Models and samples as a resource for writing
by Greg Gobel
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Models of planning
A crucial stage in the writing process is planning. This may involve brainstorming ideas, organizing ideas, or discussing ideas with peers (White/Arndt, 1991:33-34). Many learners reach a high level of English, but still struggle with writing because they lack effective planning skills. Teachers can help learners discover useful planning techniques through using a wide range of plan models. Teachers can encourage learners to experiment with both structured (inclusion of nominated headings to help with organization) and unstructured (just the ideas) note taking. But having a scheme or form of organization right at the start may help a writer to produce ideas, whereas a completely opetvended approach.. may offer too much freedom to some students’ (White/Arndt, 1991: 33). Supplying models that show learners the potential of structured planning before writing can help encourage them to take the time to plan, which in my experience learners often overlook when left to their own devices.
Conclusion
For me, the biggest discovery in researching this topic is the Process/Genre approach. Beforehand I had no idea it existed but am now instinctively drawn toward it by its inclusive post-methods approach.
It must be reiterated that using models alone will not help learners to become effective writers. However, I have discovered that using models has several benefits for our learners, including raising awareness of audience, preparing for exams, prompting to plan and assess their writing, analyzing fonn, and exposure to genres, content, language and features of discourse. I have noticed in the reading that models that guide, inform, instruct, or motivate learners need not be shunned, but rather thoughtfully exploited as a useful resource.
Bibliography
• Badger, Richard and Goodith White. 2000. ‘A Process Genre Approach to Teaching Writing’, ELT Journal 54-2-6. Oxford University Press.
• Burgress, Sally. 2001. Advanced Gold Teacher’s Book. Pearson Education Limited.
• Flowerdew, John. 1993. An educational, or process, approach to the teaching of professional genres. ELT Journal . (474-3). Oxford Universily Press.
• Harmr, Jeremy. 2001. The Practice of English Language Teaching. Pearson Education Limited.
• Hedge,Tricia. 1994 (1988). Writing. Oxford University Press.
• Lewis, Michael. 1997. Inplementing the Lexical Approach. LTP.
• May, Peter. 1996. Exam Classes. Oxford Universily Press.
• Nunan, David. 1991. Language Teaching Methodology. Prentice Hall.
• Raimes, Ann. 1983. Techniques in Teaching Writing. Oxford University Press.
• Richards, Jack. 1990. The Language Teaching Matrix. Cambridge University Press.
• Tribble, Christopher. 1996. Writing. Oxford University Press.
• Vince, Michael. 2004. Writing revalued. English Teaching Professional Issue 35,. November 2004.
• White, Ron. 2000. Adapting Grice Ic Maxims in the teaching writing. ELT Journal (55-1-8). Oxford University Press.
• White, Ron and Valerie Arndt. 1991. Process Writing. Longman Group UK Limited.
Also mentioned:
• Rosen, Harold. 1969/1981* Towards a language policy across the curriculum. Language. the Learner, and the School. Penguin.
• Watson, Cynthia B. 1982. The use and misuse of models in the ESL writing class. TESOL quarterly 16,1(1982), 5-14.
*There is a discrepancy in Hedge’s book. On pageS, she mentions Rosen, referring to 1981, but in her bibliography she mentions Rosen, refrningto 1969. In asubsequent search on the internet, 1971 was given as the date ofpublishing for Lannua~e. the Learner, and the SchooL (eg, see http://wac.coloslate.edu/books/language_connections/bibligraphy.pdf)
Biodata
Greg Gobel lives in Madrid both teaching at Chester School of English and as a freelance teacher trainer. He has been an English language teacher since 1997 and a teacher trainer since 2000. After more than 7 years in Prague, Greg moved to Madrid in autumn, 2004. Greg holds the RSA/UCLES DELTA. You can contact Greg at gobelgj @hotmail.com . |
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