23 November 2011

HNDE Syllabus Year 2 – Semester I - EN 2101: Practical and Professional Writing III


EN 2101: Practical and Professional Writing III

Writing skills: causes and results
·         Focus: expressions used for describing causes/origins and expressions used for describing results. e.g. was caused by, has become, led to, resulted in, as a result of…
(Ref: Language in Use: Upper Intermediate-classroom Book page 80)
·         Activities:
-   Read and list the expressions used for talking about causes and results
-   Write other expressions which could be used instead.
-   Select a headline and expand it into a paragraph, using expressions you have listed.
e.g.   Explosion Kills 20 people: leaking gas pipe-damaged when road was repaired- explosion -20 people killed.
More illiterate children-warns report: cuts in funds-fewer teachers-more children- unable to raise funds

Writing skills: joining ideas
·         Showing what comes next. e.g. We arrived five minutes before the concert was due to begin. Surprisingly there were still very few people in the auditorium.
·         Expression which denote continuation: fortunately, on the other hand, in fact. The contrary, surprisingly, not surprisingly (provide sentences)
·         Activities:
-   Choose suitable expressions to fill in the gaps.
-   Write suitable continuations: The job isn’t well paid. On the other hand…

Informative/descriptive/expository writing
·         Text types: essays, newspaper reports, travel experience, interpret graphs/maps.
·         Procedure: guided writing - Help in thinking ideas, ordering them, considering vocabulary and grammar.

Imaginative writing
·         Encourage students to create stories: Provide questions to stimulate writing. e.g. What if you see some aliens in your village?
·         Involve students in writing and illustrating books.
·         Writing based on pictures-creative dialogues / stories

Persuasive and argumentative writing
·         Writing skills: balancing an argument / contrasting two different points of view - useful expressions: on the contrary, but, in fact, on the other hand
(Ref: Language in Use. Upper - Intermediate. Classroom Book. page 70)
·         Activities: Write arguments for and against to the following opinions.
e.g.   Women and men now have equal opportunities in society
Doing military service makes young people better citizens.
·         Focus: develop logical arguments and cite evidence, use persuasive techniques and rhetorical devices.
       
Design and use a questionnaire to write reports
·         Introduce the topic. e.g. Report about leisure activities
-   build up words connected to the topic on blackboard
-   design a questionnaire to find how people spend their leisure time (group work)
-   collect information from classmates
-   discuss and write the report
·         Introduce features of report writing: structure - introduction, middle paragraphs, and conclusion
·         Language focus: In order to find out how people…, One surprising fact that emerged was…, The results of our survey suggest that…

Analytic writing
·         Focus: critical and evaluative views of texts, drama, films and issues.
·         Take account of the student’s familiarity with the topic. Guide students to form their own view taking into account a range of evidence and opinion and to organize their ideas and information distinguishing between analysis and comment

HNDE Syllabus Year 2 – Semester II - EN 2201: Practical and Professional Writing IV


 EN 2201: Practical and Professional Writing IV

Writing skills: evaluate their own and other’s writing
·         Self-evaluation and peer evaluation: design criteria for evaluation - Discuss in groups about what makes a good piece of writing? Whole class discussion. List criteria on the blackboard. The list should include the following:
-   Content: relevancy to the topic / to the reader, interest, length
-   Organization: logic in order of arrangement, coherence, unity
-   Style: variety in sentences, precise vocabulary, appropriacy to purpose
-   Language: correct sentence stricture / spelling / punctuation
-   Appearance: neatness, layout, standard format (as in business letters)

Summary writing
·         Focus: reading carefully to get the meaning, note down the important points. Note the length prescribed for the summary. Write the first draft in your own words. Revise, write the summary and provide a title
·         Language: should be written in full sentences, using the same tense as in the passage. Avoid examples / quotations / repetition / explanation or expansion / figures of speech

Informative, descriptive and expository writing
·         Focus: form sentences and paragraphs which express connection between information and ideas precisely, e.g. cause and result, comparison
·         Activities: Expanding a variety of headlines into articles, reports based on graphs / charts, writing speeches and reading them out, writing memos, minutes etc.

