Delphi module

9.3.5
Implementing a process approach

From the above, we have seen the importance of 'collaboration' in writing, and of devoting more time to writing in class. There are, however, a number of practical implications you will need to take into consideration when applying this technique in the FL classroom:

Writing in class can take up a lot of time.
The class size may be large.
The process approach may not help with academic writing, which involves understanding specialized written genre and style.
Students may dislike spending large amounts of time in class on writing.
Students may need the confidence of seeing models before they are willing to write.
Students may require specific guidance in certain aspects of the writing process that can only be gained through the tutor's knowledge.
Students may need more thinking time than class time allows.
Students may dislike the feeling that the tutor is available to check on what the student is doing.
The classroom may not be the most suitable place for the student to feel creative.

Despite these practical difficulties, there are also advantages in attempting to implement a more systematic writing programme involving a collaborative process of planning and composing:

It encourages the life-skills of 'accountability' and learner independence.
It simulates writing situations in real life, where one must take responsibility for what one writes.
It enables a greater focus on revision.
It enables students to learn from each others' strengths and weaknesses.

Reflection activity 10

Consider the following activities that may be used in the FL classroom to implement a process-based approach. Which would take the most class time, and which the least? Which could you integrate immediately in your own teaching situation, and which would you need to 'build up to' more gradually?

Students work in pairs, and brainstorm a plan for an essay set for homework.
Pairs of students are asked to write a 'stage' of a story and then pass it to the next pair, who write the next stage, etc. At the end of the chain, the students fold out and read the whole story.
Pairs of students write a letter of complaint and pass it to the other group for response.
Before writing, students speculate in groups on what they think the reader is looking for. They may discuss how their writing will be assessed, and what sort of content may be required. The ideas are pooled at the end in plenary mode.
Students exchange their first drafts (written at home) with a partner and give each other feedback on language and content. They then revise their work in the light of these comments.
Students make up some sentences about the topic and write them with marker pens on a large piece of paper. The sentences are put up on the walls of the classroom, and students go round and read each other's. The ideas and language are then discussed in a larger group.
Students use a checklist in class to evaluate their own first drafts, written at home, and they then revise these.
Students are given some intensive work on a particular grammatical point, and are then asked to reread and revise their own drafts, checking for use of that particular point.
Students are asked to make a list of their 'top ten' mistakes, based on three or four compositions. They then analyze their next piece of writing in the light of the list constructed.
Students write an introduction to an essay. They are then given a model introduction, and revise their own.

Now check your answer by clicking on 'commentary'.

KEY ISSUES FOR TEACHING (10)

It is a good idea to incorporate the process approach to writing into the classroom, but it needs to be done sensitively, and with due regard for departmental policy.