Writing
Writing
Writing
Pedagogy of English
Indira Gandhi
National Open University
School of Education
Block
4
TEACHING WRITING AND GRAMMAR
UNIT 15
Developing Writing Skills 7
UNIT 16
Different Types of Writing 21
UNIT 17
Assessing Writing Ability 48
UNIT 18
Teaching Grammar (To Advanced Learners)
in Higher Classess 59
EXPERT COMMITTEE
Prof. I. K. Bansal (Chairperson) Prof. Anju Sehgal Gupta
Former Head, Department of Elementary School of Humanities,
Education, NCERT, New Delhi IGNOU, New Delhi
Prof. Shridhar Vashistha Prof. N. K. Dash (Director)
Former Vice-Chancellor School of Education
Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit IGNOU, New Delhi
Vidhyapeeth, New Delhi
Prof. Parvin Sinclair Prof. M. C. Sharma
Former Director, NCERT (Programme Coordinator- B.Ed.)
School of Sciences, School of Education
IGNOU, New Delhi IGNOU, New Delhi
PRINT PRODUCTION
Prof. Saroj Pandey Mr. S.S. Venkatachalam
Director Assistant Registrar (Publication)
SOE, IGNOU, New Delhi SOE, IGNOU, New Delhi
April, 2017
Indira Gandhi National Open University, 2017
ISBN: 978-81-266-
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BES-144 PEDAGOGY OF ENGLISH
Block 1 Instructional Planning in Teaching of English
Unit 1 Nature, Need and Objectives of English as a
Second Language
Unit 2 The Language Learner
Unit 3 Approaches, Methods and Techniques in
English Language Teaching
Unit 4 Daily Lesson Plans and Strategies for
Classroom Transaction
Unit 5 Monitoring Instruction - The Reflective Teacher
6
UNIT 16 DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS
Structure
16.0 Objectives
16.1 Introduction — What is Writing?
16.2 How is Writing Different from Speech?
16.3 Creating a Natural Learning Environment for Writing
16.4 Writing as Process
16.5 Writing as a Holistic Activity
16.6 Feedback Through Writing Conferences
16.7 Let Us Sum Up
16.8 Suggested Readings
16.9 Answers
16.0 OBJECTIVES
This unit is aimed at raising teachers’ awareness about:
What is writing?
How does it differ from speech?
How do we assist students to write well?
The need for students to go through the process of writing.
Writing as a holistic activity.
As Rosen points out, the differences between writing and speech are:
Writing is detached from the wide range of expressive possibilities
in speech.
A writer is unable to exploit all the devices available to a speaker:
gesture, body movement, facial expression, pitch and tone of voice,
stress, and hesitations.
A speaker can backtrack, or clarify and revise ideas as listeners
question or disagree. A writer has to compensate for all of those
disadvantages.
Compared with speech, effective writing requires a number of things:
a high degree of organization in the development of ideas and
information;
a high degree of accuracy so that there is no ambiguity of meaning;
the use of complex grammatical devices for focus and emphasis;
and a careful choice of vocabulary, grammatical patterns, and
sentence structures to create a style which is appropriate to the
subject matter and the eventual readers.
A letter of An academic
complaint to paper for
a manufacturer publication in
a journal
Introduction:
The purpose: This is not a model class to be emulated. It is only a trial of
an idea and is open to critical observation, analysis and discussion.
Lesson Outline
A B C
Stages Teacher instructions Remarks
I. Have you ever been annoyed/ Examples: fairly empty
(2 minutes) Have you ever been annoyed/ buses not stopping at
irritated by certain things bus-stops while you
around you? wait; inconsiderate
Can there be solutions to neighbours; loud-
these irritations? speakers at all times
Can you suggest some? speakers at all times
of the day and
night (invite initial
suggestions from
the class).
II. Get into groups. Individually Four or six (not more
(3 minutes) list the things (at least 3, but as than six members to
many as you want to) that have a group.)
always annoyed you deeply.
III. Share with the others in the
(3 minutes) group things that you have
listed. Listen carefully to one
another.
IV. Choose as a group: Two things
(2 minutes) that seem most serious, and for
which you need solutions.
V. Work in the group and write
(5 minutes) down two or three solutions
for each of these two problems
that you have chosen for your
group. Share each one of your
solutions and discuss their
merits. Which one of them
are the best solutions?
VI. Together as a group write out Facilitator to write on
(10 your group’s choice of Things the blackboard:
minutes) that annoy us as a short text 1. Problem: [One thing
under headings as given on the that annoys your group)
black board. 2. Examples:
[Samples from your
group’s experiences)
3. Your feelings about
this: (How strongly you
feel; how justified you
think you are)
4. Suggestions for
solving the problem. 15
Teaching Writing and Grammar
VII. Exchange your draft with the Group A to Group B to
(5 minutes) group sitting next to you. Ask Group C to Group D to
them to read your draft, discuss Group A
and write comments about it in
the margin. In turn, comment on
the draft you have received from
the group next to you.
Group A to Group B to
VIII. Take back your draft and give Total 32 minutes with a
(2 minutes) your neighbour’s draft back. lee-way of eight minutes
Read the comments given on comments making up
your draft. Discuss. Are they for a forty minute class.
useful comments? Will they help
you re-draft?
IX. Write a second draft of your
(15 minutes) text incorporating what your group
thinks are valid comments received
from your peers. At the end discuss
who you will send this text to:
Letter to the newspaper? Any other
concerned party? A small snippet
for a newspaper?
16.9 ANSWERS
Check Your Progress 1
1. Writing is thought to be a creative activity because:
i) Writers processes information according to their experience
ii) It is a thinking process
iii) It is transliteration of thought process into graphic form
2. One possible definition:
Writing is an extended piece of work through which an individual
expresses, on paper, his/her thoughts or ideas in a logical sequence. A
written piece usually has a specific format to follow; it is written with
a purpose and with a reader in mind
Check Your Progress 2
1. Fluent and effective written communication can take place in an
environment where children can risk exposing their real lives. Where
the act of telling what one is really thinking and feeling is treated with
the utmost respect. Where children are not afraid and anxious about
making mistakes and are being constantly guided to learn from their
mistakes.
In such a writing environment there is –
18
acceptance Developing Writing Skills
open-communication
absence of stress
loads of stimulation through displays, activities, and meaningful
experience.
2. The two most important features are time and support.
Learning to write well requires time. It requires writing frequently,
preferably every day. Writing must have a chance to grow – to change,
to be revised. The ability to use standard grammatical forms and standard
usage does not develop in a day or two; it takes months and months of
constant usage. Good writing involves integrating thinking and language
with the purpose of writing.
Writing also requires support. Teachers can offer support in the following
ways –
i. Talking to children about the content of their writing — before, during
and after the actual writing has taken place. This helps children to
clarify their thoughts.
ii. Providing meaningful experience which stimulate ideas for writing.
iii. Providing a real audience as well as real reasons for writing. This
makes it worth while for students to improve their writing.
iv. Helping children choose topics, by getting them to write about things
they know and care about. This helps a child to discover his/her own
voice as a writer.
v. Relating the study of punctuation, spelling, language conventions to
language use. Standard usage and editing skills are best learnt when
their study relates to a communicative purpose.
vi. Sharing the excitement of writing. The teacher’s eagerness sparks the
children.
vii. Respecting children’s writings.
viii. Encouraging creativity.
ix. Providing a free and non-threatening environment in which children
can write without stopping to correct. Very often children’s ideas come
faster than their thoughts. They go back subsequently and revise, correct
and redraft the writing.
x. Finally caring about writing and using all possible resources, ideas,
materials to create a rich and stimulating writing environment.
Check Your Progress 3
1. Perhaps the most important insight that recent research into writing has
given us is that good writers go through certain processes which lead
to successful pieces of writing. They start with an overall plan in their
heads. They think about what they want to say and who they are saying 19
Teaching Writing and Grammar it for. Then they draft out sections of the writing, and as they work on
them, they are constantly reviewing, revising and editing their work. In
other words these writers have a sense of purpose, a sense of audience
and a sense of direction in their writing. Beginning writers are much
more haphazard in their writing. They need to be encouraged and guided
through a process of planning, drafting and organising, revising and
editing.
