BSED ENG 16- TEACHING AND ASSESMENT OF MACRO SKILLS

5:00-6:00

MODULE 3

Lesson 1 – Teaching Writing

Introduction
As soon to be novice teacher, you must be eager to try out what you
have learned as you immerse yourself in the task of educating the future citizens
of the land.
Your primary concern is to be able to teach English effectively using
developmentally appropriate classroom practices.
Course Learning Outcomes
This module will help you understand certain issues affecting language
and language learning and reflect on them. As you go through this module, you
sharpen your self-awareness and gain confidence that will enable you to make
classroom decisions that will most benefit the learners
This module presents a systematic program of study intended for teachers
of English in the BEC. It maintains a consistent link between theory and practice
by providing learning activities to illustrate and test theoretical ideas. As you go
through the different lessons, you will be able to analyze how the different
theories of language are translated into practice.
Contents and Brief Description of the Module
The module contains the following lessons:
Lesson I - Teaching Listening
focuses on teaching listening--what listening is, why we do listening, and what
the different types of listening are. It also provides sample activities for listening
comprehension.
Lesson 2 - Teaching Speaking
deals with the nature of the oral communication process, the barriers to
effective communication, and suggestions to improve one’s speaking ability.
Lesson 3 – 4- Teaching Reading/ Three Stages of Teaching Reading
focuses on teaching reading which anchors on the five areas of reading
instruction, namely; phonemic awareness, phonics and decoding, vocabulary
and word recognition, fluency, and comprehension. Each of these elements,
together with the development of higher order thinking skills, is vital if children
are to become successful, thinking, and literate adults. Varied strategies are
provided that illustrate effective classroom practices to enable students to read
for meaning. It also stresses the role of reading in the content areas. The sample
lesson plans show how these strategies work to foster active and engaged
reading.
Lesson 4 - Teaching Writing
deals with the teaching of writing and how it can be made more interesting and
meaningful to students. It discusses the nature of writing and specifically explains
the writing process. It includes varied activities that will surely encourage children
to generate ideas and organize them into writing. It also gives suggestions for
marking written compositions.
Lesson 5 - Assessment
focuses on assessment, both traditional and authentic. It provides sample
assessment and evaluation instruments for classroom use. Sample tests are
provided to serve as models in constructing language tests.

Directions on How to Use the Module Properly

In order to benefit profoundly from this module, please be guided by all
the key points presented below.
1. This module contains two (2) lessons. Each lesson is explained
substantively. Read the explanations thoroughly so that you would
understand the lesson entirely.
2. On the first page of each lesson, you will find the specific learning
outcomes (SLOs) of each lesson. SLOs are knowledge and skills you are
expected to acquire at the end of the lesson. Read them heartily.
3. You must answer the Learning Activities/Exercises (LAEs). The LAEs are
designed to help you acquire the SLOs.
4. Feel free to chat, call, text or send me an email if you have questions,
reactions, or reflections about the module’s contents or activities.
5. The Practice Task/Assessment and the Assignment shall be checked by
me.

LESSON 1 – Teaching Writing

Specific Learning Outcomes
1. Explain the process-oriented approach to writing;
2. Provide opportunities for students to become creative and responsible for
their own learning;
3. Use effective strategies in an attempt to unlock potential difficulties in the
prewriting, the actual writing, and the post writing stage;
4. Practice marking written compositions.

Motivation/Prompting Lines
1. What is writing?
2. What does the fundamental principles of writing include?
3. What is your understanding on these three lines from the essay of the Chinese
writer Lu Chi?

The Chinese writer, Lu Chi, reflecting in his essay Wen Fu (The Art of Letters)
on the process of writing and being a writer, acknowledged the power of the
written word:

‘Behold now the utility of letters….

It extends over a thousand miles and nothing can stop its course;
It penetrates a million years, the ferry from one to the other ….’

Discussion

Writing is communication. It can reach across space and time to instruct,

to entertain, and to touch others. It is a powerful way of sharing ideas and
feelings. But if the writer has nothing to say, writing will not occur.

This lesson will focus on the process-oriented approach to teaching

writing. It will include a brief explanation of the characteristics and stages of the
process.
Principles of Teaching Writing
To make every student progress from a struggling novice writer to a skillful
writer, you need to understand the nature of students’ writing process. To
achieve the best results, you should be guided by the fundamental principles of
teaching writing which include the following:
1. Writing literacy starts in the early years of child development.
2. Writing is a creative act.
3. Writing experiences should be child-centered.
4. Writing for meaning is paramount.
5. Reading and writing, like speaking and listening, are inseparable
processes.

