Writing techniques used in classroom

TECHNIQUES USED TO TEACH : WRITING SENTENCES: In this part, I’m going to describe the techniques used to teach the students to write sentences separately.. The teacher gives a list of se

PART I: PREFACE

1 REASON FOR CHOOSING THE SUBJECT :

Nowadays, how to teach English successfully in general, and writing skill in particular, has been studied a lot by experts and teachers I realize that for the last few years, many teachers (including me some years ago) have still found it difficult to teach writing effectively although they have tried much As everyone knows, among the four basic skills, for the students, writing is a very important one because it can lay the foundation of others These thoughts have made me start to research on various writing techniques (which I will introduce below) and have tried to adapt them successfully for teaching my students

2 AIMS OF THE SUBJECT :

I’d like to introduce various techniques used in teaching writing which I have ever adapted successfully For each technique, I’m going to introduce the following points:

1 Procedure: How to use the technique.

2 Language: What languages or what kinds of exercise are suitable for the

technique?

3 Stage(s) of teaching: At what stage(s) of the lesson can the technique be used?

4 Level(s): What level(s) is the technique suitable for?

5 Examples: Give example(s) to demonstrate the technique Some of these

examples are taken from the textbook and some are created by me

3 METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE WORK :

I have referred to a lot of special materials (and also with my own experience) to research on many techniques in teaching writing I have ever attended a lot of workshops and, of course, I have got a lot of information about teaching writing I also have had to spend many years trying to apply these techniques in my real classes until I see what I do in my classes is successful as I expect

4 TIME OF CARRYING OUT THE WORK :

I started to carry out the work in September, 2002 and since then I have constantly adapted what I have researched on

PART II: CONTENT

In order to motivate the students as well as to teach writing effectively, we should use different techniques with different levels of language according to the students’ ability I’m going to present a variety of techniques from the simplest techniques to the most difficult ones

I TECHNIQUES USED TO TEACH : WRITING SENTENCES:

In this part, I’m going to describe the techniques used to teach the students to write sentences separately

1 Put the words in order:

a Procedures:

The teacher gives the students sentences with words in the wrong order The teacher asks the students to put them in the correct order to make complete sentences

b Language: This technique is especially helpful in practising grammatical structures

in the textbooks

c Stages of teaching: We can use this technique at the stage of controlled practice or

post-practice or in testing the students

d Levels: All levels.

e Examples: Here are some examples:

1 interesting / to find / country / we / live / it / in / the

We find it interesting to live in the country

2 travel / world / wish / around / I / the / I / could

I wish I could travel around the world

3 left / used / on / they / not / the / driving / are / to

They are not used to driving on the left

* The teacher can make it easier for the students if he gives the first word

beginning with a capital letter:

Example:

last / have / up / He / stayed / night / must / late

 He must have stayed up late last night

2 Answer the questions:

a Procedures:

-The teacher gives the students a text or a dialogue to read first

-The teacher puts the questions about the text or the dialogue on the

blackboard (or just reads the questions after the students read the text or the

dialogue)

-The students read the text or the dialogue (or just listen to the teacher) and

write answers to the questions

b Language: This technique is mainly used for dealing with a text or a dialogue.

c Stages of teaching: We use this technique at the stage of While-Reading.

d Levels: We can use this technique for all levels But it is best for the beginners

because they are supposed to practise writing complete sentences at first And,

of course, WH-questions are the most suitable.

e Examples: Here are 2 examples:

1 Carol Stuard is a good student She is studying chemistry She can play the

piano and the guitar very well She is a very good cook and swimmer She

speaks Russian and French perfectly She is beautiful, too

-The teacher gives questions:

a) What is Carol Stuard doing?

b) What can she play?

c) What languages does she speak? …

-The students are supposed to write the full answers like this:

a) She is studying chemistry

b) She can play the piano and the guitar very well

c) She speaks Russian and French

2 BEFORE THE LECTURE

Student A: Do you live in the hostel?

B: No, I don’t I live in a flat in Watford

A: How far is it to college?

B: It’s about 5 miles

A: How do you get here?

B: I usually go by train, sometimes I cycle

A: Really? Do you ever go by bus?

