Page 106 - Teaching English at Primary Level: From Theory into the Classroom

Reading and Writing

3. Writing can be abstract, whereas children learn through concrete ac-
tivities and materials.
4. When writing, you need to sit still, have well developed co-ordination
and fine motor skills.
5. You need to have a high level of concentration in writing.
6. In writing you need to organise your ideas, plan what you are going to
write, rewrite your text, etc.
7. There is usually no immediate feedback in writing as there is in speak-
ing (e.g. your listeners indicate immediately when they do not under-
stand you).
8. In English, extra effort is needed in writing due to the mismatch be-
tween sounds and letters.
9. The progress in learning to write is usually slow, esp. in an FL.
10. Writing activities are time-consuming and are therefore often assigned
as homework. Without proper step-by-step preparation for writing in
the classroom, learners will struggle at home and will not be able to
produce a satisfactory text.
11. Writing in English can be demotivating if the teacher gives priority to
accuracy over content. Getting your written text back full of red correc-
tion marks will reduce your aspiration to continue with writing.

Writing is also a difficult skill to acquire because it involves many subskills,
such as handwriting, spelling, punctuation, use of layout, selection of correct
and appropriate vocabulary, grammar, word order and writing conventions,
organisation of ideas, planning what to write, use of cohesive devices, link-
ing sentences and paragraphs, etc. YLs will first focus on the basic subskills
and gradually move towards the more complex ones. Teachers can facilitate
the whole process of learning to write in many ways, first by making it mean-
ingful and purposeful and by selecting appropriate tasks for learners. Writing
needs to be developed step by step. It needs to be a well-planned part of the
curriculum and not a side product when there is some time left in the lesson.
Implementing a process-based approach to writing (Table 6.4), in which
the teacher guides the learners gradually and systematically towards the
end-product, is essential in developing writing skills.
Developing writing strategies with learners, such as planning their work,
considering their audience, how to draft, revise and edit their work helps
them in developing their writing. Giving positive feedback and providing
comments on content and not only on grammar and spelling will motivate
pupils to continue with writing. Displaying children’s written work in the

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