Related+Questions+&+Answers+on+the+teaching+of+Writing

=WEEK 7A – Teaching Writing- The Importance of Grammar and Vocabulary in Reading =  Butler-Pascoe, M.E. & Wiburg, K.M (2003). //Technology and Teaching English Language Learners//. Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 5: //Using Technology to Teach Readubg Skills//, pages 137 to 153:

1. What is writing? Writers have schemata in mind about the content and form of their writing as they compose and revise their mental and written drafts of the text. Writing is complicated, interactive, and recrusive process in which the writer is engaged.

2. Describe brifely the 4 apparoaches to teaching second language writing, according to Raimes (1991): (a) Focus on Form (138-143) Proponents of form-focused instruction point studies that indicate that students who recieve grammar instruction progress at a more accelerated pace than those following a natural acquisition path and that form -focused instruction is instrumental in improving the learner's grammatical accuracy. Form-focused instruction includes practice in recognizing and using basic elements of well-written essays, such as introductory and concluding paragraphs, topic sentences, supporting details, and transitions. Form-focusd instructions and corrective feedback provided within the context of communicative interaction can contribute positively to 2nd langauge development in both the short and long term.

( b) Focus on the Writer and the Writing Process (143-150) Teachers allowed time for pre-writing activities, inclyding brainstorming and brofging to students' background knowledge, before students began to compose. Students were encouraged to write mutliple drafts, communicate with authetic audiences, share feedback with peers, and publish their writing in one of numerous forms. Technology also plays a vital role in this partiuclar approach, it enhances in terms of providing both collaborative writing opportunities and individualised skill development using computer-based programes. There are a variety of activities and opporunities students have to also save and learn via using technology methods such as electronic whiteboards or smart boards. There are also a whole range of software that can be used according to what programe best suits the students need and necessities. Providing students with types of writing activities as ssuggested above, does not only improve English learner's writing but also promotes other aspects of 2nd langauge acquisition, these showed significant improvement un student writing skills and control over targeted grammatical forms.

(c) Focus on the Content (150-151) Most theorists have mentioned that the demonstration of the need for students to develop cognitive academic language profeciency required for success to develop cognitive academic langauge proficiency required for success in subject matter cources. Research has also shown that for English langauge learners of all ages, literature serves as rich content for langauge development. Literature serves as a model for good writing and reflects the culture of the target lanaguage. Subject matter softwarre to enhance langauge skills and develop content knowledge. Such characteristics include;. - Incoporate some combinatioin of audio,video, and graphics to support comprehension - Stimulate crotical thinking through problem solving tasks. - Use easily identifiable icons for easy navigation of the program - Are not heavily dependent on text. Examples of such softwares are called, //Oregon Trail **.**// Students are engaged in critical thinking while doing cross-curriculm tasks with math and social sciences. In addition other softwares that can be also used for students needs are the WWW which offers a variety of unlimited sources for students to guide themselves through especially with news reports, online encyclopedias and more.

(d) Focus on the Reader (152-153) The reader is not just an individual, but rather the larger academic duscourse community into which the writer will become socialised. ESL teachers typically develop theme-based lessons that practice various rhetorical forms and assist students in the development of academic writing skills that are transferable across the curriculum, essay genres such as compare and contrast, giving instructions, persuation, and cause and effect. Electronic discussion groups make it possible for students to engage in that langauge of a common discilpine as they discuss issues in their fields of interest.