Learning Activities/Exercises

1. How well did you get each principle?

2. Explain at least three principles of the 5 principles underlying the teaching
of writing.
3. Explain in your own idea the following:
a. Prewriting Stage
b. Writing
c. Post-writing Stage
4. What techniques of writing have you learned?

Teacher Intervention

The Process-Oriented Approach to Writing

A process-oriented approach views writing as a creative process. It
focuses not so much on the product but more on the processes or steps
the writers go through when they write (White and Arndt, 1991). In other
words, writers have to start with an over-all plan, by thinking about what
they want to say and the audience they are writing for.
These are the stages of the writing process:
 Setting the Purpose Drafting and Composing Editing

Determining the Audience Revising the Draft Publishing

Selecting/Ordering Information Rewriting

Generating/Hatching Ideas

Pre-writing stage
Before students can actually write, they have to want to write. The
prewriting stage encourages students to generate a free flow of ideas
such that they discover what they want to say and how to say these ideas
on paper. The focus during prewriting is on planning. After exploring
possibilities for topics and how to present them, the writer begins gathering
and organizing details to develop the main idea.

Techniques in Prewriting
● Brainstorming. The purpose is to discover ideas for possible exploration.
Independently or in groups, students generate as many ideas as possible
from a given starting point. The ideas need not be related and may indeed,
stray into areas that are completely unrelated to the original ideas. For example:

key to peace and brotherhood

 Fig. 1
● Discussion. Students talk about an assignment as they debate ideas to
clarify thoughts and opinions. It gives students a conception of opposing
ideas and opinions, valuable knowledge to have in the preparation of
persuasive material.

For example:
What are the benefits of reading books?
Why should we choose the books we have to read?

● Creative Thinking. Students try to look at usual subjects in unusual ways.

What if dogs could fly? What if there were no wheels? What if the earth
did not have gravity?
● Clustering. This is a method of visually presenting the results of a
brainstorming or discussion session. Students record the relationship using
the lines or stages to show the relationship of one idea to another. Charts,
maps and ideas trees are other visual methods.
 Fig. 2

● Cubing. This involves a swift or quick consideration of a subject from six

points of view.

describe it analyze it
compare it apply it
associate it argue for or against it

Here are some tips on what students are expected to do when cubing
general materials.
● Describe it. Examine the topic or object closely and tell what you
think it is all about.
● Compare the topic or object to others you have come across
 before, i.e., “What is it similar to or different from?”
● Associate it with something you are familiar with already, i.e., “What
does it remind you of?”
Writing
Students develop their notes and outlines into sentences and
paragraphs. They organize the ideas generated in the prewriting stage
into a meaningful, more conventionally organized discussion applying
certain rules (e.g. rhetorical, linguistic, and mechanical) in writing.

Writing the draft does not occur only once. Students may find
themselves going back and forth among the different stages especially
the writing–revising– rewriting cycle (White and Arndt, 1991).

Techniques for Composing and Drafting Paragraphs

Drafting like other parts of the writing process, is highly personal. The
following drafting techniques and variations of them are among the most
popular.
❖ Highly structured. The writer works from very complete prewriting
notes, changing little of the context or organization.
❖ Loosely structured. The writer works from rough notes,
experimenting with ideas and organization during drafting.
❖ Bridges. The writer begins with two or three main points or
situations to be covered and during drafting, concentrates on
using supporting details to build logical bridges between the
points.
❖ Quick draft. The writer works quickly, not stopping to refine ideas
or rework materials until the revising stages.
❖ Slow draft. The writer works meticulously, carefully crafting one
sentence or paragraph at a time. Though revising is a
continuous process in this method, the writer may also rework
the piece in its entirety when the draft is complete.
 Revising and Proofreading
During revising, a writer’s main goal is to make sure that ideas are
expressed clearly and organized logically. Proofreading to correct errors in
grammar, usage, and mechanics is also important, but the greatest part
of revising time is spent on content.
There are many methods of revising. A writer chooses a method that
suits his or her personal style and the needs of a particular piece of writing.
One writer, for example, might share a draft with a member of his or her
intended audience to get input for revision. Another might simply put the
draft away for a few days and then rework passages that seem
troublesome. Most writers do the following during revision.
1. Check that all ideas and details are related to the topic and
purpose.
2. Refine good ideas and add any new ones that could improve
the
content.
3. Make certain that the purpose of a piece of writing is clear and
that the content of the writing suits the purpose.
4. Refine the organization of ideas.
5. Check that each sentence flows smoothly to the next.
6. Make sure that language and content are suitable to the
audience.
7. Substitute precise, vivid words for vague language.
8. Proofread for errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. This step
usually occurs to some extent while the writer is drafting and
revising content, but it is better reserved until after the shaping of
ideas is complete.

