Teaching Writing

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 By the end of this
lesson, you will…
be more informed on
writing methodology to
take decisions on how to
teach English writing
classes effectively.

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Writing is a personal experience and our
reasons for writing change the way we write.

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The Power of Writing |
Priyankha Kamalakannan

Why writing is
powerful?
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The Power of Writing |
Priyankha Kamalakannan

According to the little girl, writing is a way to:

● Change yourself
● Express your feelings and thoughts
● Connect
● Change the world
● Tell our stories and our History
Why writing is
powerful?
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DISCUSS

01 02 03

Why do Why do I Why do my

people write? students
write? write?

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What is writing?
A productive skill that involves
producing words on a surface.
A process which involves a number of
other skills, e.g. planning, drafting,
revising, editing, etc.
“Like reading, writing is not only a tool
for communication
CREDITS: This presentation templatebutwas also
created an
by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, and
instrument
infographics & imagesfor intellectual growth and
by Freepik.

development.” (Nunan, 2015)

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Some of the reasons why writing systems may have
evolved:
● To provide a more-or-less permanent record of some event.
● To communicate with someone else who is distant in time
and space.
● To entertain or instruct.
● To present complex arguments that would be beyond the
spoken word.
● To remind ourselves of things we need to do.
Nunan, 2015
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Why is Writing
Important?

Watch later!

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 Teaching orientations
L2 writing teaching might focus on:
1. Language structures
2. Text functions
3. Creative expression
4. Composing processes
5. Content
6. Genre

What do you focus on Hyland, 2003

when teaching writing?
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Teaching orientations
L2 writing teaching might focus on:
1. Language structures - focus on accuracy of grammar and vocabulary - produce well-formed
sentences
2. Text functions - certain language forms perform certain communicative functions - eg. learning
language to narrate (simple past) or to present cause and effect (conditional sentences)
3. Creative expression - free writing, self-expression - writing is learned, not taught
4. Composing processes - planning-writing-revising framework, focus on writing strategies and
awareness to processes
5. Content - involves thinking about the information we need to write texts (eg. to narrate an
event, what is needed?), research, extensive reading, group work to share information
6. Genre - we write something to achieve some purpose - teach conventions (eg. letter of
complaint)

Hyland, 2003
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L2 writers bring 5 kinds of knowledge to effective
texts:
1. Content knowledge – of the ideas and concepts
2. System knowledge – of the syntax, lexis, and formal conventions
3. Process knowledge – of how to prepare and carry out a writing task
4. Genre knowledge – of communicative purposes of the genre and its
value in particular contexts
5. Context knowledge – of readers’ expectations, cultural preferences,
and related texts
Hyland, 2003

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Approaches to teaching COMPLEMENTARY

Product-oriented Process-oriented
Focus on the final product/text Focus on the procedures
the writer will produce. involved in arriving at the final
product.
Learners spend time studying and
then imitating model texts Learners spend time engaged in
provided by the teacher or the activities other than writing (eg.
textbook. asking questions, drafting, peer-
and self-evaluating, etc).
Teachers concentrate on ensuring
grammatical accuracy at the Teachers concentrate on ensuring
sentence level. the arrangement of information
and the structure of the text.
Nunan, 2015 14
Let’s play a game!

Teaching Writing:
Key Principles
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Task-based learning

Task-based learning involves the

teacher giving learners ….
meaningful tasks.

These tasks often mimic real-life

tasks and situations.

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Real Classroom Practice

Task-based learning
1. Which task is demonstrated
in the video?
2. What kind of preparatory
work do the learners do to
help them complete the
task?
3. How does the teacher
facilitate the process?
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Real Classroom Practice
1. Which task is demonstrated in the video?
Replying to an email with recommendations on what to do in your town.
1. What kind of preparatory work do the learners do to help them complete the
task?
• brainstorming ideas (things to do in Istanbul)
• practising functional language needed to complete the task (making suggestions)
• writing an email in reply (to another email).
1. How does the teacher facilitate the process?
• getting learners interested in the task and keeping them interested
• managing time
• helping learners to generate ideas
• providing learners with functional language to do the task
• monitoring group work to make sure learners are on task.
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DISCUSS

01 02 03

What is your What kinds of What are the

approach to activities do most
teaching you use? important
writing? things you
want students
to learn?

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Journaling can benefit your
brain
https://kwiklearning.com/kwik-tips/7-ways-journaling-
can-benefit-your-brain/
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 What does journaling do to your brain?

Better IQ
Relieve Stress
Boosts creativity
Strengthens memory

Increases focus
Improves your
mood Cognitive processing

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 Freedom Writers (2007) – Movie

The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150

Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the
World Around Them

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 Encouraging students to write (not type)

Studies show that when students handwrite their notes , they retain
more information.

Handwriting forces students to synthesize the information, so they

remember it better and are more likely to recall it later.

HANDWRITING
NOTES (NOT TYPING)

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Assignment: Seminar presentations 2 (20 points)
Prepare a 10 to 15-minute presentation in groups and an
infographic summarizing the main ideas of your chapter.
Group 1- Weigle (2014) Considerations for Teaching Second
Language Writing
Group 2- Frodesen (2014) Grammar in Second Language Writing
Group 3- Farrell (2016) Does Writing Promote Reflective Practice?
Group 4- Lee (2019) Teacher written corrective feedback: Less is
more
Group 5- Xu (2016) Teaching Academic Writing in Context

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Guidelines
● Only 2 members of the groups should present.
● Time limit for seminar presentations:
○ 15 minutes + 5 minutes for discussion with audience.
● To create your infographic, we recommend using canva.com or
express.adobe.com.
● Slides are not mandatory but if you use them, we suggest
creating 10 slides (maximum).
● If you show videos, choose short ones.
● Groups must engage the audience in significant
debate/participation.
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Groups
GROUP 1 GROUP 2 GROUP 3 GROUP 4

Patrícia Solange Mateus Kamila Claudia

Patrícia Sahely Fabiele William Luísa Cardoso

Marcella Rubia Samira Luísa Gabriel

Talita Laís Marilúcia

Maykol Vespucci

Patrícia Dourado Margarete Stefany

Júlio César

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Assignment: Reflective Journal (20 points)
Individually, you must put in writing:
○ what you have learned from the contents seen in class
and
○ how you would put them into your teaching practice.
Write your reflective journal on a Word document and
submit your file(s) here. It should be 1 or 2-page long.

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Final Assignment (40 points)
In groups:
● select one reading and writing skills unit/module/section from
a textbook and
● analyze it with a brief theoretical rationale, making reference
to the materials used in class and in seminar presentations.
The final assignment should be built to bridge theory and practice.
Your analysis should be 1 or 2-page long.
You must attach a copy of the original pages of the textbook when
sending your analysis.

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What is one thing you
will remember from
today’s meeting? 29