Transcript Writing

Writing
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Approaches to the Teaching of
Writing
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Structural
Process
Genre
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Structural Approach
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Goal is structural accuracy
Copying of models
Writing one-time
Lots of red ink in corrections
Problems
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Overemphasis on structure vis-à-vis content and
organization
No opportunity to revise for content or to develop
writing process
Students couldn’t learn from so much negative
feedback
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Process Approach
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Goal is development of writing process
Emphasis on content, organization, and structure (in that order)
Emphasis on writing process
 Brainstorming, developing ideas
 Multiple drafts
 Peer feedback
 Revisions for content and organization
 Structure, grammar, spelling is last
Problems
 Too much emphasis on personal issues (finding voice)
 Not enough focus on mastery of formal genres
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Genre Approach
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Goal is not merely development of
writing process, but ability to master
genres that are important in academic
settings
Combines and adds to features of both
process and structural approach
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What is a Genre?
A Specific Purpose
 A Particular Overall Structure
 Specific Linguistic Features
 Shared by Members of a
Culture
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Examples of School-Based
Genres
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Define
Narrate
Recount
Report
Describe a procedure
Discuss and explain
Present an argument
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The Curriculum Cycle of the
Genre Approach
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1. Building knowledge of the topic
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Bridging to prior knowledge
Front-loading vocabulary
Presenting schema
2. Modeling the text
3. Joint construction
4. Independent writing
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1. Building knowledge of the
topic, vocabulary development
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Vocabulary cards and pictures, word
walls and banks
Semantic webs, mind maps
Brainstorming, Venn diagrams, charts
and lists
Graphic organizers
Questions from students, KWL
Shared reading/big books
Predicting from pictures, titles, cues
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Vocabulary Squares
PREFIX
(OR MY DEFINITION)
DEFINITION
(DICTIONARY)
EXAMPLE
(SENTENCE)
DRAWING
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Vocabulary Knowledge Rating
WORD
KNOW IT
WELL
HEARD
OF IT
NO IDEA
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Building Knowledge and
Vocabulary on the Topic
Picture and sentence matching
Scrambled sentences
Word definition activities
A/B Picture and text activities
(supply the missing information)
Games (acronyms, crosswords,
missing link, find someone who…)
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Building Knowledge and
Vocabulary on Topic
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Library, museum visits
Process or information grid
Practice with related grammar structures
 Perhaps dinosaurs disappeared…
 Dinosaurs might have disappeared…
 Dinosaurs probably disappeared…
 Dinosaurs may have disappeared…
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Process or Information Grid
•Dinosaur
•When it
lived
•What it
looked like
•What it ate
•Other
features +
interesting
facts
•Tyronnosaurus
•100 mya
•Very short
arms that
couldn’t reach
its mouth
•Meat
•Very fierce
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2. Modeling the text
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Select a model text
Read and show the model & discuss
purpose (compare to other types of texts)
Draw attention to organizational structure
Draw attention to particular linguistic
features (grammar, connectives, verbs,
tense, [review bricks and mortar words]etc.)
Practice with simplified text or with jumbled
sentences
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2. Modeling the text
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Text reconstruction, paraphrasing
Scrambled sentences
Think and talk through and Reciprocal
Reading
In and out Cloze activities
Question formulation and schema
building
Wall chart of main characteristics
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Cloze Exercises
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To test listening ability or concept
comprehension - spelling or syntax
To predict difficulty level or appropriateness of
reading passages, retype them, then
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Delete every 5h word from the 2nd sentence on
(25-35 words or bigger but equal intervals
Students read passage and fill in blanks
Count the words they use that are exactly correct
Figure percentage correct (60%+ independent
level, 40%-60% instructional level, below 40% too
difficult)
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Three days off! I’m really looking forward to having
some time to ___________. This last month has been
so busy! When classes end on Friday, the
_____________ thing I plan to do is go on a
_____________ with my friends down by the beach.
After the walk, we will _________________by
Starbucks for ____________ and maybe a dessert,
too. Friday night I want to __________ a couple of
movies and vege out. On Saturday I’ll probably visit
my mom and take her _______________. On
Sunday and Monday I will divide my time between
_____________ papers and _____________ time with
my family.