Practice Task/Assessment
Identify the following statements. Write your answer on the line
_______________1. Its function is correcting errors in grammar, usage, and
mechanics which is also important, but the greatest part of
 revising time is spent on content.
_______________2. This involves a swift or quick consideration of a subject from six
points of view.
_______________3. The purpose is to discover ideas for possible exploration.
Independently or in groups, students generate as many ideas
as possible from a given starting point
_______________4. This is a method of visually presenting the results of a
brainstorming or discussion session. Students record the
relationship using the lines or stages to show the relationship
of one idea to another.
_______________5. The prewriting stage encourages students to generate a free
flow of ideas such that they discover what they want to say
and how to say these ideas on paper.
Answers to Learning Activity/Exercise
varied answers

Answers to Assessment

Assignment: 30 points

Think of one big idea. Then out of that idea, generate as many small ideas as
you can which would help you in writing a paragraph. Your paragraph should
contain all the words coming from your small ideas. (You can choose either fig 1
or figure 2 above.) Show your sample model figure.
 Lesson 2 – Techniques for Revising and Proofreading

Specific Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the process-oriented approach to writing;
2. Provide opportunities for students to become creative and responsible for their
own learning;
3. Use effective strategies in an attempt to unlock potential difficulties in the
prewriting, the actual writing, and the post writing stage;
4. Practice marking written compositions.

Motivation/Prompting Lines
 Write True if the statement is correct, and FALSE if wrong. Write your answer
on the line.

_____ 1. Revising is a postwriting procedure which involves editing and

proofreading.
_____ 2. A common strategy in responding to literature is making predictions.

_____ 3. Three students in editorial groups are each assigned one role–author,
editor, or proofreader–and work together on an assignment. Later, the
students change roles.
_____ 4. Prewriting is the final stage of the writing process.

_____ 5. Let the reader hear your voice in the story.

Discussion

Techniques for Revising and Proofreading

Students should experiment with the following techniques to

discover ones that suit their personal style and the type of writing they are
doing.
⮚ Conference. When you do oral evaluation, concentrate on both
the student’s strengths and weaknesses. During the conference,
you can answer questions the student will ask.

⮚ Peer evaluation. In pairs or small groups, have students critique

each other’s writing through peer evaluation, that is, evaluation
by other members of the class. Student writers become aware of
how their writing affects others. They also see differences in
approach and style between writers, and as you guide them,
they also learn to appreciate those differences.

To introduce students to peer evaluation, you may ask them

to read their papers aloud to the entire class. For this type of
evaluation to be effective, two conditions must be met: (1) the
 class atmosphere must be encouraging and supportive and (2)
the class should be trained in listening to each composition
according to specific procedures.

Some appropriate questions might be:

▪ Did I understand the composition?

▪ Were the ideas clear?

▪ Does anything seem to be missing in the content?

▪ Are there any problems in organization?

▪ How did it make me feel–sad, amused, touched, or

interested?

▪ What are some good points about the composition?

▪ How can the composition be improved?

▪ Group questioning. After one student in a group

reads a piece of writing out loud, the other students

ask questions to pinpoint incomplete information.

⮚ Group questioning. After one student in a group reads a piece of

writing out loud, the other students ask questions to pinpoint
incomplete information.
⮚ Editorial groups. Three students are each assigned one role–author,
editor, or proofreader–and work together on an assignment. Later,
the students change roles.
⮚ Oral Reading. Students read their work out loud or into a tape
recorder. The ear often catches awkwardness and other problems
that the eye misses.
 ⮚ Performance. For pieces in which the writer has explained a process,
another student tries to follow the written directions and points out
unclear or confusing passages.
⮚ Clinics. In workshops, you may give instruction to students with
similar writing problems. This may involve completing directed
exercises or working together to solve common problems.

Post Writing

Publishing and Sharing

–This is the final stage of the writing process. After completing a draft or
final copy of a piece of writing, students are given the opportunity to
share their work with others. This new audience can be family members,
friends, classmates, or the general public–anyone who will provide some
kind of feedback. In other words, a writer needs an audience who will
respond to the message, rather than to the mechanics of producing it.