There is a tendency among teachers to look at the finished product of writing,
whether it is a paragraph, poem or letter. It is however, the process that went
into the creation of the child’s writing that gives real insights into how the
child is thinking. Whether the child has a sense of purpose and audience?
Is the child able to convey this appropriately in the written form? Is the child
able to structure these ideas in a logical sequence? The children acquire new
skills as the need arises. Through rewriting and checking the children become
more precise and gain independence.
20
UNIT 17 DIFFERENT TYPES OF WRITING
Structure
17.0 Objectives
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Different Types of Writing
17.2.1 Filling of forms
17.2.4 Diaries
17.2.5 Dialogues
17.2.6 Letters
17.2.7 Emails
17.2.8 Paragraphs/Essays
17.2.9 Reports
17.0 OBJECTIVES
This unit will:
familiarize you with the different types of writing useful for learners at
the secondary level;
help you to distinguish salient features of each type of writing;
help you to design tasks to teach different types of writing; and
make you aware of different genres in writing.
17.1 INTRODUCTION
In the previous unit we have looked at the process of writing in general, how
the act of writing takes place in the writers’ / learners’ mind. We undertake
different types of writing in our daily life which we need teach to our
students. Each type of writing generally follows the same process that we
have learnt earlier but they are different in structure, content and use of
language. This means, letter writing is not the same as essay writing; writing
a paragraph by looking at a visual is not the same as writing a paragraph by
looking at a flow chart or a map. These types are distinct in their own ways.
The old dictum “the more you write the better you will write” still holds
good. But, we cannot give our students a task and ask them to write. They 21
Teaching Writing and Grammar require our support; we need to facilitate them so that they can write. It is
important therefore, to teach students the differences in the various
forms of writing, because understanding differences is meaning making,
helps them learn ‘how to write’. Let us together in this unit look into the
various forms of writing activity, which you can undertake in the classroom
to develop the writing skills of your students.
You can see from the example provided above, very accurate, but factual
information is required. More detailed information is required when you
wish to take membership of a swimming club. Look at another example:
22
In the above example, you can see that a lot of personal factual information Different Types of Writtng
is written. No extra information is provided apart from what is asked.
1 At birth Blind
3. The flow chart given below depicts the process of making bread.
Write the process in about 100-150 words in the form of a paragraph.
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
To adapt this task to the secondary level students, you can jumble the pictures
and ask them to reorder them and build a story around it. This could be an
individual or a group activity, where learners/groups perception(s) would
direct the trajectory the story would take.
17.2.4 Diaries
A diary is a personal record and hence diary entries are usually individualistic
and personal. We do not need to write complete sentences. Some words/
phrases in the form of notings are sufficient clues of what the writer wants
to note. Thoughts and feelings are often expressed in a disconnected manner
as they flash through the mind. More often than not, abbreviations are used
and hence in a diary entry one does not find complete sentences. At times
ambiguity or even disconnected thought process is observed. Let us set up
a task and further clarify this form of writing activity.
Task 1
This is a page from Shiela’s diary. Rewrite this diary entry in the form of
a continuous paragraph.
Woke up at 7 – mom not at home – granny says gone to the hospital –
worried – dad comes home at 8 – leaves me at school – I want to go to
hospital, dad says ‘no’ – evening dad picks me up from school – all smiles
– we go straight to hospital – how nice to see mom – oh! baby brother, so
soft, cuddly like a doll – I’ll call him JoJo – I am akka now – today happiest
day of my life.
Task 2
The principal of your school maintains a diary of his school engagements
every day. Can you complete his itinerary/ time-table on the Annual day
celebrations of your school? Then write a paragraph on his engagements for
the day.
Annual Day Celebrations
3. Ask your students to keep a diary to enter their reaction to the English
classes. Collect them after a week. What do they tell you about you
as a teacher?
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17.2.5 Dialogues
Dialogues fall under the category of spoken English. Nowadays writing
dialogues also forms a testing item in the English question papers. Due to
large classrooms, direct testing of spoken English is not practical, this language
item therefore forms a part of the Composition classroom. This is a highly
creative activity and if undertaken in the classroom from the primary level,
can help create a sense of the spoken form of the language. What are the
characteristics of a natural dialogue? A natural dialogue/conversation
need not be in full sentences always.
involves use of simple vocabulary, words which are in every day use.
involves use of abbreviations and weak forms like can’t, don’t, am,
won’t, etc.
involves use of colloquial expressions e.g. oops, wow! dad, tummy, etc.
The dialogues could be formal in nature, for example, a conversation between
a student and a teacher or a boss and an employee or it could be informal
for example, a casual conversation between a mother and a son, or between
two friends or cousins etc. The formality or the informality of the dialogue
depends upon the relationship between the speaker and the listener. A
dialogue involves a minimum of two people, the speaker and the listener or
it could involve three to four speakers as well. A conversation, which
involves more than three people, tends to be more of a discussion than a
mere casual conversation.
Example 1
Look at the following conversation between a mother and son:
Son: Mom, our class is going on an excursion to Shimla.
Mother: When?
Son: In May, during the summer holidays.
Mother: For how many days? Any teachers accompanying?
Son: For ten days. Yes. Two teachers are coming with us.
Mother: Charges?
Son: Not much – only Rs 2000 per head. Mom, can I go?
Mother: I think, you should. You’ll learn to stay independently.
26 Son: Thanks ma. You’re so cool!
Example 2 Different Types of Writtng
28
Different Types of Writtng
Not only are formal and informal letters structurally different, the language
of both types is also different. Consider the following examples and analyze
the language used in both of them. You can take cues for analyzing the
letters from the dialogue section of this unit.
Example 1
William O’Connor
7 November, 2011
Dear Rajesh,
Thanks for your letter and the wonderful photographs you sent with it.
Looking at them I was constantly reminded of the wonderful time we spent
together at Panchmarhi. It was a trek that I’ll never forget in my life.
Remembering the thick vegetation, the dense forests, the beautiful Silver
streak from the high mountains makes me wonder at the beauty of nature.
I also wish to see more of such India not tarnished by the mechanized world.
Thanks immensely for taking me into your group and helping me to see such
a beautiful place.
Next time you happen to arrange such a trip with friends, do count me in.
Yours affectionately,
William
Example 2
Rakshak Electric
45, M.G.Road
Nagpur.
440 010
November 7, 2011
Diamond Cables
25, Anne Besant Road
Worli, Mumbai 29
Teaching Writing and Grammar Subject: Prices of Cable wires-Enquiry
Reference: ——————————————————
Dear Sir/Madam,
We have heard from reliable sources that the cables you manufacture are of
a very high quality. Hardly any complaints have been recorded since its use
in many buildings.
We have secured a contract for electrifying a commercial complex in the
Surendranagar area of Nagpur. We wish to use the cables manufactured by
you for our project for which we require 100,000ft of cable wires. We
request you to quote your most competitive prices so that we could place an
order with you. Do also let us know your terms, conditions and the discount
you can offer on the product.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Truly yours,
Rajesh Potdar
Materials Procurement Manager
Rakshak Electric
17.2.7 Emails
In this age of globalization, the fastest tool of written communication is
email and fax. Electronic mail, often abbreviated as e-mail or email, is a
method of exchanging digital messages. It has numerous advantages. It is
fast, cheap, simple, efficient, and environment friendly because it saves tons
of paper. It is also versatile because through email one can send pictures,
power points or other files. Another advantage of an email is that it is easy
to prioritize and filter. Unlike regular modes of written communication, one
does not need to read, review and scan all mails, and lastly, if the receiver’s
Email ID is correct, rarely does it go astray.
On the other hand, one of the biggest disadvantages of Email, like any
written tool of communication is, it can become impersonal and can thus be
misunderstood. Hence, it becomes necessary for the writer on Email to
know its format, structure, etiquette and language.
