Unit 6 – Writing

What is writing ?

Writing is one of the four language skills. It is a productive skill. That means they involve
producing rather than receiving it. Very simply we can say that writing involves communicating a
message by making signs on a page. To write we need to have something to communicate, that usually
someone to communicate to. We also need to be able to form letters and words, to join these together to
make sentences or a series of sentences that link together and to communicate our message in such a way
as to get our message cross.

Text types

 Letters
 Essays
 Articles
 E-mail
 Shopping list
 Postcard
 Birthday card
 Text messages

Writing Subskills

 Using appropriate style and register

 Organising ideas in a helpful way
 Using the features typical of the text type we are writing
 Joining our words and sentences clearly and using appropriate functions to express our meaning
Eg: (narrating, complaining, requesting, thanking, summarizing)

Stages of writing

 working out what you want to say ( getting or developing ides)

 Working out the order in which you want to say ( planning / organising ideas)
 Drafting / writing the first draft. ( the first version)
 Editing ( correcting and improving the content of the text)
 Proofreading (checking of mistakes in accuracy and correcting)
 Re-drafting ( writing a second / final version)

These stages form part of writing process. We can see from them that writing in fact begins before we
put pen to paper or start word processing, and that it involves the writer in carrying out several steps
which each lead in to the next one and aim to improve the quality of the final product.
Writing activities

 Help learners accuracy in writing

o Labeling
o Copying
o Sentence completion
o Gap filling
o Sentence transformation exercises
o Dividing texts into paragraphs
o Putting punctuation
o Proof reading exercises to correct errors in texts

 Help learners practice communicating through writing

o Story completion
o Jumbled picture stories
o Writing birthday cards
o Writing E-mails of invitation

Key concepts

 The subs kills of writing that we choose to teach will vary, depending on our learners’ age and
needs. At primary level we may spend a lot of time teaching learners how to form letters and
words, how to join them together and how to write short texts of a few words or sentences, often
by coping. Learners at primary level are not just learning how to write in English but English but
also how to write letters and words.

 A secondary level we may need to focus more on other kinds of accuracy and the communication
skills required to write longer texts such as letters, emails or compositions.

 Before they start writing it’s useful to encourage learners to think about why they are writing (
their reasons for writing ) and who they are writing to ( their audience). This helps them focus on
what they want to say(content) and how to say it ( register style)

 We can support learners in their writing by moving on to writing. After doing some listening,
reading or speaking on a topic. In this way , learners have already worked on the language of the
topic and may have developed ideas about it.

 Teachers sometimes work with models ( clear examples) of text types when teaching writing.
Models can show learners what patterns of language, vocabulary register or layout to use. Or how
to structure their writing. They can also help learners get ideas about what to write. Models are
used in guided/product writing.
  We can also guide or support learners in their writing through the use of a process writing
approach. With this approach the teacher gives learners the opportunity to work through the stages
in the writing process. They move from planning their work, to drafting it, and then on to editing,
re-drafting and proofreading. This approach allows learners to focus on developing ideas and
organising them. At the drafting stage they focus on finding the language to express themselves,
and at the editing, re-drafting and proofreading stages they focus on evaluating ( looking at the
strengths and weaknesses of) their ideas, the organization of their writing and the accuracy of their
language.

Glossary for Unit 6 writing

 Productive skills
Skills which involve producing language rather than receiving it

 Receptive skills
Skills which involve receiving language rather than producing it

 Register
The level of formality of a text.

 Accuracy
Using the correct forms of language.

 Layout
The way in which parts of a text are organized and presented on a page

 Syllabus
This describes the language and skills to be covered on a course, and the order in which they will
be taught

 Cohesion
The way spoken or written texts are joined together with logical grammar or lexis, e.g.
conjunctions (Firstly, secondly), lexical sets, referring words (it, them, this).

Coherence

When ideas in a spoken or written text fit together clearly and smoothly, and so are logical and
make sense to the listener or reader.
 Topic sentence

A sentence that gives the main point or subject of a paragraph. This is usually the opening
sentence in a paragraph

Practice task

For questions 1-7, choose the best option (A,B or C) to complete each statement about writing skills.

1. Using cohesive devices does NOT require us to

a. replace a noun
b. Check tenses
c. include conjunction

2. Process writing does NOT require us to

a. proofread
b. summarise
c. draft

3. Brainstorming does NOT require us to

a. note down ideas
b. think of ideas
c. edit ideas

4. Writing a topic sentence does NOT require us to

a. Include examples in a paragraph
b. Write the main point of a paragraph
c. Focus on a paragraph’s meaning

5. Re-drafting does NOT require us to

a. Write a clearer version
b. Evaluate what we have written
c. Include different ideas

6. Writing in a suitable register does NOT require us to

a. think about appropriate language use.
b. consider who we are writing to
c. use models for writing

7. Structure a text does NOT require us to

a. present information in an accepted order.
b. use complex grammar
c. link paragraphs and sentences