Stages in Learning to Write

Abd. Rafail Bin Zarak Khan (2008411222) Mohd Hazwan Bin Yasin (2008411198)

Outline
Stages in Learning to Write

Writing Readiness

Early Writing - General guidelines - Handwriting - Further copying activities

Developmental Writing -Spelling & Writing

- Communicative writing activities

Stages in Learning to Write

Writing readiness

Early writing

Developmental writing

*Mature writing

Writing Readiness
Recognize print is different from pictures and it has meanings

Develop knowledge of the English language

Develop interest in wanting to write in English

Develop the ability to discriminate between shapes

Develop visual memory for shapes

Develop large muscle of arm and hands and muscles of forefinger and thumb

Early Writing

1. General guidelines
Pre-communicative activities: pupils learn the mechanics and convention for effective communicative writing. Knowledge of aspects of English is increased. However, T cant leave it to chance that the other aspect of writings will develop on their own.

Provide meaningful contexts for learning the mechanics of writing

Use pupils own oral composition for giving them insight into writing.

Constantly keep the benefits of learning to write before them.

Make it practice to read to your pupils a variety of things

Develop your pupils natural curiosity and thinking skills.

2. Handwriting
Coaching to improve accuracy, regularity, fluency and knowledge of writing conventions. Can be achieved by emphasizing these aspects: a) A space between letters in a word and space between words in a sentence b) The proportion of parts of the letters (same size and height) c) The correct direction of pen movements.

How these 4 aspects can be developed?

- Use paper with 4 lines. - Make sure pupils move their pencils in the correct direction. - From copying letters and patterns move on to copying words and sentences. - PRACTICE!

Guidelines for preparing writing worksheets

Concentrate on a few difficulties faced by your students. Provide sufficient guidance to ensure pupils do not make errors. The practice must evoke the feeling that something has been written.

There must be a sense of purpose in the practice.

T must ensure that there is provision for the elements of good handwriting (formation, slant, size, alignment and spacing)

3. Further copying activities

- Help students master the mechanics of writing. - Variety of copying activities.

Developmental Writing

Spelling & Writing

Guarantee an effective written communication

Importance of spelling & writing

Goal of writing is communication spelling instruction is an important component Poor spelling will interfere comprehension and hampers communication

 The English writing system is alphabetic. However, some letters have more than one sound.
Eg. The letter c in Car and Circle

Some symbols are used to signal something about another symbol.

Eg. e at the end Hid Hide

The inconsistencies in English phonetics create serious spelling problems for students. However, English spelling is teachable.

Most spelling courses take multipronged approach:

Teaching the relationship between the most common phonemes of English and the graphemes

Teaching the most common words

Develop visual memory for shapes of words

Develop relevant dictionary skills

Help pupils device ways of helping themselves to remember common but troublesome words.

Possible procedure for teaching spelling

Words learnt through a multi-sensory approach are likely to be recalled more readily than words learnt through a single sense. Thus, a practical approach of teaching spelling is to integrate spelling with the 4 skills. Eg. Puzzles

Dealing with irregularities

Make Ss aware of the irregularities in the spelling of English words. Different combinations of letters may be pronounced in the same way. T can also help Ss to learn spelling by introducing amusing poems that reveal irregularities.

Example of poem that reveals irregularities.

A flea and a fly flew up in a flue. Said the flea, "Let us fly!" Said the fly, "Let us flee!" So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

Source: http://www.ukstudentlife.com/Ideas/Fun/Wordplay.htm

Communicative writing activities for beginners

In real life, we do not write, unless we are strongly motivated and have something that we really want to put on paper. T can create situations to only allow Ss to exercise written conversation. Eg. Using word cards

Other examples of early communicative writing activities:

Write note if they want to talk to their friends in class.

Keep a diary each must at least write one entry a week

Write a list of things to do for an event birthday party

Thank you for listening