Structure of an Email
30
An email message consists of two components, the message header, and the Different Types of Writtng
message body, which means content. In the message header, along with the
receiver’s name there are names of people to whom copies of the message
are sent. They are called carbon copy (cc:) and blind carbon copy (bcc:)
fields. If there is an attachment to the mail, an icon representing the attachment
can be seen. The addresses in the ‘cc:’ field are of those people who need
to know about the subject but are not required to act on the contents. The
‘bcc:’ field is useful where carefulness is required. People in this field are
hidden away from other recipients in the ‘To’, ‘cc:’ and ‘bcc:’ fields.
In emails, the subject line plays a vital role in prioritizing mails. Hence, one
should take care in phrasing the subject line. The subject line should be brief
and should aptly provide a clue to the contents of the message. For messages
that are urgent, one can start the subject with the word ‘Urgent’ or if the
Email is an invitation or a request or a reply, one can start with the words
‘Inv’, ‘Req’ or a ‘Re’ respectively.
The structure of an Email is also known as the body of the message. It may
be very similar to that of an informal letter. The essential parts of a message
body are:
1. Greetings-Many people do not use a greeting/salutation in an Email. In
informal letters, it is advisable to use words like ‘Hi!’, ‘Hello’, ‘Dear’
followed by the receiver’s first name. ‘Dear’ can also be used in formal
letters.
2. Body- This is the main body of the letter. It includes the message that
the sender wants to tell the receiver. It is often developed into paragraphs
or short points.
3. Closing -There are three sub-parts to the closing of an Email, namely,
pre-closing, closing and identification. The pre-closing and the closing
must correspond with the degree of intimacy with the receiver.
Identification is necessary because at times, the sender’s Email ID doesn’t
reveal his/her name and the receiver might mistake the mail for spam
or junk mail. The following table shows how salutation should correspond
with pre-closing and closing.
2. On your way to school, you meet a stranger who asks you the directions
to the railway station. Write a dialogue between you and the stranger
directing him/her to the railway station.
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33
Teaching Writing and Grammar
4. Identify at least five (5) occasions when a student has to write letters
(formal and informal)
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..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
5. Design one task each on:
i. Teaching dialogue
ii. Teaching letter writing
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....................................................................................................
6. Suresh wrote the following letter to his Principal. But his Principal
was very angry when he read it. According to you why did the
Principal become angry? Can you help Suresh correct it?
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
My dear principal,
Hope you are fine. I am not feeling very fine. Sorry, I can’t come to
school today. Please excuse me. Can I take leave for today.
Yours affectionately,
Suresh
7. Choose the correct option:
1. When writing an email message, paragraphs should:
a. be long
b. be indented
c. be short
d. be incomplete
2. When writing a Subject Line:
a. use something general, such as “Greetings” or “Hello.”
b. say, “If you don’t respond, I’ll be annoyed.”
c. use several sentences
d. be specific, but brief
3. The three sub-parts to the closing of an Email are:
a. Subject, Body, Greeting
b. Pre-closing, Closing, Identification
34
Different Types of Writtng
c. Structure, Punctuation, Body
d. Body, Complimentary close, Signature
4. ‘Flaming’ is:
a. sending sad messages
b. sending messages to old friends
c. sending angry messages
d. receiving wrong messages
8. It was your birthday yesterday and you did not receive birthday wishes
from your younger sister. Using the following format, draft an email
to your elder sister with a carbon copy to your brother and a blind copy
to your mother and father expressing your anger and unhappiness.
To:
Cc:
Bcc:
Subject
Body
17.2.8 Paragraphs/Essays
Paragraphs form a part of any continuous piece of writing in essays, reports,
letters etc. It is necessary to teach our students how to write good
paragraphs.
What are the characteristics of a good paragraph?
A paragraph is a well-organized network of sentences having a definite
plan. It has a topic sentence, which is supported by other sentences and
examples. The most important characteristics of a paragraph are unity,
coherence and emphasis.
Unity
A paragraph is usually built around a topic sentence – a sentence, which
states the main theme of the paragraph. The topic sentence should be
developed in an orderly manner and it usually occurs either at the beginning,
middle or at the end of the paragraph. There are several ways in which the
unity of the paragraph can be developed and maintained. Some of them
which students can use to develop their writing are given below. There is
no hard and fast rule of its use. The students can use it as it is or they are
at liberty to combine any techniques as long as their purpose of conveying
the intent is achieved.
Coherence
An effective paragraph requires more than a topic sentence and supporting
details; it must also be coherent. In a coherent paragraph the writer takes the
35
reader logically and smoothly from one idea to the next. In a paragraph
Teaching Writing and Grammar every sentence should logically follow from the one preceding it. Every
sentence should be linked to one another (with the one which goes before
and the one which is to follow after) in such a way that readers can follow
the flow of thought easily from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph.
The linking of sentences is known as cohesion and linking of ideas is known
as coherence. This provides unity to the paragraph which can be achieved
with the use of cohesive devices like, pronouns, repetition, synonyms,
connectives, etc.
1. Pronouns – Use of pronoun serves as a reminder of the noun in the
earlier sentence, thus maintaining continuity of thought.
2. Repetition - Repetition of key words and phrases in a paragraph serves
as an emphasis on the writer’s point of view. Too much of repetition
can also be monotonous.
3. Synonyms – If use of the same word is causing monotony in the
paragraph then using synonym (words with similar meaning) is a good
variation.
4. Connectives – These are words or phrases which usually occur at the
beginning of a sentence to show the relationship between the new
sentence and the one preceding it. Some of the connectives commonly
used are: and, but, or, therefore, next, further, moreover, however,
etc.
5. Antonyms - Using the ‘opposite’ word, can also create sentence cohesion,
since in language, antonyms actually share more elements of meaning.
6. Parallelism – It is the repetition of sentence structures, clauses or phrases.
This technique is the oldest, most overlooked, but probably the most
elegant method of creating cohesion.
Emphasis
Emphasis means prominence; it means making important points stand out in
the paragraph. This is an important aspect of writing because when a person
reads a paragraph, the reader should at once know what the writer is writing
about. There are five devices, which help to give proper emphasis to
significant ideas in a paragraph.
Balance: Balance means to make various parts of the sentence parallel to
one another; that is equal importance to be given to two or more ideas in a
statement. It could involve single words, phrases, clauses or even whole
sentences.
Emphatic position: This device is used to give emphasis to the most
important idea in the paragraph. It is usually the last sentence of the paragraph.
Emphatic words: The use of certain words can also emphasize the writer’s
point of view.
Apart from the above devices, repetition, expansion of ideas and contrasting
are other tools, which can be used.
Compositions/Essays are written by writing two/three paragraphs on a given
36 topic. These could be guided, that is, learners are given support to develop
their content or they could be free, that is, no support is provided. Whatever Different Types of Writtng
they write, they have to write a connected piece of text separated in paragraphs
which have to adhere to the basic requirements of unity, coherence and
emphasis. The students should also keep in mind that all paragraphs need
to be interconnected and they should be directed towards the topic on which
they are writing. If any one of the paragraphs does not support the topic of
the composition/essay, then it can’t be a coherent whole. The reader will
lose the thread of reasoning and logic and will automatically lose interest in
that piece of writing. In order to bind the essay/composition into a coherent
whole, it is important that an introduction and a conclusion should also be
written. The techniques to write an introduction and a conclusion are discussed
in detail in the previous unit under “The Writing Process”. The points given
to write on a topic should depend upon the class level. An example of a
composition written with support is given below:
Task 1
Write a composition comparing and contrasting the town life with country
life using the points given. (not more than 100-150 words)
Town Life vs Country Life
Town life: Lack of green space that is, parks, gardens, concrete jungles on
the rise – plenty of amenities for entertainment – good public transport –
difficulty in making contacts – too crowded and claustrophobic and noisy
environment – good shopping complexes – good educational facilities
Country life: Open spaces and greenery – few social facilities – travel
necessary for entertainment – easy to establish social contacts – too quiet
and isolated – calm and quiet atmosphere for those who want it – friendly
people – small village market – children have to travel long distances to
attend school
Task 2
Using the points given below, write a story in not more than 150 words.
