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Developing The Writing Skill and Error Correction

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Mili Solé
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4 views

Developing The Writing Skill and Error Correction

Uploaded by

Mili Solé
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Developing the writing skill

In written language, communication is one sided, i.e. that there is no interlocutor who can tell
if your message is clear or misunderstood.
The teacher should help learners to pay attention to how language is used and to make
them aware of the features of written language.
The best way to teach writing is to make learners aware of how written language
communicates by means of reading comprehension exercises.

With second language learners whose first language makes use of roman script there will be
no difficulty at the manipulation level. Copy is a good technique to learn notation, it can be
copy from the book (very little spatial distance), from the blackboard (children make more
mistakes because there is a greater spatial distance) and delayed copying (the teacher
writes on the blackboard, children look it up, then she rubs it out and students write it).
It seems more likely that difficulties occur at the structuring stage since intensive pattern
practices do not seem to make it much easier for the learners to write anything except
sentence patterns.
The real difficulty is to be traced at the communication stage.

Writing is difficult because:


-imaginary audience
-different genres which implicate different styles, different structures, different vocabulary
-grammatical accuracy
-pressure of marking

Writing activities:
1-Writing for consolidation, i.e. reinforcement of orally practiced material.

Discrete point exercises, these are exercises in which a certain component of language is
practiced. Examples:
-substitution (complete…)
-transformation (change…)
-combination (combine…)
-addition (add…)
-gap filling exercises (of structures, vocabulary and tenses)

Integrative exercises, these are exercises that force learners to use their overall knowledge
of the language. Examples:
-copying
-dictation (this helps sts to pay attention to spelling)
-dicto comp
-cloze procedure

2-Guided composition work


Carefully graded exercises from the very beginning. From words to sentences and from
sentences to paragraphs.
All writing practice needs a pre- and post- stage which usually involve the other three skills.
In a pre-writing stage, the teacher gives sts something to write about, and sts are provided
with: vocabulary, ideas and concepts and stimulating viewing and listening experiences.
Examples:
-describe a picture
-describe or narrate a sequences of pictures
-summary
-invent a story
-dialogues

Cues on how to write:


-substitution, rewrite with minimal changes
-guided questions
-key words
-outlines (ideas)
-mapping
-incomplete sentences

All forms of guided composition are based on the principle of diminishing predictability, i.e. in
the early stages the composition the pupil will be asked to write wholly predictable. As he
progresses it will become less and less predictable until he reaches the point where he can
tackle free composition. Free composition is an open ended activity in that there is no way of
anticipating what the student will write.

3-Creative writing, writing as a communicative activity


These exercises are more communicative because there is an information gap. They are
more authentic and integrative. Examples:
-filling in forms
-messages
-direction in messages
-shopping lists
-menu for a party
-notices for notice boards

Error correction

When students are writing, motivation plays an important part in the process, students need
to begin the writing process with a certain amount of confidence. The kinds of writing done
will depend to a large extent upon the student’s ages, need and proficiency levels but it is
generally best to begin with short pieces of writing before proceeding to longer ones.

In all writing, students need to concentrate on the process as well as the product. The
writing process usually involves:
● brainstorming for topics of interest
● gathering information
● allowing the info to settle into some sort of overall plan
● putting the words down on paper
● revising
This final stage, revising, is particularly important to the writing process since it provides an
opportunity for the learner to stand back from the work and reflect upon what she or he has
done.
The effective writer will frequently have to pause, go back, reread, rethink and rewrite and he
or she will need some time to reflect on their own and concentrate intensively on the
composition without interference from the teacher or another peer. HELP may be needed
before the actual writing, as in the brainstorming stage, in order to stimulate thinking and
again later, once the student had the chance to work on the piece alone.

When CORRECTING, the teacher or peer teacher can first make some questions or
suggestions in reference to meaning and to stimulate further development of ideas. Students
need to be reminded that errors are perfectly normal during the writing process not only for
L2 students but for native writers as well.

An INDUCTIVE APPROACH is often the most effective way to tackle ERRORS: the teacher
may underline or circle the word or phrase in which the problems appear and ask the
students to try to identify it, instead of crossing out a word and directly correcting it. The
teacher can also guide the student by asking questions such as writing next to a tense error
“when did this occur?” and letting students recognize the mistake. However, some students
may need brief explanations to lead them to a better understanding of their errors.
Error correction can also be handled indirectly in writing just as it is in oral production, and
instead of marking errors the teacher may simply react to what students wrote by repeating
the words that they used but in correct form, for example: if a student writes on a forum “on
Monday my mother is sick” the teacher might respond “I’m sorry your mother was sick”.

Evaluating students
It is a good idea to keep a folder for each student. By keeping individual folders, the ESL
teacher can assess improvement in written skills over whatever length of time constitutes a
grading period. In determining grades, both progress and effort should be important factors.

Ferrero, Milena
Iraola, Guillermina

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