Unit 6

Writing

Writing is one of the four language skills which is a productive skill. This means it involves producing language rather than receiving it. On the other hand if we want to write we need to be able to form letters and words, to join these together to make sentences and to communicate the message. In the classroom we have written essays, postcards, birthday cards, and so on. These are examples of written text types. When we write a text we used different degrees of formality or layout. Writing also involves using writing subskills, some of these are related to accuracy which uses the correct forms of language, spelling correctly, forming letters, joining letters, writing legibly, punctuation, vocabulary, grammar and correctly using paragraphs. So, we also need to go through a number of stages of writing, these are: prewriting, drafting, revising and editing. Finally, I can say that writing involves communicating a message by making signs on a page.

To apply this skill in the classroom first of all I as a teacher before start writing I must encourage students to think about why they are writing and who they are writing in order to focus on what they want to say. Furthermore, I can help students to practice accuracy in writing through labelling, copying, gap-filling, sentence transformation exercises, etc… In addition, I can work with models of text types which show students the patterns of language, vocabulary, register or layout. Finally, we can guide students in their writings through the use of a process writing approach.

Here we have a video that shows the 5 steps of writing.

References:

• James L. Collins (1999-2008) “Writing Strategies”

• University of Nottingham - Studying Effectively (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studyingeffectively/writing/strategies/index.aspx)