An old woman –eager to become young – goes to the forest – search of
magic fountain – long time – doesn’t return – husband worried – goes
searching - cannot find her – reaches the fountain – finds a baby crying –
clothes resemble his wife’s – understands the problem – wife drank too
much of water – fondly picks up the baby – goes home.
17.2.9 Reports
A report usually presents information in a logical, orderly and a precise
manner. The purpose of the report is to inform the reader about things that
they do not know hence all details need to be included. But at the same time
unnecessary details need to be avoided. This ensures completeness of the
report.
The report should be accurate. Hence any false information should be
avoided.
There should be clarity in the report. It should be clear enough for the
reader to understand and take action if necessary. The language should be
37
simple; jargon and technical language should be avoided.
Teaching Writing and Grammar The salient features of a report can thus be summarized as under:
A report is:
brief, accurate, complete and clear
usually written in third person
includes only relevant details – there are no digressions
avoids emotional overtones
ideas are logically arranged
language is simple, jargon is avoided
40
A Friendly Clown Different Types of Writtng
41
Teaching Writing and Grammar from where athletes compete in the various events. The rings are coloured,
red, black, yellow, blue and green. At least one of these colours is found
in the flag of the countries whose athletes come to participate in the games.
Sequence
The Olympic games began as athletic festivals to honour the Greek Gods.
The most important festival was held in the valley of Olympia, to honour
Zeus, the kings of God. It was this festival that became the Olympic games
in 776 B.C. These games were ended in 394 A.D. by the Roman emperor
who ruled Greece. After that no Olympic games were held for 1500 years.
Then the modern Olympics began in 1896. Almost 300 athletes competed
in the first modern Olympics. In 1900, female athletes were allowed to
compete. The games have continued every four years since 1896, except
during World War II; and they will most likely continue for many years to
come.
1. .................................................................................................................
2. .................................................................................................................
3. .................................................................................................................
4. .................................................................................................................
5. .................................................................................................................
Comparison
The modern Olympics is unlike the ancient Olympic games. Individual events
are different. While there were no swimming races in the ancient games,
there were chariot races. No female athletes competed in the games while
all athletes were males. Of course, the ancient and the modern Olympics are
also alike in many ways. Some events like the javelin and discus throw are
the same. Today, people are of the opinion that cheating, professionalism
and nationalism in modern games are a disgrace to the Olympic tradition.
However, in the times of the ancient Greeks cheating, professionalism and
nationalism was also rampant. Human beings evidently haven’t changed.
42
Cause and Effect Different Types of Writtng
There are several reasons why so many people attend the Olympic games.
Or watch them on television. One reason is tradition. The name Olympics
and the torch and flame remind people of the ancient games. People can
escape the ordinariness of daily life by attending or watching the Olympics.
They like to identify with someone else’s individual sacrifice and
accomplishment. National pride is another reason an athlete’s or a team’s
hard earned victory becomes the nation’s victory. There are national medal
counts and people keep track of how many medals their country’s athletes
have won.
One can thus see that expository writing along with its different organizational
patterns are being used in our daily life. Usually any article from a book,
magazine or newspaper is of an expository nature where the objective of the
author is to inform the reader of the topic being written. Even at schools,
students have to submit assignments, which usually are of an expository
nature. Therefore students need to be taught how to write this form of
writing.
Narrative writing
Narrative writing is an account of a sequence of events, usually in a
chronological order. It can take various forms including personal essay, 43
Teaching Writing and Grammar biographical sketches and autobiographies in addition to short stories and
plays. This type of writing could also be purely objective as in most scientific
and technical writing. It can be used by highly imaginative scientists, scholars
and historians. Many historians narrate historical events, bringing the past
to the present for the benefit of the readers.
Narrative writing helps us to ‘loosen up’ and write naturally. ‘Telling’ or
‘listening’ to stories is so enjoyable that learning to write down adds comfort
to the writer. But ‘telling’ a story is different from ‘writing’ a story. If the
narrator forgets certain points, he/she can always add them later on, but in
writing, the writer has to keep in mind the characters, theme, role played by
each character, expressions, tone of voice etc. Most importantly, the flow
of the story should be maintained while keeping the readers in mind. A
completely developed narrative fiction has a central theme that is introduced
at the beginning, followed by its development, an eventful middle and
memorable end.
Adopting this form of writing, the author needs to bring to life his subject
by
using ‘Wh’ questions – who, what, where, when, why and how, which
would make the basic story structure realistic and exciting.
using concrete vivid language to show readers what is happening.
using visual elements to involve readers.
Persuasive Writing
This type of writing is all about trying to convince the reader to change their
opinions and sway them with logic, moral appeals, and emotional language.
The author places an argument and then tries to convince the readers of the
writer’s point of view. It also involves convincing the readers to perform an
action. Effective persuasion in the written form is accomplished through a
combination of a clearly expressed position that is supported by various
examples and evidence. The elements that can build an effective persuasive
paragraph are the following:
establishing facts – to support an argument
clarifying relevant values for the readers
sequencing the facts and values
forming and stating conclusions
persuading readers that conclusions are based upon facts and shared
values
having the confidence to persuade
Strategies to write persuasive writing are:
1. Using repetition
2. Using metaphors, analogies, similes to relate writing to something that
the reader can relate to, so that acceptance is immediate
44
3. Using a story or anecdote to make readers understand your point of Different Types of Writtng
view
4. Addressing objections
5. Quoting famous people
6. Using rhetorical questions
7. Using predictions or questions in conclusions so that readers thinking
is activated
Argumentative writing bears similarity to persuasive writing. But there are
distinct differences between the two, which are tabulated below:
Persuasive Argumentative
1 Objective – Objective –
present a valid argument to ‘win’ the reader
and allow the reader to over to the author’s side
adopt a position either
to agree or disagree with
the writer’s position
accept it as another point
of view which merits
further thought and
discussion
Both side of the issue is Only one side of the issue is
presented – one to presented/debated
substantiate one’s own
position and the other to
refute the opposing
argument
Statement is made, In organization, basic essay
followed by claims format is followed
and counter claims
Use of first person is not advisable, but use of statistics, expert quotations
and other evidence can be used for supporting or for rebuttal.
The author thus has a repertoire of forms to choose from to express his/her
intent. However, the point that definitely needs mentioning is that these
forms are not ‘water tight compartments’ in which there is no space for other
forms to mingle and integrate. Just as to teach language a teacher cannot
afford to use only one approach/method, disregarding the others, similarly,
boundaries of these forms are porous, and a writer can use an eclectic
approach to convey thoughts and ideas. For example, a writer may choose
to write a narrative in which description of certain aspects highlights the
entire sequence of events. The narrative mode thus forms an outline in
which description becomes an integral component, each retaining its
distinctiveness and identity.
45
Teaching Writing and Grammar
17.4 LET US SUM UP
1. Writing can and should be taught in the classroom.
10. Paragraphs and essays are examples of all good writing. A good
paragraph should have unity, coherence, good organization and emphasis.
Internet resources:
i) http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA010429671033.aspx
ii) http://www.101emailetiquettetips.com/
iii) http://iwillfollow.com/email.htm
46
Different Types of Writtng
17.6 ANSWERS
Check Your Progress 1
1. exam form, bus pass, library membership, gym membership form, railway
metro concession and reservation form etc.
2 & 3 Teacher should monitor language and content.
Check Your Progress 2
1. Motivation, catalysts for idea generation, objective/subjective responses
2&3. Answers are subjective. Teachers to monitor language and content.
Check Your Progress 3
1. We have given you the earlier part of the conversation. Try this
conversation activity in your classroom and notice the different types of
responses. Encourage the student to write in informal language.
Ahmed: So are you feeling better?
Sharif: Much better but I still have a fever. I hear you had a fun time
while I was away. I believe the Hindi teacher is on long leave.
3. teacher students planning an event – elocution/sports competition/annual
day
teacher seeking explanation for coming late/not coming for a couple of
days
student seeking permission to go home because of ill health
4. Requesting permission to attend a social function, letter apologizing for
misconduct, letter inviting chief guest for an event, thank you letters,
permission letters to use the playground for a non-academic event.
