MUHAMMAD NAWAZEAL INSTRUCTOR

Strategies for Teaching Writing to Pre-Intermediate Learners

LYDIA MANSEAL INSTRUCTOR

TESL Nova Scotia Conference October 25, 2014

Outline

• Introduction• Common challenges facing pre-Intermediate writers• Using casual talk about students' lives to generate writing• Using action verbs and bringing realia help achieve a writing

task• Working with vocabulary relevant to students' lives to help

students build writing• Focussing the writing task on an audience for a real purpose• Using the writing process in an integrated skills lesson• Using mini whiteboards and pictures for micro-writing

practice

Common Challenges Facing Pre-Intermediate Writers

• Vocabulary• Confidence and content to complete the writing task• Sentence structure • Varying their sentence structure

Using casual talk about students' lives to generate writing

• Weekend talk in post weekend classes• Writing personal headlines • Posting headlines on the bulletin board• A headline might read "A Fun Visit to All Hallows

Eve and Thanks Giving Festival”• Interactive discussion on headlines • Putting stories to writing (personal narrative)• "Headline News" experience helps generate

writing that is focused, detailed, and well ordered

Using action verbs and bringing realia to the class

• Working with action verbs around any practical scenario

• For example, “Cooking at Home” • Action verbs and pictures – matching activity• Reading a recipe with the action verbs made bold• Groups discussion to brainstorm foods that could be

chopped, fried, boiled, etc. • Writing task to generate personal recipes using action

verbs• Other practical topics:

Working with vocabulary relevant to students' lives to help them build writing

• Task-based lesson with new vocabulary more relevant to students' lives

• Active tasks on vocabulary - in pairs and groups • Modify, transform, illustrate, reuse, match with

definitions and check pronunciation• Make extensive use of the dictionary and thesaurus • A follow-up writing task (paragraph/email/

instructions) • Students can be given a task to bring pictures next day

which illustrate new vocabulay

Focussing the writing task on an audience for a real purpose

• Abstract and hypothetical writing tasks are usually challenging

• Writing to a potential audience for a real purpose makes it more achievable

• Brainstorm concrete purpose and audience in groups

• Personalize the topic • Write a short note/email/paragraph in

authentic writing

Using the writing process in an integrated skills lesson

• An integrated skills lesson • Pre-writing group discussions • Reading models and samples, • Listening to people talking about a similar situation • Discussing the topic and taking notes • Writing the first draft• Reviewing and editing with a self-assessment checklist• Peer or group review • Teacher’s feedback and correction in a comfortable

environment• Revised / final draft

Mini Whiteboards

A really quick way to see who’s got it, who doesn’t have a clue, and when to move on.

Sentence Construction• Make a sentence with 7 words about…• Make a sentence with 8 words about….• Make a sentence with 10 words about.... using the

conjunction “but”

Mini-Whiteboards & CardsSubjects :

Verbs:

Time Phrases:

Conjunctions:

Modals:

Questions:

the teacher

invent

all of the children his family

shop think study

in the morning

yesterday Since 2005

neveroftentomorrow

and butbecause despite

when who what

shouldcouldwouldmust

Let’s Practice!

studymy sister at the moment

Let’s Practice!

studyall of the students tomorrow

Where

Let’s Practice!

The English teachers this afternoon so

Let’s Practice!

startemployees

mustbecause

When to use it:

• Preparing for a guest speaker

• Writing a notice (safety, keeping the kitchen clean, email policies) –

What Why

should must

becausewhen if

How

http://bit.ly/10fLCZ8

Task: Write a safety notice for the volunteers working in the library

What nouns, verbs,

and adjectives can be

used to describe this

picture?

Identify 5 unsafe things.

http://intellidatasystems.com/pct/download.shtml

What nouns, verbs,

and adjectives can be

used to describe this

picture?

Identify 4 unsafe things.

Task: You are a landlord of an apartment. Write a notice for your tenants with some safety rules.

When to use it:

• Writing a note/letter/e-mail explaining something (landlord, friend, manager, teacher, neighbour)

• A kijiji ad

If because butwhen

For several years usually If when

What information did they give about the bike?

What verb tenses do you see?

Can you spot any compound or complex sentences?

•

Benefits• Can see immediately who and how many have understood• Students have to negotiate with a partner how to write the

sentence correctly.• Students have to self edit• Immediate and tailored feedback specific to each student’s

needs. • Fun and motivating for students

Summary

• Task-based lessons help students learn structure and vocabulary in context

• Casual talk, focusing on the real audience, action verbs, and realia help students generate writing

• Mini-white boards help students improve their sentence structure

Thank You!