Persuasive and argumentative writing
·         Text types: Letters to news papers in response to a controversial article
-   Collect facts, organize a class debate
-   Argument / opinion about personal values, civil / national / cultural issues.
-   Campaign literature
·         Languages focus: develop logical arguments giving examples, use language to gain attention and sustain interest

Writing a newspaper page
·         Generate topics and ideas by brainstorming and webbing, discussing topics, interviewing, etc.
·         Organize ideas by selecting and ordering relevant ideas and information
·         Drafting: contribute ideas and language for collaborative composition
·         Conferencing with the teacher, redrafting
·         Editing, proof reading and publishing

Analytic writing
·         Activities: Reports based on notes / questionnaires etc.
·         Focus: Reflect on the nature and significance of the subject matter, Organize ideas and information distinguishing between analysis and comment, Form their own view taking into account a range of evidence and opinions.

HNDE Syllabus Year 1 – Semester I I - EN 1201: Practical and Professional Writing II


   EN 1201: Practical and Professional Writing II

Linking ideas: clauses and phrases
·         Activities: Provide sentences with linking words such as:  because, so, but, although, in spite of, otherwise, except that, apart from. Get them to underline the linking words. Discuss the function of linking words
·         Provide more activities.      
-   Join the ideas in the two columns using linking words.
-   Fill in the blanks.
(Ref: Language in Use: Intermediate, Workbook. Page 59)

Develop paragraphs: organizing ideas at inter-paragraph level
·         Generate ideas using different techniques: brain storming, group/class discussions, reading, illustrations
·         Guidelines on organization: beginning, developmental Pattern-content (two or three paragraphs), ending, register, key words
·         Writing drafts, conference with the teacher, revising

Informative writing
·         Text types: information leaflets, prospectuses, plans, description of places/people
·         Focus: conveying information clearly. Consider what the reader wants to know and include relevant details only.
·         Present materials clearly, appropriate layout, illustrations and organization

Practical writing
·         Text types: CV writing, job applications, personal letters-mails
·         Focus on particulars found in an application form, CV format is different from application form
-   Personal letters: e.g. thanking a teacher who was helping your class to practice a drama (Collaborative group tasks),
-   Language: We are writing this letter to…, Our drama came first in the…

Professional writing
·         Text Types: business letters, reports of discussions, meetings, summarizing, filling in forms (e.g. library membership)
·         Focus: use formal and impersonal language
·         Writing reports: e.g. you are the secretary of the senior literary society. Write the annual report giving an account of the activities of the society during the year
·         Present a model with an activity. e.g. Read the following report and fill in the blanks with the words given below.

Imaginative writing
§  Text types: plays, stories, poems, autobiographies, imaginary situations
§  Focus:  creative use of language. Provide questions/pictures to stimulate writing.
-   Provide the beginning; An old man sat o a bench in the park watching children           playing…
-   Provide the ending: …I told you it was a joke
-   Supply captions or titles as starting points. These can be taken from news papers. e.g. Boy saved from drowning.
-   Imaginary situations: If I were a parent…

Writing poetry
e.g. five-line poem (cinquain) in which the lines are arranged by word/syllable.

Line 1: title                                    2 syllables or 1word
Line 2: description of the title      4 syllables or 3words
Line 3: action bout the title           6 syllables or 3 words
Line 4: feeling about the title        8 syllables or 4 words
Line 5: synonym for the title        2 syllables or 1 word
Syllable cinquain                           word cinquain
Water                                            Kittens
Frothy, bubbling                           Soft, cuddly
Tumbling, twisting, turning          Playing, purring, pouncing
Roaring like a fierce lioness          Giving joy and happiness
River                                             Babies