7. 1-c, 2-d, 3-b, 4-c.
Check Your Progress 4
2. 1. Dear mom……….
2. Can you …………
3. In the hostel……..
4. At night……….
47
Teaching Writing and Grammar
UNIT 18 ASSESSING WRITING ABILITY
Structure
18.0 Objectives
18.1 Introduction
18.2 Student Involvement in Assessment
18.3 Teacher correction of written work
18.3.1 Meaningful Feedback
18.3.2 Kind of Feedback
18.3.3 Time of Feedback
18.0 OBJECTIVES
The objective of the unit is to enable you to:
involve students in assessing their own written work;
provide effective feedback on student writing; and
devise a marking code to help learners understand teacher feedback.
18.1 INTRODUCTION
You have already read in the first unit how writing/composing is considered
both as a product as well as a process. In the classroom, a teacher has to
focus first on the process and then on the product. While focusing on the
process, the teacher provides maximum support in terms of helping students
generate and organize ideas, articulate them and once the ideas are encoded
in language, rethink, redraft and rewrite those parts which do not communicate
the intent of the learner/writer. This is followed by the support provided in
editing and proofreading the product, that is, the written piece of text. Next,
the focus of the teacher needs to shift on the product, which is of equal
importance because students are marked or given grades on what they write.
The teacher should provide effective and constructive feedback on student
writing so that they learn to express their intent communicatively. The teacher
also needs to devise a marking system, which the students can understand,
so that the feedback given by the teacher is easily comprehended by the
students.
The teacher needs to keep in mind certain aspects of student writing
before providing student feedback.
1. Writing is not a simple transition from the spoken to the written
48 language. Students have to learn to make the switch from the
Assessing Writing Ability
colloquial to the acceptable standard variety, from the spontaneous
use of language to planned language use, and from a known
audience to an unknown reader. In India, the transition becomes
more difficult because students tend to translate literally structures
and vocabulary from their mother tongue to the Target Language.
Their language also includes Indianisms and certain cultural
expressions.
2. Students do not learn features of the written language all at once
or even at a particular stage. Like all other skills, the ability to
write well develops slowly and gradually. Therefore, writing tasks
of various complexities should be given to students to undertake.
52 Mujumdar, 2005
Teachers, need to develop an appropriate and a timely response system Assessing Writing Ability
depending upon the draft, which the child is writing. As Purves (’84) suggests,
“ the need is to train teachers to consciously adopt all kinds of roles, either
in isolation or in combination, depending on the stage at which the writing
is ready – one of the early drafts, a revision or the final product”. It means
that the teacher should adopt the roles of a “common reader, proof-reader,
editor, reviewer, gate keeper, critic, linguist /psychologist and diagnostic/
therapist” (ibid.’84: 261). Teacher development lies in assuming and
adopting each of these roles depending on the situation in which the
writing is being produced. Unconsciously, teachers tend to adopt the role
of the proofreader or the editor at the beginning of the writing task, which
may create a negative impact on many students and produce an apprehension
about writing. It is important to adopt those roles, but preferably at the final
stages of writing.
Kind/Type of Feedback
At the first and second draft stage, (Refer to the above diagram) teachers
should adopt a role which is a combination of a common reader and an
editor. As a reader issues of consistency, content, style and organization
should be raised. At this stage, teachers should respond in terms of raising
questions, seeking clarifications, reflecting on confusions in thought, noting
places in the text where meaning is not clear, supporting the points with the
help of examples. Comments made should point out to breaks in logic,
disruptions in meaning, and missing information. The basic objective of
commenting on these aspects in the early drafts is to engage students with
issues, which they want to communicate and help them to clarify the purpose
of their writing. Further, teachers need to prioritize their responses to the
drafts and the subsequent rewrites. As editors, they can respond at locations
where concern for audience is required because the role of an editor is to act
as surrogates for common readers or reviewers. By responding in this manner
they can develop a working relationship with the student. As editors, their
judgments would usually be proximate, not final. Once this is achieved, in
later and in subsequent drafts, the teacher should act as proofreaders and
comment on language–based problems, which are also equally important
to communicate meaning effectively. Participating in this meaning making
activity would mean that teachers no longer present themselves as
authoritarians, judges or evaluators, but act as interested readers, guides,
counselors, “consultants, assistants and facilitators” (Zamel ’85:96). This
collaborative relationship between the teacher and the student writing would
go a long way in helping to negotiate “ways to bring actual effect (on the
reader) as closely in line with the desired intention (of the writer) as possible”
(Brannon and Knoblauch ’82: 162).
Timing of the Feedback
Equally important is the timing of the feedback. As mentioned earlier, it
should not be offered to writers at the end of the writing activity; post
correction feedback merely notes changes in the language items and at best
helps learners to replace some words and phrases at discrete points in the
text. Feedback on student writing is best offered when learners are in
the process of constructing and producing their text. The input provided
while the text is being written would allow writers to replace inadequate
53
Teaching Writing and Grammar expressions with more appropriate ones, which would prove more effective
in conveying their intended meaning. It would also engage students in
producing language through rewrites as a consequence of self-evaluation
and self-adjustment.
57
Teaching Writing and Grammar
18.7 ANSWERS
Check Your Progress 1
1. Primary level – mechanics of writing needs to be developed: handwriting,
punctuation, spelling, grammar
Secondary Level – originality of ideas, cohesion, coherence, range of
vocabulary, syntactic structures
2. Judicious use of marks and grades – low grades and low marks
demotivate students. Grades may not be interpreted correctly by students,
hence sometimes giving marks helps.
3. Interpersonal rivalry and group dynamics to be taken into account. Pairs
need to be changed frequently - feedback should be constructive. Teachers
should monitor feedback given by students
4. Tasks can be devised in the areas learners encounter difficulty. You can
refer to the preparation of tasks in the Unit on The Writing Process and
Different Types of Writing.
Check Your Progress 2
1. Open ended answer. Teacher to monitor depending on the marking
scheme devised.
58
UNIT 19 TEACHING GRAMMAR (TO
ADVANCED LEARNERS) IN
HIGHER CLASSES
Structure
19.0 Objectives
19.1 Introduction
19.2 Understanding Forms and Functions in English Language
19.3 The Use of Tenses in English
19.4 Probable Hard spots for ESL Learners
19.5 Inter-language – Causes and Effects
19.6 Error Corrections – Ways and Means
19.7 Discussion
19.8 Let Us Sum Up
19.9 Key Words
19.10 Suggested Reading
19.11 Answers
19.0 OBJECTIVES
After studying this Unit and completing the exercises you would be able to:
explain the significance of grammar in meaning-making when learning
a language;
distinguish between forms and functions of /similar or dissimilar
sentences (with suitable examples) and establish the relationship (or the
lack there of) between these two aspects;
revisit and review a few selected aspects of English grammar i.e. tenses,
conditional clauses and passive constructions;
explain inter-language and enumerate the factors that lead to this
situation; and
discuss (with examples) the advantages and disadvantages of self
correction; peer correction and individual and whole group (error)
correction by the teacher in a classroom.
19.1 INTRODUCTION
“Grammar is the structural foundation of our ability to express ourselves.
The more we are aware of how it works, the more we can monitor the
meaning and effectiveness of the way we and others use language.” (David
Crystal, 2004, In Word and Deed, TES). As Julio Foppoli argues 59
Teaching Writing and Grammar (www.esaudio.net/spanish/onlineclasses.html.) that as a train cannot move
without railways, you won’t be able to convey your ideas to their full extension
without a good command of underlying grammar patterns and structures of
the language.
