My Paragraph Based Writing Class (Feb - June 2011)

Overview of Teaching Paragraph Based Writing Class Using Writing Workshop to Increase Students' Ability in Writing a Paragraph

Backkground of the Study

• The need of university students to understand academic writing which differs from other kinds of writing explained in part by its special audience, tone, and purposes. Also, it focuses on the need to understand creative writing as part of the students’ academic life.
• Writing focuses on the need of both process and product
• The students’ difficulties in writing the paragraph structure of each type.
• The students’ difficulties in applying the steps of writing. Also, their difficulties in using correct grammar, vocabulary, good coherence, and mechanics of writing.
• Paragraph Based Writing is a writing class in which students have to write some types of paragraph (Narrative, descriptive, and expository) by applying steps of writing and using paragraph structure, coherence, unity and completeness.
• Writing workshop as a strategy to help students enhance their ability in writing, either focusing on process or product.
• Writing workshop (Peha, 2003; Gorscik, 2007) was introduced in PBW class.

Theoretical Framework

• Speaking and writing are social practices. They always have to be seen in relation to all other social practices with which they interact.
• Writing (Meyers, 2005: 1) is a way to produce language, which we do naturally when we speak. As in speaking, when we write, we consider choice of words, form, and grammar to make sure that they clearly express what we intend to say.
• Meyers (2005)à writing is partly a talent, but it’s mostly a skill. It improves with practtice. It is also an action– a process of discovering and organizing ideas putting them on paper, and reshaping and revising them.
• Hyland (2002)à writing is central to our personal experience and social identities, and we are evaluated by our control of it.
• Academic writing (Oshima and Hogue, 1999)à is the kind of writing that we are required to do in college or university. It requires understanding on the audience, tone and purposes.
• Audience = instructor? Professor? Other readers?
• Tone = depends on the subject matte and audience. It is style or manner of expression which is revealed by choice of words and grammatical structure, and length of the sentence.
• Purpose determines the rhetorical forms (organizational forms and style)

Writing Workshop

Peha (2003), is a teaching technique that invites students to write by making the process a meaningful part of the classroom curriculum.

In writer’s workshop, full class lessons are short and tightly focused on practical real- world issues. Emphasis is placed on sharing work with the class, on peer conferencing and editing, and on the collection of a wide variety of work in a writing folder, and eventually in portofolio.

In writing workshop, teacher writes with their students, and share their own work as well. It encourages students to think themselves as writers, and to take their writing seriously.

The basic format of Writing workshop:

• Mini Lesson: a short lesson focused on a single topic that students need help
• Status of the class: a quick way of findig out what each student is working on
• Writing time: The students write. The teacher can involve in conference (individual or students' peer conference)
• Sharing: writers read what they have written and seek feedback from their audience. The students can also share their writing.