In this reading, many point struck me, but i will mention three of them here.
I liked the point in MCM which says that since the ESL learners might not have had the enough chance of doing extensive readings in Englilsh, it is less possible that they devolop a profissional writing skill. So it is suggested to teachers to put reading part also in their writing courses syllabus. This to me sounds very effective because it will improve students reading skill as well as writing skill. If the teacher use the reading as the model genre for writing and then scafold it then ask students to produce the writing, it would work much better.
The second point is that as the book, MCM, mentions that it is better if the writing assignments are as a self reflection and revelation of the students experience, I also agree with it because it is the real way writers write something. To ellaborate, I would say that I myself and other writers as well write when they are inspired about something and get a feeling to write about something. Background knowledge is not suffecient to be the motive for writing. we have background knowledge about many things, but we dont write about them. We only write when we really feel to write something. So, I think, as much as possible the chance should be given to the students to choose their topic either personal experience or other topics, but the important things is that the students should feel as a writer and focus on what he wants to pass on to the reader.
The third is point is about that one way of peer reviewing can be to ask the studnets of the higher level to tutore and review the writing assignments of the lower level students and this should be as a formal responsibility of the higher level learner and part of his assignments like the way we are assigned for tutoring in Dr. Lybeck's class. This will help both students in many ways. for example, the higher level studnets will feel responsibility and experience teaching, also learns from the mistakes and errors of the tutee, and the lower level for sure learns alot from his/her tutor and they may also develop a friendship.
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3 comments:
I agree most of these three ideas. But for the third point, I was thinking if these lower-levels will learn/receive some mistakes/errors from higher-level students?
I think that reading belongs in a writing class. I think that students should begin writing about things that interest them. As time goes on they must develop skill that can be applied to whatever they are assigned to write about for school or work. A good writer must be flexible.
I am not sure about the tutoring idea. The idea of having some else review writing is a good one. Hopefully that someone is a good writer with the skill to explain why things are written the way they are. Not all good writers have this skill. Writing is one skill. Teaching writing is another.
I agree that reading and writing go together, but sometimes it is difficult to make the students see it that way.
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