1. Speech vs. Writing
Writing and speech are two different general registers. They are similar because both represent the use of a language and can express similar ideas. However, dramatic differences exist between writing and speech: 1) Writing often does not equal to speech scripts. Written works utilize different lexicon and syntax and are used to fulfill different functions. It is important for teachers of writing to appreciate the uniqueness of different writing systems and processes because this knowledge can enlighten instructional design. Students need to be made aware of register differences in writing by activating their content, cultural, and linguistic schemata. It is also important for students to realize that writing is essentially different from speech; and therefore, it is a whole new skill to learn about in a second language context.
2. Challenges in L2 Writing
The biggest challenge that I have seen in L2 writers is the ability of fully express their thoughts, and this is more true for beginning writers than for advanced writers. Many L2 writers, especially Arabic L1 speakers, are much better in talking about their ideas than in writing them down. This might have to do with the oral tradition of Arabic culture. Students from other cultural backgrounds also have trouble recording their thoughts in English writing, and they may quite possibly result to direct translation or insert unknown words they locate in a bilingual dictionary.
3. Preparing for an L2 Writing Course
Before I teach an L2 writing course, I always take some time at the beginning to conduct a survey. I ask questions regarding students’ past writing experiences, their L1 background, the strengths and weaknesses as they see in their own writing, as well as things they wish to learn from my class. Depending on the population, I find having an open discussion during the first week of class is sometimes more effective than asking students to complete the survey in written form. A follow-up activity could be asking students to summarize the key ideas in the class discussion in an email message and send to me as a homework.
In terms of selecting texts, I always take the students’ focus of learning into consideration. For example, the Intensive English Program I worked for previously uses a content-based curriculum. A new subject area is adopted each term, e.g., business, astronomy, fine arts, etc. When selecting writing course materials, I always keep in mind that these materials have to fall into the specific content area of the students’ CORE class.
The ways of delivering writing instruction differ among instructors. To me, it is important to have lots of scaffolding activities at the beginning and gradually release the responsibility to students. A typical activity I do in my writing class is to discuss organizational patterns. I like to demonstrate the use of graphic organizers, which are different flow charts that help to organize the content of an essay. I always show at least one graphic organizer example to the students using a sample essay. After that, students are asked to complete more graphic organizers on paragraph or essay structure based on the sample essay. Finally, they are encouraged to design their own graphic organizers for the writing project they are working on. In addition, students can do a follow-up activity in their peer review group and compare the graphic organizers they draw for their own essay and those drawn by their peer reviewers.
The following website provides more inforamtion on generating graphic organizers: http://my.hrw.com/nsmedia/intgos/html/igo.htm
4. Knowledge about the Institution/Context
Knowing the institutional context is equally important to knowing one’s students. Logistical issues can quite possibly hinder a good teaching practice, if one is not oriented towards the institutional culture and practice. The following is a list of necessary preparations to know one’s institutional context before teaching a writing class:
1) How many students are there in the entire level; how many sections and who’s teaching each section; who can you turn to for advice/help?
2) Where’s your classroom? Is there a class right before/after your class? Get to know the teacher teaching in the same room. What types of technology are available in your classroom? Is everything that you want to use working well? Do you have enough chairs and space for every one?
3) Get acquainted with the campus calendar and program calendar. Take note of relevant campus/program events that you might make connection to your writing class. (This would be ideal for extra credit projects if you decide to give any.)
4) Where can students print their papers? How much is the charge per page? Depending on the convenience and cost, you might want to opt for electronic submission. But having hard copies in classrooms for peer review activities still needs to be a requirement. If you are teaching in a computer lab, you can pretty much do everything online and without sacrificing trees!
5) Get to know the library inside out. Find out at least one librarian you can connect with and take your class for a training lesson in using the library database. After a few rounds, you are pretty well-trained in using all the cool things that your library has to offer.
6) Whenever you have something grade-related, take extra caution. Discuss and share ideas with your fellow teachers. It’s ideal but sometimes not possible to come up with the same exact grading guidelines, but it’s worth trying and can save many potential troubles later on.