Persuasive and argumentative writing
·         Writing skills: giving reasons: e.g. why do people gamble/become vegetarians/keep pets/enjoy watching violet films? (Ref: Language in Use: Upper-Intermediate. Classroom Book.Page40, 50)
·         Text types: letters to the editor of a newspaper, articles, letters conveying opinions: Brochures, advertisements
-   Letters to the editor- Provide opportunities to read and collect different letters from newspapers. Discuss structure, reason/argument/request etc. Get students to write their own letters to the editor. Provide the topic and guidelines; help them in planning, writing and redrafting.
-   Brochures, advertisements- on presenting a case influencing the reader. e.g. Imagine a local radio station has asked you to write a one-minute commercial advertising a new product.

Drama and writing
  • Text types: write dialogues appropriate to specific situations on different themes and act them out. e.g. buying, selling, bargaining, apologizing, complaining, persuading, arguing, and giving directions. (group tasks)
  • Write and act out well-known tales, e.g. folk stories

HNDE Syllabus Year 1 – Semester I - EN 1101: Practical and Professional Writing I

EN 1101: Practical and Professional Writing I

Nature and functions of written language
·         Identifying the difference between the spoken and written English - conventional features of written texts (pair work)
·         Types of texts and functions: formal / informal / personal / business /                               descriptive / narrative / expository / argumentative / persuasive
·         Difficulties in writing: hand writing, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, content, layout

Writing essentials
Provide samples of writing and discuss the following:
·         Cohesion-unity of thought / relation between sentences in a paragraph and paragraphs in a longer text
·         Clarity- organize writing using a clear structure, neat ad clear writing / layout
·         Use punctuations correctly-to signal sentence structure and to help the reader
·         Spelling: using dictionaries, word banks, proof read their writing for errors - style: adapting style of writing to suit different forms of writing, variety in sentences

Developing a paragraph
·         Provide different types of paragraphs. Ask students to find .topic sentence, supporting details, conclusion
·         Instructions to write different types of paragraphs, e.g. Put these sentences into the correct order to make a paragraph

General guidelines for student portfolios
Introduction: A collection of students’ work that demonstrates to students and others their efforts, progress and achievements. Students should have their own portfolios which can be a file folder.
Purpose:
·         To collect students’ writing during the semester.
·         To provide a tangible record of writing for assessment
·         To provide a tangible record of students’ writing progress
Instructions:
·         Have students date their samples as they write or revise them. 
·         Identify writing as “first draft” “revision” or “final copy”
·         Check each folder regularly so that specific needs can be addressed as they arise
·         Encourage students to share their writing with peers

Writing skills:
Letter writing
·         Understand the format of a personal letter and a formal letter
Formal letter - address, date, designation and address of the person, salutation,   underlined subject of the letter, body of the letter (introduction, reason, request for action) conclusion, complimentary close, signature, name and address.
·         Language differences-provide examples, e.g. I am writing to you regarding…, I wish to inform you…
·         Practice writing introductions for letters of request / inquiry / expressing inability to accept an invitation
·         Personal letters - express happiness / sorrow / exchanging news e.g. I was very happy to / delighted to / glad to / hear that…
·         Practice writing introductions

Practical writing
Make the students write:
·         Announcements for school / community event,
·         Invitations-sports meet, concert, for a guest speech.
·         Thank you notes to visitors / speakers
·         Letters to a sick student / student who has moved away, etc.

Help students with the writing process; planning, drafting, revising, proof reading and presenting

Professional writing
·         Memos-used for internal office correspondence. Provide a model to read and study the content (group work).
·         Write memos e.g. you are the secretary of the sports club of your office. Write a memo to members informing about the annual picnic.
·         Agendas of meetings-Provide a sample-usually follow the same pattern.

Imaginative writing
·         Write imaginary dialogues and act them out. e.g. Explaining about a broken window, a conversation between a mosquito and a dog
·         Provide a new ending to a familiar story
·         Use 3 or 4 familiar objects and get students to write an incident / situation involving them.