Contents Introduction Main body Chapter I. Difficulties of writing and the status of writing in elt

Writing activities with examples

Scrivener (1994) presents a continuum showing how written work in the class develops from copying to free writing Figure (2.5). Accuracy and fluency are related to the types of exercises given.

Bowen & Marks (1994) discuss different writing activities in detail:

1. 
   Copying : (vocabulary, structures, dialogues, narratives).
   
2. 
   Written structure- based exercises:
   

For example:

• 
  Writing sentences from prompts.
  
• 
  Answering questions using a particular structure:
  
• 
  Sentence completion.
  
• 
  Matching halves of sentences.
  
• 
  Gap- filling.
  

3. 
   Guided writing exercises:
   

Examples of these are:

• 
  Reassembling jumbled sentences to form paragraphs.
  
• 
  Shadow paragraphs writing with accord to a model.
  

4. 
   Dictations:
   

Dictation is felt to be a valid test of all language proficiency (grammar- syntax – lexis – phonology – listening – writing) it also motivates pupils.

5. 
   Dialogues
   

These are criticized since they are not authentic activities.

6. 
   Summaries
   

These are useful for consolidating language (structure and lexis in particular).

7. 
   Authentic writing tasks:
   

These are carried out by native speakers, e.g:

• 
  letters and e- mails.
  
• 
  Filling in forms.
  
• 
  Leaving messages or taking them down
  
• 
  Writing messages
  

8. 
   Essays.
   
9. 
   Other writing activities.
   

• 
  Story- telling.
  
• 
  Diary writing
  
• 
  Poetry writing
  
• 
  Pupil magazines
  

Pupils shouldn’t be passive during lessons. It is important to engage them with school work so that they may learn. The active involvement of pupils in learning leads to more successful learning.