Writing and speech are two different general registers. They are similar because both represent the use of a language and can express similar ideas. However, dramatic differences exist between writing and speech: 1) Writing often does not equal to speech scripts. Written works utilize different lexicon and syntax and are used to fulfill different functions. It is important for teachers of writing to appreciate the uniqueness of different writing systems and processes because this knowledge can enlighten instructional design. Students need to be made aware of register differences in writing by activating their content, cultural, and linguistic schemata. It is also important for students to realize that writing is essentially different from speech; and therefore, it is a whole new skill to learn about in a second language context.
2. Challenges in L2 Writing
The biggest challenge that I have seen in L2 writers is the ability of fully express their thoughts, and this is more true for beginning writers than for advanced writers. Many L2 writers, especially Arabic L1 speakers, are much better in talking about their ideas than in writing them down. This might have to do with the oral tradition of Arabic culture. Students from other cultural backgrounds also have trouble recording their thoughts in English writing, and they may quite possibly result to direct translation or insert unknown words they locate in a bilingual dictionary.
3. Preparing for an L2 Writing Course
Before I teach an L2 writing course, I always take some time at the beginning to conduct a survey. I ask questions regarding students’ past writing experiences, their L1 background, the strengths and weaknesses as they see in their own writing, as well as things they wish to learn from my class. Depending on the population, I find having an open discussion during the first week of class is sometimes more effective than asking students to complete the survey in written form. A follow-up activity could be asking students to summarize the key ideas in the class discussion in an email message and send to me as a homework.
In terms of selecting texts, I always take the students’ focus of learning into consideration. For example, the Intensive English Program I worked for previously uses a content-based curriculum. A new subject area is adopted each term, e.g., business, astronomy, fine arts, etc. When selecting writing course materials, I always keep in mind that these materials have to fall into the specific content area of the students’ CORE class.
The ways of delivering writing instruction differ among instructors. To me, it is important to have lots of scaffolding activities at the beginning and gradually release the responsibility to students. A typical activity I do in my writing class is to discuss organizational patterns. I like to demonstrate the use of graphic organizers, which are different flow charts that help to organize the content of an essay. I always show at least one graphic organizer example to the students using a sample essay. After that, students are asked to complete more graphic organizers on paragraph or essay structure based on the sample essay. Finally, they are encouraged to design their own graphic organizers for the writing project they are working on. In addition, students can do a follow-up activity in their peer review group and compare the graphic organizers they draw for their own essay and those drawn by their peer reviewers.
The following website provides more inforamtion on generating graphic organizers: http://my.hrw.com/nsmedia/intgos/html/igo.htm
4. Knowledge about the Institution/Context
Knowing the institutional context is equally important to knowing one’s students. Logistical issues can quite possibly hinder a good teaching practice, if one is not oriented towards the institutional culture and practice. The following is a list of necessary preparations to know one’s institutional context before teaching a writing class:
1) How many students are there in the entire level; how many sections and who’s teaching each section; who can you turn to for advice/help?
2) Where’s your classroom? Is there a class right before/after your class? Get to know the teacher teaching in the same room. What types of technology are available in your classroom? Is everything that you want to use working well? Do you have enough chairs and space for every one?
3) Get acquainted with the campus calendar and program calendar. Take note of relevant campus/program events that you might make connection to your writing class. (This would be ideal for extra credit projects if you decide to give any.)
4) Where can students print their papers? How much is the charge per page? Depending on the convenience and cost, you might want to opt for electronic submission. But having hard copies in classrooms for peer review activities still needs to be a requirement. If you are teaching in a computer lab, you can pretty much do everything online and without sacrificing trees!
5) Get to know the library inside out. Find out at least one librarian you can connect with and take your class for a training lesson in using the library database. After a few rounds, you are pretty well-trained in using all the cool things that your library has to offer.
6) Whenever you have something grade-related, take extra caution. Discuss and share ideas with your fellow teachers. It’s ideal but sometimes not possible to come up with the same exact grading guidelines, but it’s worth trying and can save many potential troubles later on.
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