WRITING FOR

NOVICE
TEACHERS
 Context Coherence
Encoded
language

Set of sentences

Texts What is writing

at all?

Cohesion

Symbols

Words combined

B y rne , D. (1988). Te ac hing Writing skills .

“THE WHS OF
WRITING”
 HOW CAN WRITING
HELP MY STUDENTS
LEARN THEIR
SECOND LANGUAGE
BETTER?
• IS WRITING A SKILL TO SHOW OFF OUR
LEVEL OR PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH OR
A WAY T O C O M M U N I C AT E ?

• PA S S I V E O R A C T I V E S T U D E N T S ?

• CHANGE THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE

LANGUAGE TEACHING.
HOW CAN I FIND
ENOUGH TOPICS?
• Students´ interests

• Enough topics or enough time?

• One big writing activity or meaningful

small activities?
HOW CAN I HELP TO MAKE THE
SUBJECT MATTER MEANINGFUL?

• Get topics and instructions that are

appealing to students.
• Clear and objectives prior the writing
process.
• Take into consideration reader and
writer.
 WHO WILL READ WHAT
MY STUDENTS WRITE?

• Is there a problem whether there is

or isn’t a reader for the writing tasks?

• Real readers vs “fake” readers.

• Role play
• Outside reader
HOW ARE STUDENTS GOING TO WORK
TOGETHER IN THE CLASSROOM?
• Communicative approach. Teams “beat”
individuality.
• A more secure environment. Errors are
corrected inside the groups.
• Choose teams carefully (personality,
abilities).
HOW MUCH
TIME
SHOULD I
GIVE MY
STUDENTS
FOR THEIR
WRITING?
REALITY VS
E X P E C TAT I O N S
WHAT DO I DO WITH
ERRORS?
• Communication or performance?
• Meaning over quantity or accuracy.
• Help students notice and correct their
mistakes not to count them.