Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education

Secondary Teacher’s Intensive Program, June 3rd – July 2nd, 2010

1. COURSE INFORMATION
Course Title: Essay Writing
Instructors: Christian Poon gifle.writing.christian@gmail.com
Darren Ng gifle.writing.darren@gmail.com
Course Website: www.giflewriting.pbworks.com
ETS Criterion: http://criterion.ets.org

2. COURSE DESCRIPTION
The Writing module introduces students to the four-step writing process of
pre-writing, writing, editing, and sharing in essay writing. Additionally, students will learn
why writing is both a necessary communicative and reflective skill critical to their on-
going development as educators.

As trainees gain more confidence, experience, and skill, it is hoped that students will experience the
unique joy that comes from crafting writing that is sincere, passionate, and meaningful.

3. COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Trainees will improve their proficiency in English essay writing through various individual and
group writing activities, web-publishing, and conference session with their instructor. By the end
of the course, trainees should be able to independently produce a formal essay (of at least five
paragraphs) comparable to a paper written by a first year university student from a native English
speaking country.

2. As a secondary focus, trainees will also explore ways they can adapt the writing strategies taught
in class to their own classroom environments through group discussions and sharing sample
secondary writing activities.

1
 Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education
Secondary Teacher’s Intensive Program, June 3rd – July 2nd, 2010

4. STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

Students are expected to assume the identity of an emerging writer.

Therefore, we expect our students to…

…come to class on time (at least 5 min before the bell)
…work well in a team environment.
…be diligent in their work.
…be patient with themselves, their classmates, and their instructors.
…be enthusiastic in their attitude towards learning.
…be open-minded when they experience something new.
…be helpful in their relations with others.
…be persistent in difficulty.
…be eager to share what they have learned both at GIFLE at their home schools.

We hope that our students will…

…constantly improve their skills as writers and teachers.
…not compare themselves to fellow trainees, but to how much they have improved since they first started.

2
 Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education
Secondary Teacher’s Intensive Program, June 3rd – July 2nd, 2010

5. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Students will be required to complete a formal essay on a topic approved by the instructor and a “Show
and Tell” presentation.

In addition, students will be asked to complete various additional assignments that will help them prepare
for their weekly writing focus. Assigned homework is due at the beginning of the class of the date
indicated on the course schedule in print format. Students must also email their writing task assignments
to their instructor and save their work on a USB memory stick device.

Class Assignment Point Assignment to be

Value returned by
due
1 N/A N/A N/A
2 Review course syllabus N/A
“Getting To Know You” survey N/A Class 3
Select your essay topic N/A
3 ETS Criterion Login N/A
Prewriting Exercise Class 4
Part of final essay
4 Write your Introduction paragraph Immediately
mark
First draft of essay is due by your consultation date following your
consultation
5 N/A N/A N/A
6 Essay Final Draft is due 80 Class 8
Show and Tell presentation 25
7 “About Me” section on PBWorks Immediately

Upload your essay to PBWorks Participation Marks

8 N/A N/A N/A

N/A = Not Available

3
 Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education
Secondary Teacher’s Intensive Program, June 3rd – July 2nd, 2010

6. EVALUATION

Section Marks Description

Trainees will submit a 500-750 word essay that includes

significant revisions based on their own editing, peer and
Major Essay 80 instructor consultation feedback.

(See assignment handout for more details)

Trainees will select a writing activity, then demonstrate and

Show and Tell discuss how it can be applied to their own English classroom.
25
Presentation
(See handout for more details)

Trainees will receive up to ten extra points for extra

contributions that benefit the classroom community.
Classroom
10
Contributions E.g. relevant articles, writing activity ideas, “Word of the Day”
contributions, curriculum posters, resources for class website,
etc.

Participation 5 For basic attendance and participation.

Total: 120 Marks

4
 Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education
Secondary Teacher’s Intensive Program, June 3rd – July 2nd, 2010

7. COURSE SCHEDULE

Session 1: Welcome to Writing Class!

Aims
1. To introduce trainees to the writing module, their instructor, and each other.
2. For trainees to reflect upon “Why is writing important?” in their role as EFL educators.
3. To acknowledge common barriers many Korean EFL teachers face when trying to write.
4. To identify helpful attitudes that will help their writing become more enjoyable and effective.
5. To introduce links between writing, reading, and listening.

Class Schedule Assignments

1. Trainee Introductions 1. Complete the “Getting to Know You”
2. The Pile Game: Why is writing important? survey.
3. Course administration 2. Choose your essay topic.
4. Introduce the GIFLE Writing website 3. Review Course Syllabus.
5. Overview of major essay assignment

Session 2: The 4-Step Writing Process

Aims
1. Trainees will be introduced to their major writing assignment: composing a formal essay.
2. Trainees will learn how to use the 4-Step Writing Process (Prewriting, Writing, Editing, and Sharing) to develop more
effective essays.
3. Using examples of pre-writing for reference, trainees will create their own Pre-writing webs.

Class Schedule Assignments

1. The 4-Steps of Writing: An Overview 1. ETS Criterion login
2. Prewriting for an essay 2. Pre-writing for your essay
3. Formatting your essay properly 3. Sign-up for your conference
4. ETS Criterion login and Introduction
5. End of week reflection

5
 Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education
Secondary Teacher’s Intensive Program, June 3rd – July 2nd, 2010

Session 3: Essay Structure

Aims
1. Trainees will be able to identify the components of effective paragraphs and essays and reproduce these elements in
their own writing.
2. Trainees will learn how to develop effective Topic Sentences, Supporting Details, and Concluding
3. Sentences for a “Body Paragraph”, by using relevant student samples and referring to their Prewriting work.
4. Trainees will also learn how to write an effective Conclusion paragraph that reflects the “Introduction” paragraph by
using relevant student samples and referring to their Prewriting work.
5. Trainees will use the above skills to re-order the components of a “mixed-up” sample essay.
6. By showing various examples, trainees will learn how to compose their own Hooks for their ”Introduction.”

