Practical Writing Activities - Mónica Meléndez

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Practical Writing Practical Writing

ActivitiesActivitiesMónica Meléndez

1st Teaching Enrichment

Course for Schools (ETECS)



Challenges when working onwriting activities

Little time to develop activities

Students’ lack of vocabulary

Students’ difficulty withtransmitting ideas in writtenform:

fluency accuracy complete sentences

spelling

1st English Teaching Enrichment Course for Schools - Mónica Meléndez



How to overcome thesechallenges?

1. Key suggestions todevelop successful

activities2. Easy-to-follow steps

3. Practical ideas to

implement in class4. Tips on how to motivate

students and create

interest in writing activities




How to teach writing in class

Progress in writing:

word banks sentences paragraphs compositions

Connect writing to listening, speaking and reading activitiesintegration of 4 language skills

Capture students’ attention before setting the activity:

no attention no engagement no learning

Use Visual Aid methods:

graphic organizers pictures flashcards posters

Always model how to do the activity

Add variety: design tasks for pairs or small groups




How to teach writing in class (cont.)Be clear on what skills you are trying to develop:

“ What is the objective of this activity?”

Plan lessons around topics, covering grammarstructures from the easiest to the most difficult

Choose an interesting topic to ensure students’participation. Personalizing information is key

Remind students that writing is a process and that itrequires practice

Provide students with key vocabulary for the activity

Remind students of the main structures to be used




Steps1. Create interest in the activity

2. Activate Ss’ background knowledge3. Identify and list key words for the activity

4. Model the activity

5. Give memorable examples

6. Set a reasonable time limit

7. Help students during the process

8. If possible, give studentsthe opportunity to

correct their work




Practical IdeasWorking on words, sentences and small paragraphs




Practical Ideas




Exercise I:1. Listen to the story twice. Take notes.

2. On a piece of paper, turn your notes into a paragraph.

3. Compare your paragraph with a partner.Shakira – singer - composer – producer. write songs since 7 .music- impact- pop culture. grammy twice. Latin grammy 7 times.50 million records . lived Miami – 3 years. Antonio de la Rúa –

girlfriend – 7 years

“Shakira is a singer, composer and producer. She has written songssince she was seven. Her music has made an enormous impact on pop

culture. She has won the Grammy twice, and the Latin Grammy sevetimes. She has also sold 50 million records. Finally, she has lived inMiami for three years now, and has been Antonio De la Rúa’sgirlfriend for seven.“

“What is the name of this activity?” DICTOGLOSS




What are thenames of these

activities

Exercise II:1. Listen to the conversation.

2. Finish the conversation

3. Practice it with your partner

Mark: I love Lima. It’s beautiful

María: Yeah, there are manyinteresting places here

Mark: Where can I go first?

María: You can visit downtown

Mark: What can I see there?

María: You can go to the Cathedral

Mark: And where can I have lunch?

María: Well, you …

Mark: That sounds great. What ...?

On weekends, I usually wakeup late and have lunch at arestaurant with my family

1. Put the sentence in order.

my – I – TV- and – with -weekends – always - friends -on watch - out - go

On weekends, I always watch

TV and go out with myfriends

2. Write one idea about you




Activities based on LanguageLearning Strategies (LLS)

Brainstorming

Identifying similarities & differences

Classifying Visualizing

Story pictures

Diaries or JournalsNote taking

Summarizing




How to put LLS into practice?Through the use of GRAPHIC ORGANIZERSGRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

Reasons:

Improve reading and vocabulary knowledge

Can be used with any activity, at any levelDisplay information inmeaningful ways

Help Ss focus their thoughts

Are fun and easy to use

Increase students’ participation




Graphic Organizers

Vocabulary cardsWord WallsPersonal Response

Story MapsCluster websVenn diagrams

Main idea chartsDraw and write chartsSequence charts




Used to generate ideas in groups

Fast writing: all ideas are acceptedTopic at the center

Add as many small circles as needed

Ss focus on a topicLeads to sentence, paragraph or composition elaboration

Brainstorming

Topic: Food

Task:

1. Put Ss in groups of four to brainstorm (5’)

2. Individually, Ss use the list to create 5 sentences:

Example: I love fruit , especially apples.




Sequence Chart

Last summer, I went with my family to the beach. It was fun.

