n modern composition classes, the academic writing is often used as another form of testing. Similarly in many English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) learning contexts, writing classes are shaped with a test-orientation aimed at achieving “native-like competence” as their goal (McKay, 2009, p. 39). This situation leads to the reality that ESL/EFL students’ writings have been focused more on their usage of language instead of creating spaces for those certain groups of writers to express their thoughts in English writing. Therefore, many ESL/EFL writers are facing the anxiety of composing in English. On the other hand, the widely using paradigmatic thinking and expository writing in the ESL/EFL writing class does not provide students opportunities to write about what they are interested in. As a result, those types of assignments reduce students’ motivation in writing in English writing. In order to allow students to have freedom and voices in their writing, many researchers have been working on the conceptions of freewriting and multigenre writing to motivate students to rediscover their joy of writing. In this essay, I firstly aim to discuss how students can benefit from mutligenre and freewriting tasks; and describe my design of a writing activity – “Message in a Bottle”; elaborates what skills ESL/EFL students can master through this activity and changes in their attitudes towards English writing.
Multigenre Writing and Freewriting
To better understand the meaning of multigenre writing, it is necessary to notice that writing itself is socially and culturally constructed. Learning from Romano (1995, 2000), I understand that writing should not be limited to one form but remain open to the changes and differences in u...
... middle of paper ...
... they prefer in the writing. Therefore, in using this activity, ESL/EFL students can be more expressive in English writing.
By discussing the advantages of multigenre writing and freewriting in relation to the context of teaching ESL/EFL composition in class, I believe that designing the writing activity which combines the features from these two writing pedagogies in teaching writing to ESL/EFL students could reduce their anxiety in writing in a second language, build their confidence in writing and enable to give their freedom to express the inner thoughts. Although the task “Message in a Bottle” may have some limitations in regards to the reality that the students may not be able to send their messages into the ocean, the task itself still involves many topics that may inspire ESL/EFL students in composition class to be more active in English writing practice.
In Patricia Limerick’s article “Dancing with Professors”, she argues the problems that college students must face in the present regarding writing. Essays are daunting to most college students, and given the typical lengths of college papers, students are not motivated to write the assigned essays. One of the major arguments in Limerick’s article is how “It is, in truth, difficult to persuade students to write well when they find so few good examples in their assigned reading.” To college students, this argument is true with most of their ...
I am more knowledgeable about invention, arrangement, style, and delivery, all in which create a masterful piece of text. A few examples, I have learned to organize and construct my thoughts and ideas clearer. I have been taught to use stronger transitions and focus more on the delivery and content of the body element of essays. Further, the instructions and advice I have received throughout this term have influenced my understanding of the purpose of writing. My outlook on writing has been modified by shifting my perception of writing from, writing to prove I am a good writer by perceiving it as using “fluffy” or BIG words to impress my audience. I grew to understanding that good writing’s purpose is to engage the writer by mind-striking ideas and arguments, which therefore will prove and title me as a “good writer”.
Several people have trouble writing college level essays and believe that they are unable to improve their writing skills. In “the Inspired Writer vs. The Real Writer,” Sarah Allen argues how no one is born naturally good at writing. Sarah Allen also states how even professional writers have trouble with the task of writing. Others, such as Lennie Irvin, agree. In Irvin’s article “What is ‘Academic’ Writing?” states how there are misconceptions about writing. Furthermore, Mike Bunn’s article “How to Read Like a Writer” shows ways on how one can improve their writing skills. Allen, Bunn, and Irvin are correct to say how no one is born naturally good writers. Now that we know this, we should find ways to help improve our writing skills, and
This article, reporting on the research done by Margo Glew and Charlene Polio of Michigan State University, examines writing assessment in a different way than most research on the topic. The goal of this research was to look into how an ESL student chooses prompts for a writing exam when offered a choice. Polio and Glew not only investigate how they choose, but how long it takes each student to choose and if they should even be given a choice at all.
While preparing for one of his college lectures, Dennis Baron, a professor and linguistics at the University of Illinois, began playing with the idea of how writing has changed the world we lived in and materials and tools we use in everyday life. This lecture slowly transitioned into “Should Everybody Write?” An article that has made many wonder if technology has made writing too easy for anyone to use or strengthens a writer's ability to learn and communicate their ideas. Baron uses rhetorical strategies in his article to portray to his audience his positive tone, the contrast and comparison of context and his logical purpose.
