Developing Writing Skill

Dr. Umesh D. Pradhan

Principal, R. C. M. Gujarati High School

For testing writing skill of the students variety of thinking points can be considered. These include
advertisement, invitation card, news item, leaflet, chart, etc. This will provide a purpose for the students
to respond. There are no artificial, hypothetical situations, nor the students are asked to prepare their
write up on the list of teacher concerned given points or questions. The treatment is natural and as we
may face in the real life. Therefore, the writing sources are expected to be from newspapers,
advertisements, leaflets, invitation cards and many other. The students may be asked to collect from the
various sources which can be letter used for developing the write up. This will help the students to get
ready for the future life.
First of all the students will have to show their ability of comprehending the given matter. It is
essential to have a clear understanding of what you read. But the matter doesn’t end over there.
Responding to what you read and understand is the real experience of life. If it is an advertisement of
public awareness or interest then the response can be sent to the advertisers or make friends aware. If it
is a news then a letter to the friends can be sent in response to what you have read. An invitation card
may be responded as to inform about the arrival or a report can be prepared on the programme.
Narration or description can be developed based on any an invitation card. Students need to be trained
for the various sub-skills, so that they can develop a proper write up.
The essential step is that the students read and understand the following: What is the subject or
topic? What is the type of the write up? What is the action expected? What is the message of the write
up? How best you can respond to the write up? Whom are you expected to address? Answers to these
questions would help in going ahead. If these points are not clear the students will not be in position to
develop their write up.
Look at the points helpful for developing the write up. Read them again and again. Try to
understand the relation between the different points. While preparing for writing the students should be
encouraged to observe the given material from the various angles. Of course the students can add
something of their own by being more creative and imaginative. They can think over the situation and
have their own ideas and points. To get to write something more, the students should recollect their
own experience or what they have related to the topic. They can also consider the lessons or poems
from their course books. The additional imaginative details certainly count in the write up.
Once, the students are ready with the details that they can develop their write up. They can move
further and think of the various type of sentence constructions. The knowledge of grammar especially
forming variety of sentences would help to construct variety of sentences. For example, the write up
should contain a sentence with as soon as or no sooner...than construction. Sentences with the degrees
of comparison, interrogation, exclamatory can bring about variety in the write up.
Use of discourse markers or joining words can make the write up a cohesive one. Therefore, the
use of words like though, although, nevertheless, however, moreover, then, would make the write up
natural. A write up should not have a collection of sentences after sentences but must have uniqueness.
The students can develop their own skill only with the help of practice and practice.
 Now look at the following diagram and the variety of tasks set on it. Then look at the stages and
steps for developing the write up based on it in the class. Here is how one chart can be developed into
different tasks. Following is a lesson plan for A1. letter. This type of lesson plan would help in finding out
how to proceed ahead with the writing skill activity in a classroom.
A1. Letter A2. Report Writing
Write a letter to your friend making him/ Develop a report for your school
her aware of how it is wrong to use excess magazine on the excess use of plastic. Use the
plastic. Use the points from the following web- points from the following web-chart. You may
chart. You may add your own points. add your own points.

Plastic emits Plastic lasts Kills animals Animals get Gets in the food
poisonous gas- entangled chain and comes
forever
es
back to us

Why to reduce
over use of plastic

Say no to
straws, cups PLASTIC GHOST Say no to bottled
water or covers

Say no to plastic
bags, or other
Use reusable
products bottles and cups
How to reduce over
use of plastic
Choose plastic free
fibres like acrylic or Bring your own bags
polyester while shopping

A3. Speech A4. Information Transfer

You have taken part in an elocution
competition. You are expected to talk about the
effects of using excessive plastic. Develop a
speech using the points from the following web
-chart. You may add your own points.
Develop two paragraphs using the points
given in the above chart. Make use of various
sentence constructions. Do not add your own
points.

A6. Dialogue Writing

A5. Describing
Develop a paragraph on the ill effects of
excess use of plastic. Use the points from the
above web-chart. You may add your own
points.
Develop an imaginative dialogue between
you and your friend regarding the excess use of
plastic. Use the points from the above web-
chart. You may add your own points.
 Lesson Plan for developing an informal letter.

Teacher’s action Students’ Action Time

Shows different newspaper clippings regarding the Observe, read 5 min.

effect of excess use of plastic

Inform about the stories of ill effects of the excess listen 3 min.
use of plastic

Ask the students to sit in small groups and discuss Discuss and communicate with 5 min.
about the side effects of using more plastic and to each other and note the words
make a note of the words in their notebook and expressions

Supplies the web design (as given on the earlier Read and compare, add to the list 5 min
page) and asks them to compare with their findings

Explain the topic with the help of questions Listen 2 min

Use various thought provoking questions so as to Listen and prepare a rough draft 10 min
develop the letter step by step. E.g. Whom will your
write letter? How many paragraphs will be there?
Etc.
Shows them the layout of the informal letter and Observe and note 3 min
explains the stages and steps

Asks to prepare a fair draft at home. Explain the ex- Get a home work 2 min
pectations such as word limit

While developing your write up pay attention to

Proper
Tense Type of Paragraphs
Joining describing words
sentences
words

Punctuation Vocabulary
marks Spellings
Layout
Additional
Hand-writing Organisation thoughts
Framing writing tasks
Celebrate Diwali
Look at the following invitation card, leaflets of public
interest. Using them as the points for developing the write The bright way . . .
up. You may ask students to develop a letter formal or Ensure a pollution-free and happier
informal in response to them. You can also develop a writing Diwali for yourself and your family.
task asking students to develop a dialogue or a report. Use
the invitation or leaflet to develop more than one task. Dos
Students should be sufficiently guided for what we expect  Children should be accompanied by
them to do, for example the word limit. Give clear elders
instructions. Students should get a purpose for writing. The  Light firecrackers in open spaces
students should develop the feeling of responding to what  Wear cotton clothes
they read.  Keep infants away from firecrackers
 Keep door and windows closed

Mahatma Gandhi High School

Solicits your presence for the Don’ts
felicitation programme of our honoured  Do not use firecrackers near hospitals/
teachers on the auspicious nursing homes
 Do not use firecrackers near vehicles, on
Teacher’s Day stair cases, on roads

Day & Date: 5th September 2013  Do not put any container on firecrackers
being lit
Venue: Mahatma Gandhi Assembly Hall
 Do not throw firecrackers in the air
Time: 4 p.m.
The teaching and Non-teaching staff Use of firecrackers is prohibited
will be honoured on the occasion. between 10 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Shri. Mohanbhai Shah
Delhi Police, CITIZENS FIRST
will be the Chief guest
E-mail: delpol@vsnl.com
Web: www.delhipolice.nic.in
Head master and Supervisor

Pl a y Saf e a nd Happy Hol i

Res pec t t he o the r p eo pl e o id c hemic
al
Av rs
colou
ad
use b
Don’t
s
word
ater
’t t h r ow w
Don s
lloon
or b a use o
il
Don’t ace
o u r s on a f
col

tural
nly na
Use o rs
girls colou
t ease
Don’t
MUMBAI POLICE
Safety first, Mumbai 1