IMPROVING WRITING SKILLS

1. IMPROVING WRITING SKILLS EOI GANDIA 2012

2. INDEX • Introduction • What we all know about the writing process when we have a certain level • What we don’t know about the writing process when we have a certain level • So let’s get down to improving this skill • Conclusions

3. 1. FIRST THINGS FIRST INTRODUCTION

4. Shaughnessy (New York: Oxford University Press, 1977) said,

5. >>>that leads to clarity

6. Why did he say this? It’s simple: Writing is a complex process that involvesthe following: • Being motivated to write • Composing • Communicating • Crafting • Improving • Evaluating

7. In other words… Writing involves: • Being motivated • Getting ideas together • Planning and outlining • Jotting down notes • Making a first draft • Revising, replanning, redrafting • Editing and getting ready for either handing in the piece of writing or publishing it

8. It also involves: • A certain degree of organization in the development of ideas • The use of complex grammatical devices for focus and emphasis • A careful choice of language • A certain amount of time so as to reach our goal

9. COMPLICATED, ISN’T IT? And what is more: Teachers and students are not always aware of the fact that: • Writing is a communicative skill that should always be addressed to an audience • It is a skill that can be developed • It is a skill that can be highly enjoyable

10. 2. What we all more or less know about writing when we have a certain level • Brainstorming • Selecting ideas from this brainstorm • Conventional formats can help us (and our students) write different types of text • Using connectors • Paragraphing • Being relevant • Using the right register • Self-correction: teaching our students to be their own teachers

11. 3. What we don’t know about writing when we have a certain level WE CAN ENJOY THE PROCESS SIMPLIFYING IT WITH THE USE OF CERTAIN HELPFUL TECHNIQUES

12. 4. SO … let’s get down to improving this skill

13. Let’s have a look at a dull and boring sentence: The boy stood up, collected his book, and left the classroom.

14. WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE THIS NEUTRAL SENTENCE? WE CAN USE ARMS (Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not speaking about war weapons. I’m speaking about peaceful weapons that will help us write better. By the way, ARMS is not an idea of mine. I learnt all about ARMS with Gay Brookes, a teacher from New York. )

15. BUT WHAT DOES “ARMS” MEAN?

16. We can use “arms” in the following way • First of all, we can add • Then, we can substitute • After that, we can move • Finally, we can remove So, let’s get down to working with our sentence

17. ADD What can we add in English? We can add the following: • Adjectives (either normal or strong) • Adverbs (all kinds) • Non-defining relative clauses • Sentences within paragraphs • Idioms • Paragraphs • If we are writing a book, we can add new chapters

18. So, let’s see what we can add in this sentence… The angry boy in the group, who had been bullied by his classmates, stood up, collected his Maths book, and left the classroom without saying a word.

19. SUBSTITUTE What can we substitute? • words for other words • Sentences • Paragraphs

20. So, let’s see what we can substitute in this sentence… The most good looking boy in the group, who had been fascinating everybody with his mere presence, stood up, collected his Literature book, and left the classroom with a smile on his face.

21. MOVE What can we move? We can sometimes move: • Words within sentences • Sentences within paragraphs • Paragraphs in long texts We many a time do this for the sake of emphasis

22. So, let’s see what we can move in this sentence… With a smile on his face, the most good looking boy in the group, who had been fascinating everybody with his mere presence, stood up, collected his Literature book, and left the classroom.

23. REMOVE What can we remove? We can remove: • What we do not need • What we do not like

24. So, let’s see what we can remove in this text… With a smile on his face, the most good looking boy in the group, who had been fascinating everybody with his mere presence, stood up, collected his Literature book, and left the classroom

25. So, let’s compare our first sentence to the one we wrote at the very end of the process: SENTENCE 1: The boy stood up, collected his book, and left the classroom. AFTER HAVING USED ARMS: With a smile on his face, the most good looking boy in the classroom, who had been fascinating everybody with his presence, stood up, collected his Literature book, and left.

26. And last but not least • When we get used to the process of ARMS, we don’t always have to follow the right order. Writers actually mix the steps. • Remember to teach your students to become independent learners. They should learn how to be their own teachers and check their written exercises before handing them in.

27. 5. C0NCLUSIONS • Writing is time consuming, but it can be a very entertaining activity. • Writing is highly visual. We can change a text in many ways. • Writing is a communicative skill that has to be developed in the right way. • Writing helps improve the language level of our students. • Arms helps develop our students’ intelligence as it makes use of different alternatives.

28. Any questions ?

29. Thank you very much for having come, … and for your attention!