note-taking.

Session 4. Teaching writing

Handout 6. Writing purpose

Read the information about purposes for writing and choose the most relevant
ones.

Whatever your purpose, you must decide what information you have about your
audience that is relevant to your purpose and take that information into account as
you write. The following questions, to be asked each time you choose a purpose and
an audience for your writing, will help you focus on that audience and the choices you
need to make in order to write for that audience.

Who is your audience?

1. For what age group are you writing (children, adolescents, young adults,
middle-aged adults, older adults)?
2. For what socioeconomic group are you writing (poor people, middle class
people, upper class people)?
3. How much education does your audience have (elementary, high school,
college, postgraduate)?
4. How much knowledge about your subject can you assume your audience has
(none, very basic, above average, very thorough)?
5. What very important information must you give your audience before they can
begin to think about your position in this argument (if your purpose is to
convince)?
6. What reasons, examples, or illustrations will you give to support your ideas?
 7. What arguments may your audience give to counter your reasons?
8. What values related to this topic do you share with your audience?
9. What arguments can you make for your position that support the values that
you and your audience have in common?
10. What arguments can you make for your position that support values that your
audience has, but that are not your values?

After you have decided your purpose, chosen a particular audience in mind, analyzed
your audience, and determined the relevant information about your audience that you
must consider as you write, you will next make a plan for your writing.
My purpose for writing is to persuade young adults (age group: young adults,
socioeconomic group: middle class) to support a community-based environmental
initiative. In analyzing my audience, I consider the following:

The most relevant purposes for writing in this context are:

1. Age Group: Identifying the age group of the audience is crucial, especially
when tailoring the message. In this case, the purpose is to persuade young
adults, which directly informs the writing approach.

2. Socioeconomic Group:Determining the socioeconomic status of the audience,

such as middle-class young adults, is essential. It shapes the language, tone,
and content to resonate with their experiences and concerns.

3. Education Level: Considering the educational background of the audience, in

this case, assuming at least some college education for young adults, helps
gauge their potential understanding and engagement with the topic.

4. Knowledge about the Subject: Assessing the audience’s knowledge about the
environmental initiative is important. It guides the writer in providing the right
level of information, avoiding unnecessary details or oversimplification.

5. Very Important Information: Understanding what crucial information the

audience needs before considering the position in the argument is key for a
persuasive piece. It ensures a solid foundation for the audience to grasp the
importance of supporting the environmental initiative.

6. Shared Values: Identifying values related to the topic that are common
between the writer and the audience helps build a connection. This shared
ground strengthens the persuasive impact of the writing.
Session 4. Teaching writing
Handout 7. Purposes for writing. Examples.

Look at these coursebook activities in which students are asked to write. For
each activity answer the following questions: a) What is the aim? b) Do you think
it is writing-for-writing or writing-for-learning? Why?

Activity Purpose
1. Aim: The aim is for students to
narrate a dangerous
Using the notes you made earlier, write the story experience using notes,
of your dangerous experience (about 250 emphasizing descriptive
words). language and
Begin with background information. sequence.Writing-for-learning:
Describe the events in the order they happened. This activity leans towards
Make sure you used plenty of adverbs to writing-for-learning as it
describe people’s feelings and actions. encourages students to reflect
Share your stories in class, reading some of on and articulate their
them aloud. experiences. The focus is on
language development and
storytelling skills.
2.

Aim: The aim is to practice

using conjunctions to express
contrast, reason, result, time,
and condition in sentences.

b)Writing-for-writing: This
activity is more oriented
towards writing-for-writing as it
primarily focuses on the
mechanics of using
conjunctions to connect
sentences. It aims to enhance
writing skills and grammatical
understanding.

3. Aim: The aim is to complete a

report based on a consumer
. survey conducted for the
Organic Burger Company,
Read the report using expressions from an
based on the exercise.
consumer survey
conducted for the Writing-for-learning: This
Organic Burger
Company and
activity involves analyzing
complete it with survey results and completing
the expressions a report, emphasizing
from exercise comprehension of consumer
preferences. It aligns more
with writing-for-learning as it
combines research and writing
skills.
4. How does writing an e-mail differ from writing Aim: The aim is to understand
letters? List some differences. the differences between
writing emails and letters.

5.
Write an e-mail in reply to Jane (about 250
words).
• Begin by reacting to her news.
• Reply positively to her invitation.
• Suggest arrangements for meeting her.
• End by giving some news about yourself.
6.
Writing-for-learning:
This assignment fits into the
writing-for-learning category
by prompting students to
assess and express the
differences between two
written communication
formats: email and letter
writing. It fosters a more
profound comprehension of
the specific conventions linked
to each form.
Aim: The aim is to compose
an email in response to Jane,
incorporating reactions to her
news, a positive response to
an invitation, suggestions for
meeting arrangements, and
sharing personal news.
Writing-for-writing: This task is
more oriented towards writing-
for-writing as it focuses on
composing an email with
specific content and structure.
It aims to develop email-
writing skills, including
expressing reactions, making
plans, and sharing personal
updates
The primary focus of this task
falls within the realm of writing
for learning, given its
emphasis on listening, note-
taking, and collaborative
comparison. The key objective
is to enable students to grasp
spoken content, outline crucial
details, and participate in joint
analytical discussions.
Session 4. Teaching writing
Handout 8.1. Writing procedure. Conferencing

Read about conferencing and say how effective it is for facilitating writing skills.