Suggested Techniques:

● Booklets. Compositions by an individual writer or by a class or other

groups may be collected and reproduced as a booklet. The
compositions may be about similar topics or may simply represent the
best writing.
● Bulletin boards. Writing can be illustrated with appropriate drawings,
photographs, or artwork.
● Newspaper and magazines. Students may create a newspaper or
magazine of their own to publish student writing.
● Readings and performance. Students may read their writing to the class
or to small groups. Stories and other narratives can be adapted to the
form of a play and acted out.
● Letters and exchanges. Letters and other writings may also be
exchanged with students in another class, school or age group.
Here is a sample writing activity showing the process:
Prewriting
● Brainstorm: Purpose and Audience
Why do you want to write about yourself? Maybe you would like to
tell about an adventure you have had. Maybe you can share a
lesson you learned about someone or something.

A partner can help you decide why you want to write – your
purpose. You also can talk about who will read your writing – your
audience. By asking the right questions, you can find answers to
help you plan your narrative.

Examples:
What did I do last Saturday?
What happened to my bicycle?
How did my friend Patrick help me?
Did I learn anything from the experience?
You can also warm up by drawing pictures or making a word
cluster in your journal.

Drafting
● Starting Out
You started writing while you were thinking and planning. Now, just
put your ideas and plans to work as you write your draft.
 As you write your personal narrative, try to remember as much as
possible what really happened. You can check the facts and the
punctuation later. For now, just write.

Revising

It is important to think carefully about what you write--before and

after you write it. Now think about how you can make your writing exactly
the way you want it to be.

These guidelines will help you in writing a personal narrative:

● Don’t forget your purpose and your audience. Ask yourself, “Why
am
I writing a personal narrative? Who could learn from my
experience?
● Stick to the facts. Remember, a personal narrative is a story about
something that actually happened to you.
● Role play how you will tell your story about yourself. Answer these
questions:
– How will I begin?
– What will happen in the middle?
– What will make the end of my narrative interesting?

● Let the reader hear your voice in the story. Make sure the writing
sounds like you.

Try reading this writer’s draft to your partner. How

does it sound? What is the point of the story? Decide which parts
you like best and talk about why you like them.
 As you revise, notice how this draft changed. What difference do the
changes make? Talk them over with your partner. Is the story better now?
Proofreading Mistakes can creep into anyone’s writing. They often pop up
in spelling and grammar. So be on your guard. What mistakes did the writer
correct? Discuss these corrections with your partner. Explain why each one
is important.
 Before sharing your work, proofread it first. You can make final
revisions, too. It’s never too late to make an important change. Publishing
Will you publish your work? How? Think about your audience. Would other
people like to hear you read your story? Your audience may want to read it
in a picture book. It is your story and you can choose the best way to
publish it.

Learning Activities/Exercises

1. Write a personal narrative following the process just explained.

2. How would you rate yourself as a teacher of writing? Do you agree
that teachers spend less time in isolation checking and grading
papers?

Teacher Intervention

The writing process includes the following stages:

- Prewriting / before writing – Involves generating ideas on the subject
or topic to be written about.
- While writing – Centers on drafting or composing. Students organize
 generated ideas into meaningful discussion applying certain rules
in
writing.
- Postwriting / after writing – Includes revising (after editing and
proofreading and finally presenting and publishing.
- Writing as a process is not linear; it is recursive, “a loop rather than
a straight line” where the writer thinks, plans, or revises and then
writes again.
-
Marking Written Composition

There are different techniques that may be used in evaluating students’

writing.
● Impression Marking. The simplest and quickest approach to the
holistic grading of student papers is to read them quickly without circling
errors or suggesting editorial changes. The reader scores the paper and
marks it based on some general feelings about the paper’s effectiveness.
● The Holistic Approach. This approach provides opportunities for
students to respond to peer writing. The focus is more on developing
imaginativeness and inventiveness in the first draft, then fluency and
fine-tuning during revision stage. Consider the following guides to help
students recognize and value excellence and experimentation in any
aspect of the writing process:

Impact
▪ The readers’ interest is engaged.

