Writing, like all other aspects of language, is communicative. Think about what we write in real life. We write e-mails, lists, notes, covering letters, reports, curriculums, assignments, essays perhaps if we study.
Writing, unlike speaking, is not an ability we acquire naturally, even in our first language - it has to be taught. Unless L2 learners are explicitly taught how to write in the new language, their writing skills are likely to get left behind as their speaking progresses.
Some time ago, I wrote an article about different ways of responding to your students' written work. This present article builds on those ideas and gives suggestions for how students can respond to each other's writings.
Mind maps can be used for a multitude of purposes. This article outlines how they can effectively be used to help support and develop students' writing skills.
This article is about bringing some energy and excitement to the process of writing in the classroom. It's about how to create a writing environment that is 'authentic,' and purposeful.
When teaching large classes of students year after year it can become very difficult to see each student as an individual with individual needs and abilities.
Since writing is primarily about organising information and communicating meaning, generating ideas is clearly going to be a crucial part of the writing process.
There are several ways to approach writing in the classroom. It should be said at the beginning that there is not necessarily any 'right' or 'best' way to teach writing skills.
It is a myth that all it takes to write is to sit down in front of a blank page, to begin at the beginning and write through to the end, with no planning, break, editing, or changes in between.