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3. Joint Construction
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Teacher and students write together
 What do we need to start with
 Can you remember what other reports
were like?
 Is that the best way to say it?
 Can anyone think of a better word?
 What do you think we should talk about
next
 Is this OK now? Anything need fixing?
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Joint Construction
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Peer writing and editing through guided
composition (graphic organizers, partially
constructed compositions, etc.)
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Give positive responses to what you read
Underline key ideas
Ask a question
Circle errors
Author corrects errors
Add descriptive words or connecting words
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Joint Construction
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Group writing and assigned editing
tasks (multiple drafts)
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1st reader check punctuation, spelling
2nd reader check verb/subject agreement
3rd reader ask a clarifying question or
Explain what you like about the piece
Check for sentence variation
Author corrects errors/ revises
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4. Independent writing with
scaffolding
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Students write their own pieces based on
clearly defined criteria/expectations and
models (with rubrics, where possible)
Scaffolding, students
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Fill in the blanks of a written report
Answer a list of leading questions
Draw a story map and then write it out (or
teacher/peer writes) using graphic organizer
Sequence and label pictures, then describe
them as directed
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Converting from Informal Writing…
http://www.eslplanet.com/teachertools/argueweb/inform.htm
Main premise: The government should introduce tighter gun controls
Jack Springer thinks that the government should allow people the right to
own a gun but I don’t agree with him. People like him think that the
government is infringing on our democratic rights when it restricts gun
ownership. They think that most people who own guns are responsible
citizens who keep the guns for sport and recreation. They also think that
the police are unable to stop violent crime and we need guns to protect
ourselves. But I think he is wrong. I agree with Josephine Bluff who thinks
that guns increase the amount of violent crime in the community. I also
think that human life is worth more than giving shooters the right to go
shooting on the weekend. And I also think that many of the guns that are
kept around the house end being used in violent domestic disputes or
teenage suicides.
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…to Academic Writing
Main premise: The government should introduce tighter gun controls
Jack Springer maintains that the government should allow people the
right to own a gun. This position asserts that the government is infringing
on our democratic rights when it restricts gun ownership. Most people
who own guns, so the argument goes, are responsible citizens who keep
the guns for sport and recreation. It is further contended that the police
are unable to stop violent crime and we need guns to protect ourselves.
However, as Josephine Bluff states, guns increase the amount of violent
crime in the community. Moreover, human life is worth more than giving
shooters the right to go shooting on the weekend. In addition, many of
the guns that are kept around the house end being used in violent
domestic disputes or teenage suicides.
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Challenging Grammar Points
for ELLs
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Sentences
Subject-Verb
agreement
Verb Tense
Verb Phases
Plurals
Auxiliaries
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Articles
Word Forms
Idioms
Word Choice
Capitalization
Punctuation
Prepositions
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Assessing Writing
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Provide clear rubrics
Review all elements, not just grammar
 Content
 Creativity
 Organization
 Cohesion, flow
 Vocabulary
 Grammar
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 Punctuation and Spelling
Assessing Writing
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Provide opportunities for revision
Provide positive and “negative” feedback
Use selective feedback
Take process/improvement into consideration
Consider oral feedback/conferencing when
possible
Look for patterns for general instruction
Use a blue or black or green pen :-)
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Optimal Learning Conditions
for ELL Literacy Learning
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Student choice (topics, books, projects)
Student-centered (interests, personal
experience, background knowledge)
Whole-Part-Whole approach
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Begin with whole texts to construct
understanding
Move to analysis and process strategies
Return to text as a whole
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Optimal Learning Conditions
for ELL Literacy Learning
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Active, frequent participation (both oral
and written)
Meaning first, followed by form
Authentic purpose (real-life function,
real audiences, real meaning)
Approximations (risk taking
encouraged)
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Optimal Learning Conditions
for ELL Literacy Learning
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Immersion in language and print (form
and function)
Demonstrations by teachers and peers
Response (timely, appropriate,
personal)
Community of learners (parents, too)
High expectations for proficiency in all
language areas
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