Process WritingJoAnn Miller, Editorial Macmillanjoannmillerj@gmail.comwww.efltasks.net

Differences between speech and writingSpeechUniversalDialect variationsVoices and body languagePauses and intonationSpontaneous and unplannedWritingNot universalStandard formsOnly page for expressionPunctuationUsually planned(Raimes, 1983)

SpeechPronunciationListener is present, feedbackInformal and repetitiveCompound sentences (and’s and but’s)WritingSpellingOnly one chance to communicateMore formal and compactComplex sentences common

HistoryShift in emphasis from the product of writing activities (the finished text) to ways in which text can be developedfrom ‘what have you written?', ‘what grade is it worth?’to ‘how will you write it?', ‘how can it be improved?’(Furneaux, 1998)

Beginning at the end of the 1960s and continuing through the 70s and 80s, composition was investigated as a cognitive process began to be reflected in L1 freshman composition filtered eventually into ESL writing textbooks. ESL began investigations of L2 writing informed by the insights of L1 (Myers, 1997)

What is process writing?All writing is a creative act requires time and positive feedback to be done wellTeacher doesn’t just assign a writing topic and receive the finished product for correction with no intervention in the writing process itself.(Stanley)

Why use process writing?To address the needs of our changing society, teachers must prepare students for the challenges of today's world.Writing is a powerful tool can influence others and clarify one's own thoughts. Teaching the writing process can give students the key to unlocking this powerful tool. (Antifaiff )

Teacher / Student RolesTeacher Move away from being a marker to a readerRespond to content more than form. Students encouraged to think about audiencerealize what they put down on paper can be changed(Stanley)

The role of grammar“Grammar is important—but as a tool, a means, and not as an end in itself.”(White, Arndt, 1991)

Assumptions about writingWriting is a thinking processWriting is a form of problem-solvingIdeas are revealed during the act of writing itself.(White, Arndt, 1991)

The stages of the processPre-writing Focusing ideasFirst Draft Revision Editing Publishing(Antifaiff )

(White, Arndt, 1991)

Stage One: Pre-writingStimulate students' creativityget them thinking how to approach a writing topic. Most importantflow of ideasnot always necessary to produce much (if any) written work. (Stanley)

magazines/newspapers/periodicals/CD-ROM conduct an interview based on your topic media-radio, TV, internet experiences movies and documentaries music visual art dreams memories discussion and brainstorming responding to literature role playing research imagination personal interest inventories class interest inventoryHow can they get ideas? (Lipkewich, Mazurenko 1999)

Pre-writing activitiesfree writing “journalling “image streamingtransplant yourselfto another place or time and describe from a first person point of view) lists visualization brainstormingindividually or as a group webbing / mapping / clustering graphic organizers topic or word chart(Lipkewich, Mazurenko 1999)

Graphic OrganizersComparisonClustersChain of EventsCycleFishbone Mapping(Lipkewich, Mazurenko 1999)

Stage Two: FocusingStudents write without much attention to the accuracy of their work or the organization. Most important feature is meaning. Concentrate on the content of the writing. Is it coherent? Is there anything missing? Anything extra?(Stanley)

Fast writingstudents write quickly for five to ten minutes without worrying about correct language or punctuation. Later this text is revised. Group compositionsWorking together in groups, sharing ideas. involves other skills (speaking in particular.) Changing Viewpointsfollow a role-play or storytelling activity. students choose different points of viewdiscuss what character would write in a diary, witness statement, etc. Varying formdifferent text types are selected. how would the text be different as a letter, or a newspaper article, etc.Focusing activities(Stanley)

Stage Three: First DraftIdeas are composed on paper. focus on the content, not the mechanics. ideas should flow easily and the words be written quickly. (Antifaiff )

Questions for writersWhat is my purpose for writing this piece?What will my audience want to know about my topic?How can I best arrange my information?What are the main ideas I want to present?What details can I add to support my main ideas?What will make a good lead to catch the reader's attention?How can I end the piece effectively?(Antifaiff )

Stage Four: RevisionRevising is . . . Making decisions about how to improve writingLooking at writing from a different point of viewPicking places where writing could be clearer, more interesting, more informative and more convincing.It's important to note that revision is not editing for mechanics and spelling.(Antifaiff )(Lipkewich, Mazurenko 1999)

“A cultivation of a sense of responsibility for being one’s own critic”Writer must realize he/she will be read by other people, not just graded(White, Arndt, 1991)

ConferencingConferencing can be with another student or with the teacher. The conferencing will involve each person rereading and sharing ideas that will enhance and clarify the writing. Students should be taught to conference effectively. (Antifaiff )

StagesFirst reading:Put your pen down and read the composition for contentComment on contentSecond readingPick up penComment on writing, communication, not picky details

Revising ActivitiesA.R.R.R. - four types of changes.Adding: What else does the reader need to know?Rearranging: Is the information in the most logical order?Removing: What extra details are in this pieceof writing?Replacing: What words could be replaced by clearer or stronger expressions?R.A.G. - Read Around Group (3-5 writers / groupAnonymous compositions Everyone reads each paper once to get a general idea. Nothing is written on papers.On separate paper, graded on a scale of 1-4 and write comments for later discussionSame group: second reading. More detail.(Lipkewich, Mazurenko 1999)

Proofread for mechanics and grammar. beginning stages of writing, focus on one area at a time to edit More advanced students can focus on more areas. can conference with other students and provide proofreading support for each otherStage Five: Editing(Antifaiff )

Editing ActivitiesSelf EditRead your own work backwards.Read the last sentence, then the secondlast sentence, etc.Does each sentence make sense when you read it on it's own?Do you see or hear any errors in the sentence?Peer EditChecklist for students(Lipkewich, Mazurenko 1999)

Name________________________ Project____________Peer Editor ____________________Date ______________ Peer Editing ChecklistUse this list to check your paper carefully.Louisiana Department of Education

General Editing StrategiesSee errors as friends, not enemiesUse errors in students’ writing to plan aheadLearn to expect errors that regularly occur at certain stages in a student’s learningDevise a system for indicating some or all of the errors in the student’s second or third drafts.(Raimes 1983)

Correcting all errors!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Circling Errors

Symbols for Correction

Stage Six: PublishingStudents prepare final versionThen they need to have response to their writing. helps clarify their work, generate new ideas, and most importantly validate the piece of writing. involves sharing a piece of writing with an audience. (Antifaiff )

Where to publish?Author's chairStudents sit on a designated chair for "authors" and read their writing to an audience. On-Line publishingAn on-line magazine BloggingPrinted class newspaperBulletin BoardTape oral versions(Antifaiff )

Blogs Weblogs--spaces on the web where you can write and publish (post) about a topic or several topics. Weblogs ("blogs“)act of publishing (posting) to a weblog is often called "blogging." In educational circles, "EduBlogs" or "Schoolblogs." An Overview of Weblogs: Quoting Anne Davis: http://anvil.gsu.edu/EV/stories/storyReader$33

Common FeaturesEasy and quick to create Organized by time (chronologically backwards) or postsThe posts are usually short and frequently posted.Readers can often respond or react through a 'comments' feature.Instant web publishingMaintained by one person or as a multi-person blogFree or very low-cost to create.An Overview of Weblogs: Quoting Anne Davis: http://anvil.gsu.edu/EV/stories/storyReader$33

Why use blogs?promote verbal and visual literacy dialogue and storytellingallow opportunities for collaborative learningaccessible and equitable to a variety of age groups and developmental stages in education. Huffaker, D. (2005). Let Them Blog: Using Weblogs to Promote Listening in K-12 Education. In L. T. W. Hin and R. Subramaniam (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Literacy in Technology at the K-12 Level. Hershey, PA: Idea Group. http://www.davehuffaker.com/papers/Huffaker2005_LetThemBlog.pdf

Tutorial Blog

Class blog

OK….how do I start?

Thank you very muchJoAnn Miller miller@room20.org joannmillerj@gmail.comCopies of the handout are available at:www.efltasks.net (Presentations)