Class Schedule Assignments

1. Components of an effective paragraph and essay 1. Compose an “Introduction” paragraph
2. “Mixed Up” Essay Re-Ordering Exercise (with Hook and Thesis)
3. How to write a good Hook 2. Sign-up for your conference
4. How to write a good Thesis
5. ETS Criterion: website overview

Session 4: Thesis Formula, English 101, Editing & Sharing

Aims
1. By introducing students to the Thesis Formula and relevant samples, trainees will learn how to
construct their own Thesis statements for their “Introduction” paragraph.
2. Trainees will identify and correct common grammatical, stylistic, and formatting errors that beginning Korean EFL
writers often encounter through a group activity called, “English 101: Dos and Don’ts in English Academic
Writing.”
3. Trainees will gain a better understanding of the importance of editing their own writing and learn Editting
strategies through in-class discussion and editing time.

Class Schedule Assignments

1. In-class sharing: your Hooks and Thesis sentences 1. Compose “Body” paragraphs and a
2. Using the “Thesis Formula” “Conclusion” paragraph.
3. English Writing 101: Dos & Don’ts in English Academic 2. First draft of your Essay (Introduction,
Writing Body, and Conclusion) is due by your
4. Why is editing important? consultation date.
5. In-class editing time 3. Sign-up for your conference

6
 Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education
Secondary Teacher’s Intensive Program, June 3rd – July 2nd, 2010

Session 5: Referencing, Flow, Editing and Sharing

Aims
1. Trainees will learn the importance of referencing outside sources to strengthen their writing by using the MLA
referencing format.
2. Trainees will learn how to use linking words and various bridging techniques to create more coherent and cohesive
writing (flow) by completing an in-class worksheet in groups.
3. To increase trainee proficiency in creating flow, trainees will be introduced to the Linking Words Resource Pack.

Class Schedule Assignments

1. Introduction to referencing 1. Edit your paper using the strategies we

2. Creating Flow using Linking Words learned in class.

3. In-Class editing and sharing time 2. Ensure you have scheduled a Consultation
date with your instructor
4. Group time to work on your Show and Tell
3. After your conference, complete the final
5. Mid-course Reflection
draft of your essay.

Session 6: Web Publishing

Aims
1. Trainees will learn how to web-publish their writing pieces using PB Works.
2. Trainees will publish their completed essays and their “Show and Tell” writing activity examples on their newly created
PB Works page.
3. Trainees will compose a brief biographical introduction, entitled, “About Me” for their PB Works page.

Class Schedule Assignments

1. Introduction to PB Works 1. Final Draft of your essay is due
2. In-class web-publishing time 2. Complete your “About Me” page
3. Group time to finalize “Show and Tell” presentations 3. Publish all your writing assignments
(Major Essay and “Show and Tell”) to your
PB Works Page

7
 Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education
Secondary Teacher’s Intensive Program, June 3rd – July 2nd, 2010

Session 7: Writing Activity “Show and Tell”

Aims
1. In groups of two or three, trainees will research several relevant writing activities that they can use in their own
teaching contexts.
2. Groups will prepare several completed samples of their writing activities to share with their peers in class and on their
PB Works page.
3. Groups will present a brief 10-15 minute “Show and Tell” presentation explaining how to implement these writing
activities in their own high school English classes.
4. Trainees will have an opportunity to expand their knowledge of different writing activities and evaluate their relevancy
to their own teaching context.

Class Schedule Assignments

1. Group Preparation Time Bring snacks for our last class!
2. Group Writing Activity “Show and Tell” presentations
3. Trainee discussion/critiques of presented activities

Session 8: Read Aloud!

Aims
1. To encourage trainees both professionally and personally by doing a group read-aloud of a short inspirational
writing piece.
2. To provide trainees with further online and offline writing resources to supplement their ongoing development as
emerging writers and English educators.
Class Schedule Assignments
1. Welcome and Congratulations! None!
2. Student Reading
3. What’s next in our writing Journey?
4. Suggested Offline and Online Resources
5. End of course Reflection

8
 Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education
Secondary Teacher’s Intensive Program, June 3rd – July 2nd, 2010

8. RECOMMENDED READING
(For a complete list, please go to the RESOURCES section on our GIFLE Writing website;
www.giflewriting.pbworks.com)

GRAMMAR TEXTS
1. Basic English Grammar 3rd Edition by Betty Schrampfer Azar, Pearson Education, 2002.
2. Fundamentals of English Grammar 3rd Edition by Betty Schrampfer Azar, Pearson Education, 2002.
3. Understanding and Using English Grammar 3rd Edition by Betty Schrampfer Azar, Pearson Education, 2002.

*The instructor also strongly endorses students to supplement the above texts with a
comprehensive Korean English grammar text.

KOREAN ENGLISH WRITING TEXTS

1. Hackers Writing Start by David Cho, Soul Shi Publishing, 2006

ENGLISH WRITING TEXTS

1. Effective Academic Writing: The Paragraph by Alice Savage and Masoud Shafie, Oxford University Press, 2007.
2. Effective Academic Writing: The Short Essay by Alice Savage and Masoud Shafie, Oxford University Press, 2007.
3. Effective Academic Writing: The Essay by Alice Savage and Masoud Shafie, Oxford University Press, 2007.