A popular procedure is conferencing. As the class writes, the teacher can talk with
individual students about work in progress. Through careful questioning, the teacher
can support a student writer in getting ideas together, organizing them, and finding
appropriate language. Conferencing is a useful technique during the earlier stages of
composition when writers are still thinking about content and organization. A popular
device is the use of a checklist. This example in the Table is for individual use.

1. First answer these questions about your audience:

Who is your audience? What interest do they have in this subject? What do they
already know about this subject?
2. Then answer these questions about your purpose: What did you want to
accomplish by writing this paper? To entertain your audience? To educate them? To
inspire them to do something? To help them understand something new? To help
them see something familiar from a new point of view? To change their minds about
something?
3. Next write the main idea of your draft in a complete sentence. Ask yourself
these questions: Is the main idea stated somewhere near the beginning of the paper?
If not, would the paper be more effective if you did state the main idea? No matter
where the main idea appears in your draft (or even if it is only implied), is the main
idea clear to you? Do you think it is clear to your audience?
4. Considering the audience, you are writing for and your purpose, analyze the
development of your paper:
a. Support material: type and amount
Do you need to develop any ideas more fully? Do you need to be more specific
or concrete in your explanations? How would you answer them now? Did you
include all the information you needed to discuss your topic as fully as you
wanted? Should you add anything to your discussion?
b. Support material: relevance
Did you give your readers enough background information for them to
understand not only your ideas but also the relevance of your discussion for
them? Is there any irrelevant information, information the audience either
already knows or does not need to know to understand your explanations?
Should you delete any sections of your discussion?
Have you said anything your reader is likely to object to? Did you answer those
anticipated objections? Have you said anything your reader may not
understand?
c. Support material: arrangement
Does your discussion move smoothly and logically from one idea to the next?
Is each new idea explained sufficiently before you move on to the next one?
 Are the ideas clearly linked together? Do you lead your readers step by step to
understand your ideas? Should you rearrange any sections of your paper?

5. Analyze your conclusion:

Does the conclusion develop logically from what you have written? Do you
think it gives the reader the feeling that you have said everything you intended
to say?

Conferencing is super helpful for improving writing skills. When the teacher talks to me
individually while I’m writing, it’s like having a personal writing coach. They ask
questions that make me think about my ideas, how to organize them, and find the right
words.

The checklist they provided is a handy tool. Answering questions about my audience
and purpose helps me understand who I’m writing for and why. It makes me consider if
my main idea is clear and if my readers will get it. It’s like a roadmap for making my
writing more effective.

The checklist also guides me in analyzing the development of my paper. I think about
whether I need to explain my ideas more, be more specific, or add information. It helps
me check if my writing flows logically and if each idea is explained well before moving
on to the next.

The part about support material is useful too. It makes me think if I’ve given enough
background information and if everything is relevant. It’s like a check to make sure I’m
not saying unnecessary stuff or missing something important.

Finally, the checklist helps me analyze my conclusion. It prompts me to think if it

logically follows from what I wrote and if it leaves a strong impression. It’s like a final
check to ensure my writing makes sense from start to finish.

Overall, conferencing and using the checklist make me more aware of my writing
choices and improve my skills step by step.

Session 4. Teaching writing

Handout 8.2. Writing procedure. Reformulation

Read about reformulation and say how effective it is for facilitating writing
skills.

Reformulation is a useful procedure when students have produced a first draft

and are moving on to look at more local possibilities for improvement. It has the
particular advantage that it provides students with opportunities to notice any
differences between the target model and their own production and thus to acquire
language forms. Reformulation proceeds through the following stages:
 1. All the students carry out a guided writing task. The task is guided to
ensure that the content and organization of their writing is similar overall. Indeed,
collaborative work could be used at the planning stage.
2. Each student writes a first draft and hands it to the teacher.
3. The teacher marks the work by indicating problems by means of
underlining or highlighting.
4. The teacher chooses one student’s essay and reformulates it, following
the ideas closely but improving the expression in terms of accuracy and appropriacy.
5. The original and the reformulation are copied so that students can
compare them.
6. The class works in pairs and groups, identifying the changes in the
reformulation and discussing the reasons for them. This task can be done in the first or
second language.
7. The teacher, with the class, discusses the changes and gives a rationale,
inviting comments and questions.
8. Students then go through their own first drafts and revise them in the light
of any useful information they have gained.

Reformulation is pretty cool for making my writing better. First, we all work on a writing
task together, making sure our stuff looks kinda similar. It’s like a team effort, especially
when we plan it out together.

Then, I write my first draft and give it to the teacher. The teacher marks it, showing
where I messed up or could do better. But here’s the cool part— the teacher takes
someone’s essay and makes it even better, fixing the mistakes and making it sound
more accurate and fitting.

After that, we get copies of the original and the improved one. In pairs or groups, we
look at the changes and talk about why they were made. We can do this in our regular
language or the new one we’re learning.

Then, the teacher explains why they made those changes to the whole class. We can
ask questions and share thoughts. It’s like a writing upgrade session.

Finally, I go back to my first draft and use what I learned to make it better. It’s like
having a cheat sheet on how to improve my writing. Overall, reformulation helps me see
what I can do differently and make my writing way cooler.