Fostering Beginning EFL Writing

Victor Shen, STUST

May 2015

Questions and Issues?

• What is writing?

• How does writing competence develop?

• How is writing competence related to listening, reading, and speaking competences?

• What are the objectives of writing instruction at the elementary level?

Questions and Issues?

• What can students write by themselves? What can they do in writing tasks when assisted?

• What’s your students’ general attitude toward writing tasks/assignments? How can writing activities be enjoyable?

• How is writing taught in your school? In your class?

• How should writing be taught in the elementary school in Taiwan?

Resources

Chang, F. C., Chang, S. I., & Hsu, H. F. (2008). Interactive writing with webbing activities in Taiwan’s primary classrooms. In Y. N. Leung, H. Chang, & K. C. Cheung (Eds.), Selected Papers from the Seventeenth International Symposium on English Teaching (pp. 252-261). Taipei, Taiwan: Crane.

Chang, F. C., Chang, S. I., & Hsu, S. F. (2008). Writing activities as stimuli for integrating four language skills in EFL grade-one classes in Taiwan. English Teaching & Learning, 32(3), 115-154.

Chang, F.C., Chang, S.I., & Hsu, H.F. (2010). Emergent writing in Taiwan’s grade-one EFL classes. Taiwan Journal of TESOL, 7(1), 67-100.

Moon Festival (John 1)

Moon Festival (John 2)

Moon Festival (John 3)

Moon Festival (John 4)

Moon Festival (John 5)

4-1-1 能書寫印刷體大小寫字母。4-1-2 能書寫自己的姓名。4-1-3 能臨摹抄寫課堂中習得的詞彙。4-1-4 能臨摹抄寫課堂中習得的句子。4-1-5 能拼寫一些基本常用字詞（至少一百八

十個）。4-1-6 能依圖示填寫重要字詞。4-1-7 能掌握英文書寫格式寫出簡單的句子。

英語能力指標：國小階段（寫）

延續國小階段的基礎，繼續發展以下各項能力：

4-2-1 能填寫簡單的表格及資料等。4-2-2 能依提示合併、改寫及造句。4-2-3 能寫簡單的賀卡、書信（含電子郵件）

等。*4-2-4 能依提示書寫簡短的段落。

英語能力指標：國中階段（寫）

Categories of Written Products

Codes Used by Beginning Writers

Types of Word Writing

Phase One: Free Drawing/Writing (September, 2006 ~ February, 2007)

• The free drawing/writing activity took place in a cycle of two weeks. In the first week the students drew/wrote freely followed by sharing with leveled instruction in the next week.

• The cycle was repeated nine times within the first semester.

Phase Two:Structured-Web Writing (February, 2007 ~ June, 2008)

• Fixed-Structured-Web Group Writing (February, 2007~March, 2007)– Share the Pen (with brainstorming)– Group Writing– Sharing with Leveled Instruction

• 1) letter(s) in bubbles (e.g., b, r_, p_k), • 2) words of invented spelling (e.g., rad for red, blak

for black) in bubbles, • 3) words of conventional spellings in bubbles, • 4) letters/words in bubbles and blanks.

Phase Two:Structured-Web Writing (February, 2007 ~ June, 2008)

• Structured-Web Individual Writing (April, 2007~ June, 2008 )– Share the Pen (brainstorming)– Individual Writing– Sharing with Leveled Instruction

• 1) letter(s) in bubbles (e.g., b, r_, p_k), • 2) words of invented spelling (e.g., rad for red, blak for black) in bubbles, • 3) words of conventional writing in bubbles, • 4) words/phrases and/or sentences of one single sentence pattern (e.g., all t

he sentences are of This is… pattern), and • 5) words/phrases and/or sentences of more than one sentence pattern (e.g.,

the sentences are of This is… and I see… patterns). As the students’ writing progressed, two more categories were added to the above five categories; they were

• 6) paragraph-like writing and • 7) sentences of affirmative and interrogative and/or paired Q&A sentences.