B: No, never It’s very slow

-The Teacher gives questions:

a) Where does student B live?

b) How does student B usually go to college?

-The students are supposed to write the full answers like this:

a) The student B lives in a flat in Watford

b) The student B usually goes to college by train

3 Complete the sentences:

a Procedures: The teacher gives the students sentences with words missing

They must put the correct words with the correct form in the empty spaces:

b Language: This technique can be used for various language of practice, such

as prepositions, articles, lexical words, grammatical structures, etc

c Stages of teaching: We can use this technique at the stage of cotrolled

practice or post-practice

d Levels: All levels.

e Examples: Here are some kinds of exercise:

1 A few words can fill all the empty spaces This kinds of exercise is used to

practise a/an or the; some, any etc.; prepositions etc The missing words can

be given at the beginning of the exercise:

* Example 1: Put SOME or ANY in the spaces in the following sentences:

a Do you want ……… food here?

b There are ……… books on the table

c At the moment, he doesn’t have ……… money

d Have you got ……… eggs here?

e You haven’t got ……… new clothes, but I have ………

* Example 2: Fill in each gap with SO, SUCH, SO MANY, SO MUCH:

a It was ………a hot day yesterday that we went for a walk for 2 hours

b She has ………money that she can buy everything she wants

c That singer has ………a agreeable voice

d There are ………stars in the sky that we can’t count them

e The book is ………thick that I can’t finish it in two hours

f Why have you got ……… furniture?

g I have ………work to do that I can’t go to bed early

h It is ………a difficult question that no one can answer it

i Doctor Simon has ………patients that he is always busy

j The boy is ………intelligent that everyone admires him

2 Each missing word is given but the learners must use the correct form This

type of exercise is used to practise tense, verb form, singular / plural, word

form etc

* Example 1: Give the correct form (singular / plural) of the words in brackets:

a There is a (boy) ……… in the room

b My (pen) ……… are on the table

c Are there 40 (pupil) ……… in your classroom?

* Example 2: Give the correct tense of the verbs in brackets:

a When I (arrive) ……… at the station yesterday, the train (go) ………

b It began to rain while we (play) ……… in the garden

c She always (buy) ………… fish for meal whenever she (go) ………to market

d What ………… you (do) ……… when I (come) ……… to your house tomorrow?

e I (not/ hear) ……… of him since I (meet) ……… him 5 years ago

f He thinks he (become) ……… a doctor when he (grow) ……… up

* Example 3: Give the correct form of the words in brackets:

a His hard study (able) ……… him to become a headmaster

b We’ll (rich) ……… our vocabulary if we read English books every day

c Vietnam has become a/an (depend) ……… country since April 30th , 1975

d I wish you could hear some of the (speak) ……… there

e Money as well as fame can’t bring you (happy) ………

f Don’t be so (patient) ……… We have been waiting only a few minutes

g Her parents (courage) ……… her to become a doctor

* Example 4: Give the correct verb form:

a Ann likes (cook) ……… but hates (wash) ………up

b When you see Tom, remember (give) ………him my regards

c My watch keeps (stop) ………

d do you plan (go) ……… out or (stay) ……… at home this weekend?

e They postponed (build) ………an elementary school for lack of finance

f Tom refused (give) ………me his address

3 The teacher gives a list of sentences with gaps, and a list of words The

teacher asks the students to fill in each gap This exercise becomes more

difficult if the teacher gives more words than gaps

* Example 1: Fill in each gap with a suitable word from the list given:

astronaut weightless foundation launched solar

discovery gravity champion escaped orbiting

a The ………of X- rays changed the history of medicine

b Neil Armstrong was the first ……… who stepped on the moon

c Astronaut ………the earth in space capsules are ………

d ……… is the pull of the earth

e The earth and the moon belong to the ………system

f The United States ………its first weather satellite in 1959

g A ………high jumper can jump only seven and a half feet off the ground

h The builders have only just started to lay the ……… of the new school

i A lion ………from its cage at Bristol zoo last night

* Example 2: Fill in each gap with a suitable word/phrase from the list given (there are more words than the gaps):

gesture alone quit shake hands welcome partner smokers make a point dance relaxed eat out introduced starts