The weather was hot and humid. We ate a lot at a restaurant.The food was delicious. We played volleyball and soccer too.

summerbeach

family

funweather

hothumid

foodrestaurant

deliciouscheap

volleyball

soccer

_________________________________________________. We saw“Bee movie”. It was fun. __________________________________

_________________________________________________________ _______________________________________.

weekendmoviesfriends

Bee movie

Funny

restaurant

chicken

taxi

home




Comparing Used at the pre-or post-writing and reading stages

Effective way to compare words, events, concepts, characters, …

Reduces anxiety of writing complete paragraphs

Creates links to previous learning

Next step: sentences, paragraphs and compositions

COMPARISON MATRIXCOMPARISON MATRIX


VENN DIAGRAMSVENN DIAGRAMS



Story pictures: Narrative writing

Students identify the correct sequence of pictures (if necessary)

Individually, Ss write down their ideas about the story

Students get in pairs or groups and reconstruct the story

VARIATION

Ss identify objects in pictures and list themSs write down one sentence per picture




Classifying with Word WallsIndividually, in pairs or groups

Ss list words about the topic

Pre or post writing activityUsed to introduce writing in otheractivities

ABC-DEF


Topic: Activities in the past

Task: Pair work

1. Make a list of all the verbs they canthink of, put them in the word wall inalphabetical order: main form, simplepast form

3. On their notebooks, Ss write down 10sentences in the past using the verbs onthe list



Vocabulary CardsReinforce and expand languageExpand knowledge on words that interest to students

Project work/Homework




Story MapOrganize instructions and sequence information

Story map: suitable for teaching imperative, sequence

adverbsUsed to summarize texts




Lesson PlanTopic: Daily Habits

Structure: Simple present & sequence adverbsTime: 25 minutes

Task: Ss will write down a composition describing theirdaily habits and routines

Steps:1. Create interest: use pictures, meaningful examples

2. Pre-teach key words: elicit ideas from students, use the board

3. Give students a sample model: Use a Graphic Organizer

4. Students write individually using the GO (10 minutes)

5. Students compare in pairs. Teacher monitors work

6. Homework: 5 vocabulary cards with meaningful vocabulary

7. Students submit their final draft next class8. Monthly project: “Habits Word Wall” in groups of three




Remember Reading and writing involve direct attention to grammar.

However, errors can indicate progressFocus on communication as well as on accuracy

Praise students’ effort and participation in the activities

Promote students exposure to English outside the classroom,this will give them more opportunities to learn thelanguage:

Make a list of shows and movies Ss can watch

Challenge Ss to find written English outside theclassroom

Give Ss lyrics of songs or ask them to bring their favorite

Motivate Ss to read: better readers make better writers




Bibliography

1. Harmer, Jeremy (2004) How to teach writing, Longman

2. Oxford, Rebecca (1990), Language Learning Strategies, What every teacher shouldknow, Heinle & Heinle

3. Martinez, Trina K. et al (2007) A Focused Approach to Teach Language, Systematic

English Language Development, & Language Acquisition Strategies, TESOL 2007Conference

4. Ventriglia, Linda et al (2002) Language Acquisition Strategies, ProfessionalDevelopment Training Program, Santillana

5. Sasson, Doris (February, 2007) Improving ESL Reading Skills

http://esl-programs-lessons.suite101.com/article.cfm/improving_esl_reading_skills6. Sasson, Doris, (February, 2007) Lesson Beginnings, The Need for Planning Short

Activitieshttp://newteachersupport.suite101.com/article.cfm/planning_short_activities

7. Martinez, Trina et al, (2007) A Focused Approach to Teach Language and Marzano’sStrategies, Santillana, Tesol 2007 Conference

8. Niles, Karyn (2007) Developing and Using the Six Traits, Fairfaz County PublicSchool, TESOL 2007 Conference.

9. Helping Students in the Writing Process

10. Schiller, Pam et al (2001) Creating Readers, Strategies for Developing Higher LevelThinking, Gryphon House


http://esl-programs-lessons.suite101.com/article.cfm/improving_esl_reading_skills

http://newteachersupport.suite101.com/article.cfm/planning_short_activities

http://newteachersupport.suite101.com/article.cfm/planning_short_activities

http://esl-programs-lessons.suite101.com/article.cfm/improving_esl_reading_skills

Practical Writing Activities - Mónica Meléndez

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