As classroom teachers we are often faced with a very peculiar and
contradictory situation. While we have a set of students who do very well
in discrete item grammar tests, they are incapable of speaking fluently or
writing accurately for long. On the other hand, there are a few who have
very little awareness of grammar jargon and terminology, although they
make pretty good use of the language. As teachers, we want to prepare
learners who actually engage in communicative situations using appropriate
language and patterns. We are not interested in their explaining to us or
making a list of all the grammar uses that a certain pattern has or reciting,
parrot like (from memory) , the rules or exceptions which are associated
with different grammatical elements. Students in higher classes have several
years of studying the language under their belts. This is a great resource for
us as teachers, because we can help them with what they already know and
expand upon it. We can help them with a “deeper understanding of the
nuances of the language.” The time in class must be used for providing
learners with as many communicative situations as possible, rather than
making them focus on drills and patterns that they could easily practice on
their own.
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
There is no future tense in English.
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
Now read the following.
1. The verb phrase is usually the time marker in most cases but is
reinforced in the form of a time adverbial. The term tense is traditionally
used to refer to the way the verb changes its endings to express this
meaning. For example -
My husband loves gardening. Come winter and he is busy with his
petunias, lobelias, dahlias, chrysanthemums and what not. He is now
water ing the plants.
64 He has been in prison for fifteen years. (He is probably still there.)
I have lived in Delhi for five years. (I still do.) Teaching Grammar
(To Advanced Learners)
The perfective aspect is formed by using the verb ‘have’. For example: in Higher Classess
The definite time in the past is usually identified by a past time adverbial
in the same sentence or the preceding language context.
In contrast, the perfect aspect is used for a past happening which is seen in
relation to a later event or time. Thus the present perfect means ‘past-
happening-related-to-present-time’, e.g.
We have eaten all the curd-rice for lunch. (There aren’t any left.)
Have you completed the project proposal? (You are expected to submit it
now.)
Different kinds of adverbials are associated with the past tense and the
present perfective, e.g.
I saw Tara a week ago.
I have not seen Shefali since December.
Using the wrong adverbial is a common error made by English learners,
As teachers you must be conscious of the fact that the verb is the central
element of a sentence. We would like to remind you here that you have to
learn all about tense and aspect of verbs because a good knowledge of verbs
is important to infer and comprehend the signification of the relationship of
the different sentences that are chosen for assessing your comprehension
skills. You would also need verbs to express your ideas in any kind of
advanced level writing tasks — be it descriptive, expository, discursive or
narrative or even a simple task like letter writing or answering questions
based on reading texts. For transformation exercises which are set in your
examination question papers you would need a thorough knowledge of the
correct form of the verb.
The two other sub-topics that we have selected to discuss in this unit –
conditional clauses and passive constructions — are also verb related. But
we will discuss more of it later. 65
Teaching Writing and Grammar
Check Your Progress 2
Consult any grammar book to list the different functions that a verb in the
simple present tense performs. Now identify the functions of the verb
forms in the sentences given below.
1. Water boils at 100 degree centigrade. …………………………….
She plays the piano really well. ……………………………………
The easiest way to go to Delhi Haat is to take the Metro from Model
Town………………..
Separate the egg whites and the yolks and keep them in two separate
bowls. Beat the whites stiff till they stand in peaks …………
…………………..
2. Saurav Ganguly wins the toss and decides to bat first ………
………………….
Rani plans to join her new job in September. She wants to rest for two
weeks before taking up the new assignment …………………
……………………
3. The following sentences are in the present continuous tense. But how
does the meaning differ in each sentence?
Air pollution is becoming worse day by day.
The government is planning to allow even and odd number cars on
alternate days on the road.
I’m going to attend a mono-acting programme on Kabir by Shekhar
Sen.
It is snowing in Simla.
I’m forever looking for my room keys.
4. What is the difference in the set of sentences given below?
i(a) The sun rises in the east.
(b) The sun is rising over the horizon. What a beautiful sight.
ii(a) In summer, it always rains in the evening in this place.
(b) It is not raining but is pouring now. How can you think of going
out?
iii(a) Joy reads a lot of books.
(b) He is reading the Glass Palace by Amitava Ghosh now.
iv(a) There was an explosion at the crowded Sarojini Nagar Market
before Diwali.
(b) There has been an explosion at Sarojini Nagar market. Many
people have lost their lives.
v(a) The Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan have been opened
for public.
Have you ever been there?
(b) We went to the Mughal Gardens at Rastrapati Bhavan last week.
It is opened for public viewing only for a fortnight.
66
Teaching Grammar
5. (a) Underline all the verbs in the simple present and put a circle (To Advanced Learners)
round all the verbs in the present continuous. in Higher Classess
(b) Comment on the utility of this kind of an exercise in higher
classes.
The day is mild. A filmy diffusion pales the blue of the sky and
gives a soft extra light. A gentle breeze touches the moving sea.
Here and there the surface breaks in a pattern of light, struck by
a shower of needles. Schools of sauries, each holding a million
fish, break and boil to the top. Their sides are gleaming iridescent
silver, their backs are metallic blue green. The Little Calf and his
mother, along with seven other females, the harem bull, and a
young male, are lazily following the fish, feasting as they go…
Even the Little Calf, though nursing, is swallowing the fat, tasty,
ten inch fish.
(Adapted from Collins Cobuild English Grammar Exercises)
We will end this section with a few observations from a study conducted by
R. K. Agnihotri, A. L. Khanna and Aditi Mukherjee on Undergraduate
Students of Delhi University. (Implicational Order of Difficulty in the Use
of Tenses in English – by R. K. Agnihotri, A. L. Khanna and Aditi Mukherjee).
They suggest that “the teaching of tenses should be incorporated in the
teaching curriculum in three distinct stages. The verbal forms which the
majority of our population finds difficult to handle and which are acquired
later…should be introduced only in the last stage of teaching of tenses. It
may not be particularly damaging to introduce these forms early at the
receptive levels but to insist on their productive control in the early stages
may result in disturbing the natural stages involved in learning. In natural
language acquisition a silent period generally intervenes between reception
and production…” Their findings underscore the need for contrasting the
present indefinite (simple present) and the present continuous as also the
simple past with present perfect. They have also highlighted the necessity to
introduce the simple present for general truths and for habitual actions at the
early stage. They also proposed the use of the simple present for future
references in the Second Stage and the present continuous for future action
as one of the ways to indicate future time. The researchers/authors also feel
that the more difficult areas in tenses, i.e. the past perfect and the perfect
continuous tenses should be taken up in the later stages. In brief, “the formal
devices evolved to express different aspects of time and activity constitute
one of the most critical aspects of any language and an adequate control over
the verbal forms and the associated adverbials is necessary to use language
meaningfully.’’
Column I Column II
If you have lost money a you’ll stay slim.
If I went to Germany b you must take the call.
If you don’t eat too much c the holiday would have been
miserable.
If she liked spaghetti, d contact the police.
If David phones, e I would buy a bigger car.
If the weather had not f she must have been Italian.
changed,
If I were as tired as you, g I would visit Berlin.
If I had enough money, h I should take a holiday.
If you can’t sleep i I would visit London first.
If I went to England, j take some sleeping tablets.
Similarly,
In this section we will briefly touch upon the situations in which passive
constructions are more appropriate than pseudo-passives. But before we go
into those details, let us revise how passives are formed – although we know
that you are familiar with it.
His friend was shot in the chest and he died on the spot.
(In this sentence the subject is— His friend and the passive construction is
formed by using be (was) + shot (past participle). What according to you
is the difference between the sentences –
a) His friend was shot in the chest and he died on the spot. (passive)
b) The robbers shot his friend in the chest and he died on the spot. (active)
Before we proceed further, let us quickly look back to our own days of
learning English (which is L2 for most of us) and recollect instances of over
generalization of rules learned and mother tongue interference. Most
common, as you might have noticed, pertain to making plurals for example,
adding the extra –s to the word children; using the definite article the with
76 names, for example: The Gopal is very hard working(x) (in line with—The
Roys have gone to Ranikhet for a holiday – referring to the family as a Teaching Grammar
whole); use of –ed to indicate past tense e.g. buyed (x), sinked (x), etc. (To Advanced Learners)
in Higher Classess
Interference of the mother tongue is most noticeable in pronunciation and
stress patterns —(giving rise to comedy films and plays in all Indian
languages); use of wrong word order which is typically modelled on the
mother tongues the learners ; absence of inversion in interrogative sentences
or the indiscriminate use of isn’t it (?) in question tags; deviation from
grammatically correct subject –verb agreement rules –-to name only a few
areas where Indian ESL learners frequently go wrong. You can keep your
ears and eyes open and compile a list of errors your learners make.
