Tonight Assessment Plan ESL writing Overview (graphic) Traditional Text Based approaches - Spelling and sentencing More developmental stages of writing -Genre Writing Workshop

A quick graphic ? What to teach? Most teachers teach two types of writing in their classes: writing for learning (with prewriting, drafts, revisions, and editing) and writing for display (i. e., examination writing). What to teach? Focus on the writer Focus on form Focus on the reader Testing focus Traditional text based approaches Genre writing (social process – writing to do things) Process writing (cycle of writing) Notation – spelling (single focus) Writing practice Composition focus on grammar, dictation, dialogues, translation, imitative and free composition. Expressing ideas in a consecutive way with specialised vocab Graphic representation of words & sound - spelling

Teaching Spelling – not all text based While English spelling rules are mostly clear, there are exceptions. Sample of how to:- Reading, homophones, diagraphs, tri-graphs. Sound-letter (CVC) & letter rather than sound Scrabble type letters -> words Rules Copy e.g. Students are given a list of animals, write in one of 3 columns (pet, farm, wild) Dictionary activities Dictation that emphasises certain spelling rules Contests and games. (backward spelling, noughts and crosses, secret codes(a=1,b=2 etc)

Copying Activities – not all text based Disguised word copying (different columns, alphabetical, favourite, words in sentences, sentences in boxes, label)(3) Copying from the board (usually inaccurate) – so turn it into a game / contest. Making notes (summary) Whisper writing (written sentence – passed on) (multiply if too much time in-between)

Mostly Text and Genre Based… Some Text based but mostly Genre and Process Based…

Postcards, Portraits, Music (feel/stories), Story Tasks, Movie Tasks, Describing pictures

Sentence production (elementary) Parallel writing (examples given which they can emulate) Controlled text construction. Putting words in order. (sentences -> paragraph) Word substitution. Dictating sentences for completion Paragraph construction(elementary) Paired sentences (intermediate) External stimuli (music, pictures, movies) Genre writing.(letter, advert, job application, etc)

Workshop In your groups I want you to think about a genre or text based activity that you can tell the whole group about. Things to consider: Age and level. Focus on what? Context and purpose? Oral – reading ?

Next week Process Writing + talking about your assessment.

A thought … Still, still reviewing … Teachers (need) to become researchers themselves. Classroom-based research and action research is increasingly recommended to decrease teachers’ reliance on theorists and researchers (Richards & Nunan, 1990). Teachers can keep sight of the forest as well as the trees. What do you think this means? I think it is important to consider these things(ANN RAIMES):- Recognition of the Complexity of Composing Recognition of Student Diversity Recognition of Learners’ Processes Recognition of the Politics of Pedagogy Recognition of the Value of Practice