Downs, Doug. "Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics." Writing About Writing: A College Reader. By Elizabeth A. Wardle. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 520-33, 581-594. Print.
In “Writing to Learn: Writing across the Disciplines,” Anne J. Herrington finds different sources stating that writing is to be taken serious. Janet Emig says, "writing represents a unique mode of learning-not merely valuable, not merely special, but unique” (1) meaning that writing is far more essential than we ought to make it seem. Anne Herrington wants educators teaching in economics, history, chemistry or any other subject to guide their students into understanding why progressing their writing skills will be more helpful to them. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the educator; whether he/she wants their students to use writing as a way for students to adapt to different disciplines.
Writing has been part of my life ever since I learned how to spell my first words. As I use the writing process I had to evolve and learn grammar, orthodoxy, and punctuation. I learned all this in my language which is Spanish. The writing rules are very different in different languages and after having an idea on how to write in English, I always refer back to what I learned in my early years. As I write in English I have faced many challenges to include learning to think in English before I write. I am use to think in Spanish and therefore the words flow as a river with minimum effort on my part. I have tried to think in Spanish, translate my thoughts and then writing in English but has proven to be the most difficult process to follow. As I wrestled with the idea of writing in English and learning to think in English, my writing has become better with each assignment. As I reflect on how my writing has evolved, it is my intention to compare how the different tools and genres of writing had helped me write academically papers and how I expect to continue to better myself for mu future, even after I graduate from college.
In our modern society, we have forgotten the art of writing. When we write, we think to ourselves, the longer the sentence, the more intelligent I will sound. Many may say it is by writing long sentences. But is it all that true? In this piece of writing I would like to focus on an essay written by Verlyn Klinkenborg, Several Short Sentences About Writing. In this essay he explains how and why when we write, we should keep our sentences short. he also explains why students should be assigned essays that are not determinate on other sources as evidence. I will also be comparing this to a piece written by Sarah Manguso, Ongoingness. I will be comparing these two pieces on their writing style, and their essayistic ideas. My belief is that we need
In the article, “Does Texting Affect Writing?”, the author Michaela Cullington conveys her speculation that texting does not correlate to how students write formal essays. At the beginning of the article Cullington introduces the term texting and the convenience texting brings. Later expressing her concern that the texting language “Textspeak” is actually affecting students writing; then contradicts these views by using primary and secondary sources (news articles, books, her own surveys and research). In addition, she uses an anecdote to tell of her own experience with texting and writing. Together with other evidences and research put together, she uncovers the debate between textspeak and formal writing. On the basis of her research, she concludes that the state of texting does not interfere with writing or writing abilities.
In my 205 I was asked to consider how and why my writing changes from one community to another. This essay represents the results of that exploration.
Writing is an important part of everyone’s life, whether we use it in school, in the workplace, as a hobby or in personal communication. It is important to have this skill because it helps us as writers to express feelings and thoughts to other people in a reasonably permanent form. Formal writing forms like essays, research papers, and articles stimulates critically thinking. This helps the writer to learn how to interpret the world around him/her in a meaningful way. In college, professors motivate students to write in a formal, coherent manner, without losing their own voice in the process. Improving your writing skills is important, in every English class that’s the main teaching point; to help students improve their writing skills. Throughout my college experience I have acknowledge that
The notion of writing has been defined in many different ways by writers. According to Byrne (1997), “writing is producing a sequence of sentences arranged in a particular order and linked together in certain ways”. In other words, a writing or a text includes sentences arranged in a coherent and grammatical way to connect the ideas together. In addition, writing is interpreted as the act of expressing ideas, thoughts, and feelings to other people in writing symbols so that readers can
In the twelve years I was in school, I learn three forms of writing, essay, letters, and stories. My favorite form of writing is creative writing. My least favorite is writing a letter. The reason I prefer creative writing over the other, form is because I have the freedom to make up anything. The reason I dislike writing letter is because many letters have different formats. For example, I can’t uses the friendly letter format on a business letter; I would have to use block format. Even though I prefer creative writing, my most commonly used skill is to write essays. Though, I may find essay writing a chore, I still prefer it over letter writing. Among these books I still read The Odyssey and Macbeth, for inspiration.
Shea, Renee, Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Scanlon. The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2013. 525-529,546-551. Print.