However, we are not trying to tell you or convince you that L1 interference/
transfer and overgeneralization on the basis of incomplete rule learning,( i.e.
not knowing the exceptions of a particular rule) are the only two reasons
why the target language is not adequately mastered by a learner. There are
factors – both internal and external— like age, diminishing motivation,
waning interest, lack of self confidence, anxiety, insufficient learning
opportunities, dearth of proficient language teachers – all of which contribute
to create a situation in which “incorrect linguistic features become a permanent
part of the way a person speaks or writes a language. Thus, if we think of
interlanguage as a continuum of gradually approaching the target language,
it can stop developing in any stage and the learner is unable to acquire total/
absolute proficiency. This freezing of the transition between native language
(L1) and the target language (L2) is termed fossilization of interlanguage. 77
Teaching Writing and Grammar This phenomenon occurs mostly in adult second language learners. This
interlanguage fossilization or a permanent cessation of progress toward the
target language shows up as error-reappearance (those language phenomena
whereby repeatedly corrected language errors occur again and again resulting
in language competence fossilization (viz., fossilization of pronunciation,
syntactic structures and vocabulary).
“Mistakes thus should not worry the teacher as they can usually be
corrected by the learner himself/herself (Ellis and Tomlinson: 1980).
Peer correction is another way of error correction where students work together
on correcting each other’s work. The obvious advantage is that students can
discuss with/consult each other if in doubt. Also in case one fails to see his/
her own mistakes, the other person can always help with it. However, the
spirit of co-operation has to pervade pair work.
(Also both self correction and peer correction find support in the constructivist
theory of teaching grammar. We have touched upon this in an earlier Unit
on different methodologies of teaching grammar.)
If we think that a mistake needs to be corrected, the student who made the
mistake or another student can correct it. In this case teacher intervention is
not required. But if the particular student or any other classmate is unable
to come up with the correct answer, then obviously the teacher needs to
intervene to stop wasting available class time.
Error correction by teachers for the whole class can be either hot (the teacher
makes the correction the moment the learner uses a wrong form/pronounces
a word wrongly— then and there) or cold (delayed response/correction at a
later point of time).
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If you have written something like too many interruptions to correct mistakes
make the students hesitant and inhibited – you are right. Students would
never use new expressions / words / syntactical patterns and fall back on
safe, simple, repetitive expressions which they know are correct (albeit
overused and / or boring). Hence, language experts who look upon mistakes
as evidence of learning or learning steps, suggest that teachers should not
correct mistakes unless there is a breakdown in communication. In a delayed
correction scenario, a teacher can quietly collect samples/instances of wrong
usage, grammatical errors while going through students’ written work and
choose one or two items for re-teaching. Even if the teacher thinks that he
or she has taught a particular item but the students are still incapable of self
correction or no one in a class can correct a particular mistake, then obviously
80 it needs to be taught again in a different way.
Teaching Grammar
Check Your Progress 7 (To Advanced Learners)
in Higher Classess
1. Given below are a few incorrect expressions used by learners in their
English examination answer scripts. Write the correct version in the
space provided. Identify the grammar elements which the learners are
confused with.
Expressions used by Attention needed in Correct version
learners teaching grammar
area
19.7 DISCUSSION
Learning a language is a complex process. Hence, nothing is learnt at one
go. Our understanding of the meaning-making role of grammar also grows
gradually over a period of time. Reviewing, re-using what we have learnt
earlier and reinforcing what we know or have learnt help gradually.
All languages are rule governed. But as we have said earlier, only knowing/
learning the rules do not suffice. Learners need to use the language learnt
fluently, accurately and last but not the least appropriately. While we have
referred to these concepts in an earlier lesson, we would like to remind you
of these three important strands in language use in passing. In this Unit we
have tried to focus on form vs. functions to make you aware of the facts that
grammatically similar sentences may be used in quite different ways while
sentences being used in similar way may be grammatically quite dissimilar.
In other words, the uses to which a sentence might be put cannot be
ascertained from an analysis of its consistent parts, and a learner who knows
what all the words and structures in the language signify, does not necessarily
know how to use language correctly and appropriately.
Like a first rate driver goes through the physical operations of driving a car
automatically and yet follows all traffic rules, keeps an eye on other car
drivers on the road, driving at same time that he is, is mentally alert to his
surroundings and yet carries on a conversation / argument with his co-
passengers – all at the same time. Similarly, a proficient language user gains
automatic control over complex mental routines and sub-routines. This
comparison may be a little cliché / overused, yet we think the most apt.
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Teaching Writing and Grammar Learning of a language does not occur in a linear sequence. It is an organic
process characterized by back sliding, leaps in competency, interaction
between grammatical elements, etc.
“Researches have demonstrated the complexity of the processes involved in
learning a second language. We now have data which show that it takes
much longer than we once thought to move from one developmental stage
to another… There seems to be little support for an approach in which all
explicit grammatical instruction is eschewed. However, the questions of
when, how and how much focus to place on grammar has not been settled.
In this Unit we have tried to explain that “structures are not learned in
isolation, but they interact with each other. Eisenstein et al (1982) investigated
the development of progressive and simple forms and came to the conclusion
that the problem of learning closely related verb structures is that while each
has its own job to perform, it is also interconnected with other structures.
This makes it difficult for the learner to determine where the boundaries are
and therefore, to know when it is appropriate to use one structure rather than
another. Eisenstein et al. point out that ultimately the challenge of learning
closely related verb structures is probably that they have to be integrated into
the semantic and grammatical system in such a way that each marks off its
own meaning domain, i.e. in the case of verbs, its own portion of time.
(Language Teaching Methodology, David Nunan, 1998)
Apart from internalizing complex grammar rules and using them automatically
and appropriately, another important focal point of this Unit is the fossilization
of inter language and the resultant, errors that show up in the productive
skills of speaking and writing. As most of us teachers are unwilling to accept
the errors as inevitable in second language learning and give sufficient time
to outgrow them at a later stage of learning. We think we can fully agree
with R. K. Agnihotri and A. L. Khanna when they suggest, ‘Nothing causes
more anxiety to teachers, parents, examiners and society in general than the
errors that a learner makes while learning a language. In fact, we often treat
errors as if they were diseases which need immediate treatment. The truth
is that making errors is a necessary part of a learning process.” They have
also pointed out that the rules of grammar are “created by those who use it.
And we all know languages keep changing all the time… It is possible that
today’s errors may become tomorrow’s rule.” Isn’t the comment thought
provoking and deserving some consideration? Think and ponder.
The time marker in most sentences is the verb phrase which in most cases
is corroborated by an adverb. There are two tenses in English language –
present and past tense – while future time is indicated in a variety of ways.
The aspect of the verb tells us whether the action is in progress (continuous)
or if an action is continuing up to the present (perfective).
Expressing meanings using the words and grammar which are already
known.
We should encourage self correction first and then follow it up with peer
correction, if needed. Teachers can concentrate on re-teaching certain areas
where all/most learners make errors.
Or
Pseudo Passives – (often with have or get) are common in informal English.
They have subjects which have things done for them, to them or which
happen to them e.g. I had my car washed.
Ellis, Rod and Brian Tomlinson. 1980. Teaching Secondary English, Longman
Group Ltd. England.
Websites Consulted/Referred to
Fossilization of Interlanguage.
Interlanguage
Ceremonial (or ritual language use) e.g. Dearly beloved, we are gathered
here together to writers the holy matrimony of …(different from simply
mixing expressive and directive language because performative aspects
are also included).
Phatic language – Conversations accomplishing a social task or even a
nod or a wave of hand to greet somebody.
