TESO1128 Teaching Writing Week 6

1. The Reading-Writing
Connection
Why we need to encourage our ESL students to read
more in order to be better writers
TESO 1128 Teaching Writing (online mode) / Instructor: Sara Yuen

2. „Good readers make good writers‟
 Reading helps Ss develop their schemata/background
knowledge (McKay, 1994)
 Reading exposes Ss to models of writing across the
genres. Ss can explicitly analyse reading texts for
form, syntax, vocabulary, register, etc.
“the ability to compose in any language cannot develop
without knowledge of the forms, patterns and
purposes of written language” (Ferris &Hedgcock,
2005, p. 34).

3. So, in the writing
classroom…
 Provide time for learners to read, analyse, and discuss
different texts
 Explicitly teach grammar and vocabulary; these elements
“must be included for L2 writers to communicate
meaningfully and appropriately” (Hinkel, 2004, p.124)
Example (from Harmer, 2004) of an Intermediate level writing
lesson plan:
Objective: Ss will be able to write informal letters
How would you structure the lesson activities to incorporate
reading and text analysis as part of the pre-writing
tasks?

4. Harmer’s Lesson Progression:
 Ss read a text (a letter) and answer Qs. Discuss
features of an informal, friendly letter (e.g where the
sender‟s address is and how date is written)
 Ss examine range of phrases and decide if each one
is informal, formal or neutral
 Ss try writing an informal letters in response to a
wedding invitation
 Ss look at a new letter with gaps in it, and complete
the text
 Ss check answers and discuss this letter (more
formal) with the previous ones
 Homework: write a letter in response to an
advertisement. T collects, makes suggestions for re-
drafting and rewriting. Ss produce a final version.

5. References
Ferris, D. and Hedgcock, J. (2005). Teaching ESL
composition: Purpose, process and practice (2nd ed.).
New York, NY, USA: Routledge.
Harmer, J. (2004). How to teach writing. England:
Pearson Education Limited.
Hinkel, E. (2006). Current perspectives on teaching the
four skills. TESOL Quarterly, 40(1), 109-131.
McKay, S. (1994). Developing ESL writing materials.
System, (22)2, 195-203.