MODULE 4

Lesson 1

TEACHING WRITING

I. Learning Outcomes:

In this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Explain the principles of teaching writing;
2. demonstrate understanding of the process-oriented approach to writing;
3. evaluate a sample rubric for scoring writing compositions;
4. apply suggested techniques for each stage of the teaching writing process.

II. Pre – Assessment:

SHORT-ANSWER RESPONSE. Clearly state your answer to the questions below.

1. What are the principles of teaching writing?

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2. What is the process-oriented approach to writing?

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3. Give one technique for every stage of the teaching writing process. Explain each.
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 III. Lesson Map:

3 STAGES OF TEACHING WRITING

PRE-WRITING WRITING POST-WRITING

TECHNIQUES - ASSESSMENT

Figure 1.0
This lesson focuses on the three stages of teaching writing: pre-writing, during writing and post-writing
and the techniques suggested to be conducted all throughout a writing activity. This topic also touches
on the ways to assess students’ writing.

IV. Core Content:

ENGAGE: Acknowledging the Written Word’s Power

Activity 1: Read the text below before giving a short reaction.

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 ….’

Question: What makes “writing” an act of force to reckon with? Why is it powerful?
EXPLORE: Understanding the Teaching Writing Process

Activity 2: Reading Activity

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 learner-centered.

4. Writing for meaning is paramount.

5. Reading and writing, like speaking and listening, are inseparable processes.

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:

PRE-WRITING WRITING POST-WRITING

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.

 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.

 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.

 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 STAGE

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.

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.

 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 art work.

 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.

EXPLAIN: Processing What is Read

Activity 3: Answer the following questions based on what you have learned from the text above.

1. What do you think are the top 3 most important principles of teaching writing? Explain your choices.

2. In your own words, concisely explain the process-oriented approach to writing?

 3. What makes the process-oriented process to teaching writing a "creative process"? Give an example to
prove your point.

4. What is the difference between revising and proofreading?

EXTEND: Marking Students’ Writing

Activity 4: Go over the text and sample rubric before answering the succeeding questions:

ASSESSING WRITTEN COMPOSITIONS

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.

A. Yes or No?

 Does the rubric relate to the general outcome (writing skill) being measured?
 Does it cover important criteria for student performance in relation to writing a composition?
 Does the top end of the rubric reflect excellence?
 Are the criteria and scales well-defined?
 Can the rubric be applied consistently by different scorers?

B. What is the given much weight in the sample rubric above? What does it mean to assess
writing?
EVALUATE: Applying the Techniques

Activity 5: Apply your knowledge of the techniques specifically suggested for each of the three stages of
teaching writing. Think as a teacher. Come up with a simple writing activity and give directions and
pointers to your students for pre-writing, during writing and post writing stages. Be clear and specific
with your instructions.

What is the writing activity?

1. Pre-Writing

2. During Writing

3. Post-writing

V. Topic Summary:

POINTS TO REMEMBER

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.

VI. Post - Assessment:

SHORT-ANSWER RESPONSE. Clearly state your answer to the questions below.

1. What are the principles of teaching writing?

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2. What is the process-oriented approach to writing?

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3. Give one technique for every stage of the teaching writing process. Explain each.
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Short Answer Scoring Rubric

1. Completeness (5 points)
Does your response directly answer the question?
Excellent Very Good Good Need Improvement
5 4-3 2 0 -1

2. Knowledge (10 points). Does your response clearly show you have read and understood the lesson content by correctly
defining key terms, key persons and summarizing concepts?

Excellent Very Good Good Need Improvement

10-9 8-7 7-6 0 -5

3. Analysis (5 points). Have you clearly stated your analysis? Did you give examples to back them up?
Does your response provide analysis to the larger concepts of the lesson?
Excellent Very Good Good Need Improvement
5 4-3 2 0 -1

Adapted: http://qm.riosalado.edu/resources/SyllabusDB/SocialSciences/Rubric_Short_Answer.pdf
 VII. References:

Book:
Flojo, Ofelia and Pablo, Bernadette.2013.Module 6.1 Curriculum and Instruction - The Teaching
of English, Manila: .Teacher Education Council, Department of Education.

National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the
scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. (NIH
Publication No. 00-4754). Washington, DC: National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development.

Pressley, M., & Wharton-McDonald, R. (1997). Skilled comprehension and its development
through instruction. School Psychology Review.

Online:

Baruch College. (2020). Portrait of Lu Chi. Retrieved from

https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/wenfu/?page_id=5. Retrieved 21 January 2021