Information collection & exchange

 Learning the writing process 
zutomi: 
I don't buy a dictionary yet. If you take me bookstore and choose my dictionary, I 
am delightful. Prepositions are very difficult for me. In Japan, when I take English 
Examinations, I lose points due to prepositions. Also, I want to know about an 
idi
today because we have a faculty meeting. So Friday at 4:00 outside the bookstore, 
OK? 
As
Idioms are a lot of fun. I'll try to use more when I write to you. Then if you don't get it 
(understand it) (an idiom) you can ask. OK? 
[Jane Staton. "Dialogue Journals: A New Tool for Teaching Communication." ERIC/CLL News Bulletin 
6(2), March 1983.] 
tice how in each case the teacher treats the student's entry as a message rather than as a writing sample 
sponse subtly reshapes parts of the student's entry and 
vides a model of correct language. 
p
Teachers who have used dialogue journals with their students throughout a semester have found that they 
bring many worthwhile results, both personal and pedagogical. Because the written dialogues are informal 
nd private, most teachers feel that they achieve a 
a
pedagogical side, the students gradually increase their writing competence, moving toward greater 
independence as writers. Thanks to the feedback provided by the teacher, they gain a greater understanding 
of the features of written English. Their entries become longer and more complex. At the same time, 
ecause they are ex
b
w ich they can mine for later writing assignments of a more formal sort. 
stering Features of Written Discourse 
our students advance to more complex forms of
y
reasingly important. The texts that you use for instruction in reading provide your students with food for 
ught and topics for oral and written discussion. At the same time, the formal features of different types of 
tten discourse serve as models which your students can use in their own writing. As you take up different 
ssignments, you can introduce parallel wr
e features. (See the section "Some Significant Features of Expository Prose" in Chapter Five.) To 
ate new formal features into their writing, they 
crop up 
d writing play mutually enhancing roles. 
examples of exercises for the development of the reading 
roskills is one type which helps students to pick out formal discourse featur
eading comprehension, but they also have a purpose in writing instruction. Pr
to
students learn to organize their thoughts and present them in writing according to commonly used patterns 
of written discourse. 
Students learn, for example, that in a narrative the sequence of events is a central factor. Although the writer 
ay deliberately choose not present the events in strict chronological or
m
sequence of events must be understood Another type of writing where chronology must be taken into 
account is in the description of a process. For maximum clarity, each step of the process should be 
described in order; otherwise confusion may result. Chronological order also figures in the explanation of a 
chain of causes and effects. 
ther types of logical relations hinge on the perception of similarities and differences: contrast, 
O
analogy, the classification of like things together, and the definition of things, where distinguishing 
characteristics are pointed out. Whatever the logical relation, a certain thought pattern will be called for, and 
is in turn mu
th

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In 
En
ill 
ake the process work more smoothly for them. In particular, you can show them various devices to use 
uring the pre-writing ph
h
unch them more confidently into the first rough draft. Further, you 
ive them guideline
hn
for the revising phase of the process which will encourage them to 
ub tantive d iciencies in their writing, rather than simply making a clean copy of the 
he
wri
wh
o
e of the students, and the level of their language proficiency, a 
ariety of techniques may be us
launching the p
t. 
f the most flexible
these techniques is brainstorming. It can be done with either novice or 
oun
idu
mall groups, or as a whole class. The point of a 
sion is to
to
ideas on a given topic as possible, as quickly 
yi
e qualit
out grammar, spelling, or punctuation. 
nn Raimes points out that, with any one of a number of different points of departure (a personal 
a young girl and an old man are sitting together on a park bench 
ion by Edward Steichen, The Family of Man.) 
grandfather. 
r about five minutes. Then they make written 
o
ize them, and develop them into a topic for a more focused discussion. 
After the second, more focused discussion they do a writing assignment. 
[Ann Raimes. 
. Oxford University Press, 1983.] 
A v ri
brainstorming has the students asking speculative questions about a reading selection. The 
qu
ading selection for intermediate level