Explore Writing Peter Lucantoni Cambridge University Press Overview
Explore Writing Peter Lucantoni © Cambridge University Press
Overview • What is so special about academic writing? • What challenges do learners face? • How can Unlock help? © Cambridge University Press
Look at Handout 1 and writes notes: 1 How does ‘academic writing’ differ from ‘non-academic writing’? 2 What are the characteristics of academic writing? © Cambridge University Press
What is so special? DIFFERENCES • Purpose: report, process, description, essay • Style: formal structure or order • Linguistic features: formality, passive, avoidance of first person • Skills: developing argument, topic sentences, proofing © Cambridge University Press
What is so special? CHARACTERISTICS • Incorporating research findings • Using and citing sources • Describing processes and developments • Writing instructions © Cambridge University Press
What is so special? CHARACTERISTICS • Traditional conventions of grammar, punctuation, spelling • General writing skills, eg, proofreading • Developing an argument © Cambridge University Press
What is so special? EXAMPLES from Unlock RW 2 • Describe your education (unit 3) • The internet has made our lives better. Do you agree or disagree? (4) • Describe a narrative paragraph about the business history of Google (8) © Cambridge University Press
What is so special? EXAMPLES from Unlock RW 2 • How is your language different from 50 years ago? Describe the way that people speak and write your language has changed (5) • Describe a graph (6) © Cambridge University Press
Challenges: motivation • • • Lack of genuine reason • Lack of basic skills • Lack of immediate feedback • Lack of familiarity with requirements It’s boring It takes too long It’s too difficult I don’t know what to write © Cambridge University Press
Challenges • What specific challenges would this question present for your students? The internet has made our lives better. Do you agree or disagree? © Cambridge University Press
Challenges usually fit into three main areas: • Knowledge, Language, Organisation • Put the challenges on the next slide into a category: K, L or O Example: topic/subject vocabulary (L) © Cambridge University Press
Challenges ideas responding to purpose grammar coherence content layout considering audience format of writing punctuation context motivation © Cambridge University Press
Challenges 1. Knowledge: context, ideas, content, motivation 2. Language: topic/subject vocabulary, grammar, punctuation 3. Organisation: format of writing, layout, coherence, responding to purpose, considering audience © Cambridge University Press
How can Unlock help? • Look again at the writing task in Unlock RW 2 unit 4 • How do the steps in the unit prepare students for the writing task? • Which of the challenges does each step deal with? © Cambridge University Press
Complete the notes on Handout 2 about: 1 the purpose/content of each step, 2 the challenges dealt with in each step © Cambridge University Press
Encourages discussion Engages, motivates, generates interest Practises reading academic texts, & vocab Different angle on topic, model text © Cambridge University Press
Practises vocab and grammar from Readings to prepare for writing Brainstorming, evaluative & analytical tasks to prepare for writing Presents & practises to prepare for writing Practises all skills needed for writing © Cambridge University Press
Uses skills and language learned to draft and edit the writing task Allows students to assess themselves Includes key vocabulary from the unit © Cambridge University Press
Remember • While general writing skills are important, academic writing tasks require many different skills • Learners need information about the key issues related to topics … • … and skills to organise, evaluate and prepare this information • Unlock’s scaffolded approach provides learners with the skills and practice required © Cambridge University Press
Explore Writing Any questions? © Cambridge University Press
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