a “Home ………” has been a very popular film in our neighborhood

b When I came to Vietnam, he ………me to his boss

c In this restaurant, there is a section reserved for ………

d We always ……… of trying to make our guests feel comfortable

e The Vietnamese women rarely ………when they are introduced to

someone

f Jane is a quiet girl She seldom ………a conversation at a social

meeting

g My father has coughed for a few days and he has decided to …………smoking

h We were very impressed by the nice ………of his hostess

i We like the ………atmosphere of our home in the evening

j I appreciate his dancing ………at the party last night

4 The teacher gives a list of sentences with gaps but doesn’t give the missing

words so the students must supply them themselves A pattern can be given

to help the students

* Example: Subject + verb + object +To-infinitive…

I allowed them to use my house

a My parents advise ………

b We recommend ………

c He permits ………

5 The teacher gives a list sentences with gaps At each gap there is a choice of

4 words The students must choose the best word:

* Example:

1 Either you or he ……… wrong

2 The doctor with the nurses ………exhausted after the operation

3 Each boy and each girl ……… has a book

4 Writing a lot of letters ……… her tired

5 John as well as Mary ……… very kind

4 Replace the words:

a Procedures: The teacher gives the students some sentences and asks them to replace some of the words in the sentences with other words:

b Language: This technique helps practise using vocabulary (synonyms)

c Stages of teaching: This technique can be used at the stage of post-practice (after presenting new words or a structure or after reading a text).

d Levels: All levels.

e Examples: Here are some kinds of exercises for this technique:

1.The teacher gives some sentences with some underlined words and a list of

words which are used to replace the underlined words in the sentences This

exercise is more difficult if there are more words in the list than the underlined words in the sentences:

* Example:

grateful stay out of pick me up accept disappointed

a He has promised to come and take me along at 6 p.m

b I’m very happy to get your invitation to your party next week

c When you have flu, you should keep away from your friends at school

d His parents were not pleased with his results

e We are very thankful to you all for your help

2.The words which should be replaced are underlined The students must find

the new words by themselves:

* Example:

a English is not the private possession of any nation

b In this class girls are greater in number than boys

c In Malaysia, lecturers us English to speak to their students

d They were concerned with the riot last year

e English provides the ready way to world scholarship and world trade

f There are a lot of countries speaking English as their first language

g When the plane comes near the airport, the pilots use English to ask for

landing instructions

h The pilot managed to put the plane down safely

i Last week I was asked if I would like to go to a dancing hall

j I was totally tired and worn out after the football match

k I want you to come here without any delay

l He was very sorry for the way they behaved

m Many people told beforehand that Kohn F Kennedy would be assassinated

n Two cars drove into one another at a crossroads this morning

o “I am frightened,” she said in a low voice

3 The words which should be replaced are underlined The new words for each sentence are given at the end of the sentence The students must put them in

the correct place:

* Example:

a I usually go by train (every day)

b He goes to school with his girlfriend every morning ( always)

c I play volleyball once or twice a month (sometimes)

d I don’t smoke at all (never)

4 The words which should be replaced are underlined Under the sentence, there

is a list of words Some of these words can replace the underlined word Some

of them cannot because of the grammar The students must circle the words

which can replace the underlined word:

* Example:

a They encouraged me to study harder

( told advised allowed let agreed stopped)

b The police don’t allow you to park here

( ask permit show help know)

c They chose him to be manager

(selected picked out wanted made preferred)

5.Change the sentence:

a Procedures: The teacher gives the students some sentences and asks them to

rewrite them making certain changes

b Language: This technique is usually used to practise a lot of grammatical

structures in the textbook

c Stages of teaching: This technique can be used at the stages of

practice and post practice

d Levels: All levels.

e Examples: Here are some examples:

* Example 1: Rewrite the following sentences using the simple past tense:

1.He likes drinking tea in the morning

2.They don’t go to school

3.Do you want that shirt?

4.I am at home

5.Are you a teacher?

