Table of contents

A- An overview on different approaches to teaching and learning writing skill
2

1. Process vs. Product Approach
2

2. The writing process
2

B- DEALING WITH THE WRITING TASKS IN THE E12 TEXTBOOK
3

I. Categorization of genres/patterns as suggested by the writing tasks in the English 12
3

II. Features in focus
3

1. An introduction of paragraph writing
3

1.1 What is a paragraph?
3

1.2 Structure of a paragraph
4

1.3 Typical logical development of a paragraph
4

1.4 Planning a paragraph
4

2. Coherence and Logical Order in Writings
7

2.1 Understanding Coherence
7

2.2 Logical order
8

2.3 Using Transitional Words and Phrases
9

3. Paragraphs/Compositions
10

Account paragraph/composition
10

Description paragraph/composition
10

Instruction writing
12

4. Formal vs. Informal Letters
14

5. Visual description
16

5.1 A classification of visuals
16

5.2 Strategies in visual description
17

5.3 Steps to describe a visual
17

5.4 Useful language structures in describing graphs
19

5.5 Strategies for describing tables
21

References
23

READING MATERIALS FOR E12 TRAINING WORKSHOP
TEACHING WRITING SKILLS
A- An overview on different approaches to teaching and learning writing skill
1. Process vs. Product Approach
There is now great attention paid to the process approach of teaching and learning writing skill, one that does not only place emphasis on the final writing product but, as well, focuses on the process in which that final product is created. Let us consider some main features of these two approaches.
Product Approach
Process Approach

1.  Topics are assigned
1.  Writing is self initiated

2.  Expository essays are the stage of school writing.
2.  All modes of writing are respected equally.

3.  Grammar study, handbook rules, and exercises lead to good writings.
3.  Prewriting, writing, and rewriting produce good writings.

4.  Good writing is based on models and formal guidelines.
4.  Meaning precedes and determines questions of form.

5.  Teachers are the single audience for student writing.
5.  Writing should be read by a diverse audience.  

2. The writing process
Prewriting                                Thinking about a topic                                                   Recalling knowledge                                                   Visualizing and discussing                                                   Mapping your ideas             


Drafting                                    Organizing ideas                                                   Describing and explaining                                                   Focusing and designing                                                   Writing            


Self Editing                               Proofreading for content                                                   Proofreading for mechanics                                                   Assessing and judging


Peer Conference                       Discussing ideas                                                   Listening to suggestions


Revising                                    Rearranging and reshaping                                                  Deciding on improvements


Teacher Conference                 Discussing final change                                                 Writing the final draft


Publishing                                Sharing with an audience


 
B- DEALING WITH THE WRITING TASKS IN THE E12 TEXTBOOK

I. Categorization of genres/patterns as suggested by the writing tasks in the English 12

Paragraph/Composition
Letters
Visual Description

Account
Description
Instruction
Formal letters
Informal letters
Graph description
Table description


II. Features in focus

1. An introduction to paragraph writing

1.1 What is a paragraph?
In academic writing, a paragraph is a series of sentences about one idea called the topic. A paragraph usually consists of four to eight sentences about a single topic. Usually, a paragraph begins with a general sentence that introduces the topic. This sentence is called the topic sentence, and it contains the main idea in the paragraph. The topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is going to be about.
The topic sentence contains words that need to be explained, described, and supported in the sentences that follow in the paragraph. These words are called controlling ideas because they control the information that is "given in the paragraph. The sentence that ends the paragraph is called the concluding sentence.

1.2 Structure of a paragraph.
A paragraph usually begins with an indentation. The topic sentence, with its controlling ideas, usually is the first sentence in the paragraph. Also, there is no break in the paragraph. A paragraph runs continuously from the first sentence to the last sentence. There are breaks, however, between the paragraphs of a bigger composition unit. Generally, then, an academic paragraph will look like this:

Title
Topic Sentence with controlling ideas. Several sentences that explain/describe and/or support the controlling ideas in the topic sentence. Concluding Sentence.
A paragraph consists of a number of sentences. The number of sentences depends on its subject