Check Your Progress 2
1. Water boils at 100 degree centigrade. Universal truth
She plays the piano really well. Habit (repeated action)
The easiest way to go to Delhi Haat is to take the Metro from Model
Town. Giving suggestions/advice
Separate the egg whites and the yolks and keep them in two separate
bowls. Beat the whites stiff till they stand in peaks. Instructions
2. Saurav Ganguly take to section wins the toss and
decides to bat first. Present event (commentary)
Rani plans to join her new job in September. She
wants to rest for two weeks before taking up
new assignment. Plans (proposed) for a future time
3. Air pollution is becoming worse day by day. (Progressive change)
The government is planning to allow even and
odd number cars on alternate days on the road.
(Proposed plans for future time)
I’m going to attend a mono-acting programme
on Kabir by Shekhar Sen.(fixed) (Plan for future time)
It is snowing in Simla. (Event happening at
the time of talking)
I’m forever looking for my room keys. (Habitual action that
takes place regularly).
4. Difference in the set of sentences given below:
i(a) The sun rises in the east. (Universal truth. True for all times)
(b) The sun is rising over the horizon. What a beautiful sight!
(Temporary event happening at the time of speaking)
ii(a) In summer, it always rains in the evening in this place.
(Frequent action)
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(b) It is not raining but is pouring now. How can you think of Teaching Grammar
going out? (Temporary event happening at the time of (To Advanced Learners)
in Higher Classess
speaking)
iii(a) Joy reads a lot of books. (Regular action)
(b) He is reading the Glass Palace by Amitava Ghosh now. (Event
in progress but definitely for a limited period)
iv(a) There was an explosion at the crowded Sarojini Nagar Market
before Diwali. (Event happened in the past)
(b) There has been an explosion at Sarojini Nagar market. Many people
have lost their lives. (Past event but the effects (result) can be felt
in the present time).
v(a) The Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan have been opened for
public.
Have you ever been there? (Event in a period leading up to present
time)
(b) We went to the Mughal Gardens at Rastrapati Bhavan last week.
It is opened for public viewing only for a fortnight. (Event took
place in past time)
5. is, pales, gives, touches, breaks (sides) are, (are) (lazily) (following) is
swallouring
Check Your Progress 3
1. Completed sentences:
i If my daughter comes tomorrow, we will go to The Garden of Five
Senses to see the exhibition.
ii We will all be very happy if you spend the weekend with us.
iii If I have enough money, I will buy a small house in Ooty.
iv I could take your photo if I had a camera/A mobile with a good
quality camera.
v If my husband agrees, I would buy a house in Kodaikanal.
vi If you had a dictionary, you could have checked the pronunciation
or the meaning of the word in the given context.
vii Sheila would build up a well-stocked children’s library, if only the
School Principal had agreed to her proposal.
viii If I were you, I would never neglect such high fever for many days.
ix I wouldn’t have caught a cold, if I had taken my umbrella with me
in the morning.
x We wouldn’t have missed the train if we had not been held up in
the traffic jam.
xi If we had taken the earlier train, we could have visited the Titanic
House in the afternoon. 87
Teaching Writing and Grammar xii If we had taken leave for a few more days, we could have stayed
here for a few more days. This is such a quiet and peaceful place
2. i Riya could not wear her new dress because the tailor did not do the
alterations on time.
ii I shared our Sunday plans with Prateek because you never told me
not to./ I did not know it was to be kept secret.
iii Go visit a doctor. The fever may be indicative of more serious
illness than you think.
iv Tina is wearing something very light which is not very warm. (She
may feel cold later.)
v Gopal becomes angry very quickly. His colleagues do not like him
much.
3. i If he worked hard, he would pass. (b) a lazy student
ii If he had worked, he would have passed. (c) an ex-student.
iii He’ll pass if he works hard. (a) a good student
Check Your Press 4
1. i The litmus paper is placed in the liquid. The Person is either a
scientist / teacher/ student / researcher. Therefore, the doer of the
action is taken for granted.
ii The chicken breasts are cleaned, washed and then cut into half inch
broad strips.
Recipe/ instructions for making a chicken dish.
How to cook is more important than who the author of the cookbook
is.
iii The order to Public Works Department (PWD) to carry out
patchwork on Delhi roads was revoked.
Newspaper Report. Obviously the administrative authorities /
government in power.
iv A cricketer, who was acquitted of match fixing charges, was banned
for five years.
News report/Newspaper report. The Cricket Regulatory body alone
has such powers.
v Common sleep disorders that rob many people from a good night’s
sleep can be classified in four categories.
An article in a magazine or any text book chapter on sleep disorder.
Impersonal style is more acceptable in scientific writings.
2. These are suggested answers. Your answers may be different.
i The State Government has been compelled to deploy Police force
fearing arson and violence by the rioters.
ii Although the environmentalists are protesting vehemently, the
Japanese government is known to have given permission to kill
88 whales for sale in markets.
iii Classmates have abducted one of their teen-aged friends and have Teaching Grammar
hidden him in the empty school premises over the weekend. (To Advanced Learners)
in Higher Classess
iv Detailed proposals would be submitted in the forthcoming council
meetings suggesting alternative measures to avoid regular traffic
jams.
v New methods were discovered by medical researchers to preserve
tissues without the use of ice.
3. All clues given. Write the procedure using the passive voice and linkers
indicating sequence. (Open ended-but do not change order of the boxes
given.
4. Open ended.
5 Although a newspaper item, simple present, simple past, past tense of
modals will (would), can (could) have been used. Thus the active voice
has been used in this news item because the focus is as much on the
‘Doer’ as the action.
Check Your Progress 5
1. i(a) The car was repaired by some one else (e.g. a mechanic in a garage.)
(b) He himself repaired the car.
ii(a) The teeth came out on their own (may be because of age/accident)
(b) The dentist extracted three of his teeth.
iii(a) A direct question to the owner of the car.
iii(b) Does somebody else (other than the owner) clean the car?
2 (i) get them stitched?
(ii) a gardener does it for you?
3 i. were evacuated (agent not mentioned, understood – the cabin crew)
was retrieved (agent mentioned – (by) explosive experts from the
navy and DCI. Specialized trained agents because not everybody
can deactivate explosives.
ii. (a) is built (b) are associated (agent – strong earthquakes)
Check Your Progress 6
a The hungry victims
b It is right to say. What? - sentence incomplete.
or
The incomplete sentence can be combined with the next sentence.
c All the “effected” (used three times) should be written as affected.
The word effect which means ‘result’ is usually used with words like
have an effect, produce an effect or take affect. The word affect is used 89
Teaching Writing and Grammar if a person or thing is influenced or changed in some way (because of
something)
d Some others are spelling mistakes:-
pregnant - should be pregnant
aborded - should be aborted
deaealt
e It erase - it erased/killed
aftermaths - is wrong because the word aftermath
(result) is used as a singular noun
never conceive again - should be corrected as never conceived
again or could never conceive again.
lose the capability - should be – lost the ability to have babies.
The wounds close - can be written as - wounds closed and
opened for no reason.
The hair started break - The hair started to break or hair started
breaking.
There was started a - use of passive voice is inappropriate. A gum
teeth deaealt. disease spread.
the whole people - should be corrected to the people of
they cannot recover themselves - should
be rewritten as till now they have not
recovered from the aftermath of the atom
bomb (certainly to be deleted).
This is world - should be rewritten as This is the most
unfortunate unfortunate event in world history.
(Spelling, grammar, world, order difference between two closely similar
words, not known to the student. The student language use is poor and needs
remedial teaching in many areas.)
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Check Your Progress 7 Teaching Grammar
(To Advanced Learners)
Grammar for re-teaching Correct version Expression used in Higher Classess
by learners?
3. i) (b) a lazy student (ii) (c) an ex-student (iii), (a) a good student
4. Match the clauses:
If you have lost money, contact the police.
If the weather had not changed, the holiday would have been miserable.
5. A few examples are given here. You can try and make more.
i If Jack had studied, he would have passed.
ii If Jill had driven slowly, she wouldn’t have had an accident.
iii If Maria had taken a taxi, she wouldn’t have been late.
iv If Bob had worked he wouldn’t have failed.
(You could construct more meaningful sentences)
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