6.He isn’t a good pupil

* Example 2: Rewrite the following sentences, beginning with the word(s) given,

but don’t change the meaning:

1.I don’t write to him because I don’t know his address

If ………

2.Listen to me carefully or you don’t understand the instructions

If ……… 3.I came home late last night, so I didn’t meet my old friends

If ……… 4.Unless you work hard, you’ll fail the exams

If ………

5 “Why hasn’t Peter phoned?” she wondered

She wondered ………

6 I have never read such a romantic story

This is ………

7 We started cooking for the party four hours ago

We have ………

8 I’m afraid I haven’t got enough time to listen to you

I wish ………

9 The police have just released John

John ………

10 I lent my car to that man

That’s ………

* Example 3: Rewrite the following sentences, using the word given brackets (this word mustn’t be changed), but don’t change the meaning:

1 Mr Watson managed to repair the garage roof only because his neighbor helped him

(WITHOUT)

2 Everyone but Jane failed to produce the correct answer

(SUCCEEDED)

3 We’d better leave him a note, because it’s possible they’ll arrive later

(CASE)

4 The company has decided to replace this model

(INTENTION)

5 The two theories appear to be completely different

(COMMON)

6 We ought to be on our way now, it’s getting late

(TIME)

7 His holiday is at the same time as mine

(COINCIDES)

8 It was very kind of you to help me

(GRATEFUL)

6.Join the sentences:

a Procedure: The pupils are given pairs of sentences They must join together

the two sentences to make one sentence

b Language: This technique is used to practise conjunctions, adjective + stems,

relative clauses, etc

c Stages of teaching: This technique can be used at the stage of controlled

practice

d Levels: All levels

e Examples: Here are some examples used with this technique:

Join these pairs of sentences, using the words in brackets:

1.It was raining heavily We went hunting

(Although)

2.I had lived in the North for 5 years I moved here

(before)

3.He can’t play football well He can’t play volleyball well, either

(neither ……… nor ………)

4.Lan has a nice voice Everybody likes it

(such ………… that …………)

5.They produce a lot of paper They need a lot of wood pulp

(The more ………… the more……)

6.The air is too polluted We can’t breathe

(so ……… that)

7.The concert was boring It was true

(that)

8.My mother went to market She wanted to buy some food

(so that)

9.She was busy She never had time to watch TV

(so)

10.Arthur is not in class today He is ill

(because)

11.She is still young She can’t marry you

(too)

12.The recorder was broken yesterday I bought the recorder two months ago (which)

13.I need to get a part time job I want to earn more money for my school

expenses

(in order to)

14.The driver was injured in the accident The passengers were injured in the

accident, too

(Both ……… and ………)

15.I know he bought a coat Did he buy a new pairs of shoes, too?

(Yes …… not only …… but also……)

16.Your sister will meet you at the airport, or your brother will meet you there

(either…… or……)

17.The old man has died You were talking to me about him

(whom)

7 Substitution table:

a Procedure: The teacher gives the pupils a substitution table and the pupils can

write sentences from this table

b Language: This technique can be used to practise verbal patterns This

technique gives the pupils the chance to practise making correct sentences,

and to see different words that can be in each place in the sentence

c Stages of teaching: This technique can be used for post-practice.

d Levels: All levels.

e Examples:

1 2 3 4

I thought nothing was important

People rumor that he lives abroad

She said she can’t live without him

We decided ……… ……… ………

8 Follow the model:

a Procedure: The teacher gives the students a pattern and a list of words The

teacher asks the students to use the words to make sentences that follow the

same pattern as the model

b Language: This technique can be used to practise grammar, such as patterns of

verbs, adjectives, etc

c Stages of teaching: This technique can be used for post-practice.

d Levels: All levels.

e Example: They let me go out.

made she heard us he sing me laugh

9 Look and write:

a Procedure: The teacher performs an action, or shows the students a picture of

a real object and asks the students to write a sentence/sentences to describe

what they see

b Language: This technique can be used for descriptive language.

c Stages of teaching: This technique can be used as a game for WARM-UP

activities or at the end of the period to interest the students

d Levels: All levels.

10.Ten perfect sentences:

a Procedure: The teacher shows the students a picture or suggests a subject, such

as “your school”, “my hometown” etc., The teacher asks the students to write

ten separate sentences about that In order to motivate them, the teacher will

give one mark for each correct sentence

b Language: This technique can be used for descriptive language and practising

grammar

c Stages of teaching: For free practice

d Levels: All levels.

e Examples:

*Example 1: Write ten separate sentences to describe the man in the picture: