This document discusses strategies for teaching writing to elementary students. It covers developing writing skills from the kindergarten level through grade 8. Key points include introducing simple sentence structures in early grades, teaching the writing process, using graphic organizers to plan writing, addressing common problems in spelling and grammar, and providing varied writing prompts and activities to engage students. The goal is to make writing fun and give students practice in different forms and genres.

1. Hanadi Mirza
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ENJOY Writing
in
ESL/EFL Classes
(KG2-8)
Hanadi Mirza

2. Hanadi Mirza
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Writing Development
Why Write?
What do we write?

3. Hanadi Mirza
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Problems with Writing
 KG 2
 Cycle 1
 Cycle 2
 Cycle 3

4. Hanadi Mirza
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We Write…
 Letter 
 Word 
 Sentence (vs. Non-Sentence) 
 Paragraph 
 Essay 
 Term Paper 
 Master Thesis 
 Ph.D. Dissertation

5. Hanadi Mirza
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Sentence Structure
KG Classes  Sentence Pattern
A cat ran. / My dog ran. / I ran.
I see a dog. / I see a cat. / I see a man.
Max is in the box, / Max is under the box.
 Who/ does what- Someone/ is doing smth
 Capital letter --- .
 Naming part + Telling part S + V + O
 Subject + Predicate= Simple Sentence

6. Hanadi Mirza
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NCERD
Grades 1, 2, 3 Grade 4
- Student writes for a variety
of audiences and purposes,
and in various forms
- Write to record ideas and
reflections
- Write to discover, develop,
and refine ideas
- Write to communicate with
a variety of audiences
- Write in different forms for
different purposes including
list to record, letters to invite
and thank, and stories or
poems to entertain
Write to express, discover, record, develop,
reflect on ideas, and to problem solve
- Write to influence such as to persuade, argue
and request
- Write to inform such as to explain, describe,
report, and narrate
- Write to entertain such as to compose
humorous poems or short stories
- Exhibit an identifiable voice in personal
narratives and in stories
- Choose the appropriate form for his/her own
purpose for writing, including journals, letters,
reviews, poems, narratives, instructions

7. Hanadi Mirza
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Writing Process (Gr 4) NCERD
 Generate ideas and plans for writing by using such pre-writing strategies as
brainstorming, graphic organizers, notes and logs
 Develop draft by categorizing ideas, organizing them into paragraphs, and
blending paragraphs within larger units of texts
 Revise selected drafts by adding, elaborating, deleting, combining, and
rearranging text
 Revise draft for coherence, progression, and logical support of ideas
 Edit draft for specific purposes such as to ensure standard usage, varied
sentence structure, and appropriate word choice
 Use available technology to support aspects of
creating, revising, editing, and publishing text
 Refine selected pieces frequently to publish for general and specific
audiences
 Proofread his/her own writing and that of others
 Select and use reference materials and resources as needed for
writing, revising, and editing final drafts

8. Paragraph Schemata
 Elements + Genre:
 Title Descriptive
 Indentation Adjectives
 Topic Sentence Senses
 Supporting Details Simile
 Concluding Sentence Metaphor
 Essay: Intro+ Body 1 + Body 2 + (Body 3)
+ Conc
Hanadi Mirza
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9. Writing Problems & Solutions
Hanadi Mirza
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10. Hanadi Mirza
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Handwriting & Dictation
 Handwriting Exercises All Cycles
- Cursive or Print?
 Dictation? Auto-dictation?
- KGs: Identify sounds THEN Write Letters
- Dictogloss / Dictocom?
 Spelling Bee?
- Visual Memory vs. Spelling Rules

11. Hanadi Mirza
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Problems with Writing Tasks
 Poor Writing Topics (summer vacations)
 NO Schemata for Paragraph or Essay
- ID of Paragraph = Topic Sentence
- ID of Essay = Thesis Statement

12. Writing Topics
* Students usually wait for the summer vacations to rest
and have fun. Some go to the beach. Others spend their
time in the mountains or even travel abroad.
Write a paragraph in which you describe a new place you
visited. How was it? What did you do there?
(Graphic Organizer)
 Write a 4-paragraph essay in which you
argue with or against the law of banning
smoking in public places in Lebanon.
Hanadi Mirza
hanadym@hotmail.com

13. Other Problems with Writing
 Grammar NOT integrated INTO Writing
(Habits in the present  Simple present)
 Poor explanation of Spelling rules in Elem
(hid – hide / cut – cute / mad – made)
 Memorizing words visually
(Dictation= NO Use of Listening to Write)
* Memorizing sentences/paragraphs for
(official) exams  destroy writing process
Hanadi Mirza
hanadym@hotmail.com

14. Hanadi Mirza
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Correcting Written Mistakes
Mistake Type Correction Sentence
freind Spelling Friend Tom is my
friend.
he mixs
-at the
morning
-make
homework
Simple pre-
Presen S-V
-prep.
--
collocations
Mixes Sara mixes
tea and
sugar.

15. Hanadi Mirza
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Correcting Grammar Mistakes
 Revisit a point in grammar
Eg. He? She? Or It?
Ex 1: Use pictures of different
people, animals, things, places, ….:
Ex. 2: Tom is a little boy. _____ goes to school
everyday, and _____ likes to study with his friend Carl.
His sister plays the piano and _____likes to play with
her little dog. _____ is her favorite friend.
Ex. 3: Story: boy + girl + pet/toy - Paragraph (Narr/Des)

16. Hanadi Mirza
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Improve Spelling & Writing
 1- Picture + 1 missing letter (beg. letter THEN other letters)
 2- Picture + 2 missing letters (any two)
 3- Picture + scrambled letters
 4- Picture only
 5- Scrambled letters  Word Formation
 6- Find the word: Cross puzzle (+ pics)
 7- Dictation: Listen then Write word
 8- Unscramble words  Sentence Formation
 Write sentences
 9- Unscramble sentences  Make a Paragraph
 Write a paragraph
 10- Sequence paragraphs  make an Essay
 Write an essay
 11- Creative Writing

17. Avoid Plagiarism
Copy/Paste in:
 Master Thesis
 Ph.D. Dissertation
Projects (Cycles 2,& 3)
Paraphrase ideas taken from:
Internet/ newspapers / books / magazines...
 Quote people
Hanadi Mirza
hanadym@hotmail.com

18. WRITING for Fun
Writing Activities vs. Reading Comprehension Q’s
Writing as a Process vs. Product
Hanadi Mirza
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19. Hanadi Mirza
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Target of
Writing Activities
Students’
Real Life Experience?
Imagination?
Here and Now?
Write  Sentence(s) / Paragraph / Essay

20. Hanadi Mirza
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Writing Prompts
 What has been the happiest day of your life?
 If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
 If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?
 What is the most Important thing in your life?
 What is your favorite movie/book of all time? Why?
 What cartoon character would you most like to be?

21. Hanadi Mirza
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Input Needed for
Authentic Writing Activities
 Listen to:
a. Story
b. Music
c. Sounds
 Use Sight:
a. Watch a Video
b. Look at a Picture/Drawing
c. Read a Story

22. 

Hanadi Mirza
hanadym@hotmail.com

23. Hanadi Mirza
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Vocab Box
1- Thematic Vocabulary
Word / P. of Sp. / Def / Syn / Anto
2- Application:
* Word Formation + Prefixes & Suffixes
Word / Noun / Verb / Adj. / Adv.
* WRITE  Sentences / Paragraph / Essay

24. Hanadi Mirza
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How to Improve
Writing?
PRACTICE
PRACICE
PRACTICE

25. Hanadi Mirza
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Thank You
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