▪ The writer has something to say and is imaginatively

involved.
▪ The writing is convincing, has a sense of immediacy and
completeness.
Inventiveness
 ⮚ The reader is “surprised” – finds that the writer has not followed

the common or the trite but has introduced elements that are
new and unexpected. Writer’s inventiveness may include:
1. Coined words (onomatopoeia, etc)
2. Tag names (allusive or symbolic)
3. Unusual point of view (Often to add humor or
irony)
4. Figurative use of language (to clarify meaning,
not to adorn)
5. Significant title–one that augments the meaning
of the writing

● Evaluation by Peers. Grading by peers teaches students a lot of

sensitive things. Students use peer papers as creative sources
for borrowing ideas, rhetorical and syntactic strategies, and
even vocabulary.
● Cooperative Grading. Specific criteria are discussed prior to the
grading. Surface conversations, arrangement, illustrations, and
examples and the care the writer took are considered in the
evaluation. After each reader has assigned the paper a grade,
the three grades are averaged for a final one. Your grade
counts a third of the final grade.
● Self- Evaluation. Gramer (1984) suggests that student writers
look carefully at the first draft, asking themselves two questions:
a. What is the piece about?
b. What am I trying to do?
● Conferencing. A student–teacher conference is a meeting to
discuss work–in progress. As you listen to students talk about
writing, you can learn how to help students work through the
process.
SAMPLE RATING SCALE FOR ASSESSING WRITING (Sundara, 2000)
Content
30-37 EXCELLENT TO VERY GOOD: knowledgeable – substantive – etc.
26-22 GOOD TO AVERAGE: some knowledge of subject – adequate range – etc.
21-17 FAIR TO POOR: limited knowledge of subject – little substance – etc.
16-13 VERY POOR: does not show knowledge of subject – non-substantive – etc

Organization
20-18 EXCELLENT TO VERY GOOD: fluent expression – ideas clearly stated – etc.
17-14 GOOD TO AVERAGE: Somewhat choppy – loosely organized but main ideas
stand out – etc.
13-10 FAIR TO POOR: NON-FLUENT – ideas confused or disconnected – etc.
9-7 VERY POOR: does not communicate – no organization – etc.

Vocabulary
20-18 EXCELLENT TO VERY GOOD: sophisticated range – effective word/idiom
choice and usage – etc.
17-14 GOOD TO AVERAGE: adequate range – occasional errors of word/idiom
form,
choice, usage but meaning not obscured
13-10 FAIR TO POOR: limited range – frequent errors of word/idiom form, choice,
usage – etc.
9-7 VERY POOR: essentially translation – little knowledge of English Vocabulary

Language Use
25-22 EXCELLENT TO VERY GOOD: effective complex constructions –
etc.
21-19 GOOD TO AVERAGE: effective complex constructions – etc.
17-11 FAIR TO POOR: major problems in simple/complex
constructions
– etc.
10-5 VERY POOR: virtually no mastery of sentence construction rules –
etc.

Mechanics
5 EXCELLENT TO VERY GOOD: demonstrate mastery of conventions –
etc.
4 GOOD TO AVERAGE: occasional errors of spelling, punctuation –
etc.
3 FAIR TO POOR: frequent errors of spelling, punctuation,
capitalization
 – etc.
2 VERY POOR: no mastery of conventions – dominated by errors of
spelling, punctuation, capitalization, paragraphing – etc.

Practice Task/Assessment
Identification:
Multiple Choice: Complete the following statements. Choose the letter of your
answer.

1. Writing has a variety of forms which depends on _____________________

a. drawing connections between bits of experiences.

b. the purpose for the writing.

c. communication of ideas and feelings.

 d. the mode or medium of expression.

2. During writing, the teacher helps children discover what they already know
about the topic and encourages them to question, select, and order
information from a variety of sources.
a. prewriting

b. composing and drafting

c. editing

d. publishing

3. The best approach to teach reading and writing is____________________.

a. direct instruction

b. natural approach

c. independent practice

d. a combination of approaches

4. Writing is a craft that can be learned, and its skills developed through

____________________
a. reading about writing.

b. beautiful penmanship.

c. informed practice.

d. correct grammar

5. Success at writing encourages ___________________

a. further writing.

b. organizing thoughts.

c. presenting ideas.

d. practice in oral language.

6. The writing process is _______________

a. linear.
 b. recursive and creative.

c. sequential and evaluative.

d. hierarchical.

Answers to Learning Activity/Exercise

varied answers
Answers to Assessment

Assignment: Explain the statement briefly but comprehensively.

Writing as a process is not linear; it is recursive, “a loop rather than a straight line”
where the writer thinks, plans, or revises and then writes again.