Teaching (Writing) Strategies to Help the ESL Student Organize Their Thinking

 

Create a Topic Board – record topics students talk about.  Post the notes where they can be seen

Provide Time for Discussion Before Writing – Ask students to talk about their topics with each other student. Or start a class discussion, writing important words on the board. This lets the ESL students look at and rehearse the English needed to express their thoughts.

 

 Graphically  Organize – A multi-part organizer helps writers think about their stories in sequence as they use key words in writing. Storyboards, and other linear "chain of events" graphics are ways the teacher can help them learn writing. 

  

Ask Students to Make Illustrations – Drawing is a way to organize thoughts. Drawing can help bridge the conversation between writer and the audience.

 

Provide the ESL Student With a Real Audience

Establish a Writers’ Roundtable - Ask students to read their work and hear their work read by other members of the class.Sharing with classmates is a way to reflect on one’s own writing.

Encourage ESL Students to Write Letters – Students can write to family members.

 

 

Kimberly is a linguist and taught ESL for 25 years. She is an editor for ESL scholars.

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