skkn SOME EFFECTIVE WAYS IN TEACHING WRITING GRADE 12

Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

SOME EFFECTIVE WAYS IN TEACHING WRITING-GRADE 12
PART A: REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE RESEARCH
In learning English, writing is considered one of the most difficult skills
learners are expected to master. When students write English for a genuine purpose,
they need to write more than good sentences; they need to write a whole text that will
convey what they mean successfully.
Since writing is a productive skill, it is not easy for teachers to teach and for
students to master. It is the fact high school students are very weak at writing. Most of
the students not only have limitation of English vocabulary and grammar but lack
ideas and social knowledge to write. With the hope that teachers can help their
students to write better, I suggest some appropriate teaching strategies and useful
activities .
I hope that the topic "Some effective ways in teaching Writing" of Grade 12 –
will be interesting in order to attract students' excitement during writing periods. That
is the reason why I choose the topic.
PART B: REAL SITUATION BEFORE THESE SOLUTIONS ARE CARRIED
OUT
1. Advantageous conditions
- High school students have learnt how to build a paragraph, how to make outlines,
how to organize ideas etc. in their Vietnamese Literature classes.
- English is one of core subjects, which are compulsory in GCSE. This will
encourage students to spend more time learning and practising English.
2. Difficulties
- Most of high school students are lack of language knowledge such as grammar,
vocabulary and structures. Besides, they do not have writing techniques.

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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

They don’t know how to begin, make an outline, provide evidence to support or
develop the point of view.
- For many students writing is probably the most boring but the least important of
the four skills, so they lack motivation to write.
- Teachers do not have enough time to correct students’ writing work in class.
PART C: CONTENTS
Let’s have a look at the national curriculum. High school students are required to
write letters both in formal and informal style. They are also asked to write some
kinds of paragraphs including narration, exposition and description of some kinds.
Syllabus overview
English 12
Unit
1
3

Topic
Homelife
Ways of socialising

Writing
Writing about family rules
Building sentences based on given words
Reordering given sentences to make complete

School education system
Higher education
Future jobs
Life in the future
Endangered species

paragraph
Describing school education system in Vietnam
Writing a letter of request
Writing a formal letter of job application
Describing the world you would like to live
Writing about measures to protect endangered

11
12
13
14

Books
Water sports
The 22nd SEA GAMES
International

species and possible results
Describing a book
Giving instructions
Describing a sporting event
Writing a short description of an international

15
16

organizations
Women in society
The Association of

organization
Describing a chart
Writing a letter of recommendation

4
5
6
8
10

Southeast Asian Nations
Writing seems to be a challenge to both teachers and students. Identifying
approaches in teaching writing can help teachers find out effective techniques to
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

overcome difficulties in teaching, therefore help students improve writing skill. To
implement effective writing lessons, I have conducted the following stages:
- Warm-up
- Pre- writing
- While- writing
- Post- writing
I. WARM-UP
Most classes should start with a “warm-up” activity to help the students relax and
increase their motivation in the lessons. The warm-up is often a game, listening to
songs, watching a video clip, etc… just to start things on a “fun and relaxed” level.
 CHARADES GAME:
- Students work in small groups of 6.
- Teacher asks the students to think of one thing they are allowed or not allowed to do
at school and write it on a piece of paper.
- Representatives take turn to act out thing they are allowed or not allowed to do at
school with gesture (without speaking or writing).The others in the class try to guess
what thing it is.
- Each correct answer gets 1 point.
 Unit 1: HOMELIFE – Part D: Writing
Ex: We are not allowed to smoke.
Illustration (CD included)
- Teacher leads to the new lesson: Today, you will write about your home rule: What
you are allowed to do, what you aren’t permitted to do.
 CUT-UP SENTENCE KABADI GAME
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

- Teacher prepares some cut up sentences and places them on a table at the front
of the class.
- Teacher arranges the students into two teams, standing behind a line or marker.
- The students

have to run to the table and arrange the words into correct

sentences.
- They are not allowed to breathe in. To prevent this the students have to repeat
“kabadi” over and over. If they stop saying the word they have to return to their
teams.
- The first team to arrange all their sentences correctly is the winner.
 Unit 3: WAYS OF SOCIALIZING – Part D: Writing
Ex: an expression / for something/ An apology is/ of remorse/ wrong
/ you've done .
Expected sentence: An apology is an expression of remorse for something you've
done wrong.
- Teacher leads to the new lesson: Today, you will practise building sentences
based on the given words and putting jumbled sentences into correct order.
 QUICK THINKERS GAME
- Teacher chooses two volunteers.
- Teacher reads the questions and asks the two volunteers to write the answers on
board.
- The winner will be the quickest.
 Unit 4: SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM – Part D: Writing
Ex:

1. Write the name of your school.
2. The age when you started to go to school.
3. Write 3 core subjects.
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

4. Double your age and write the result.
5. Draw a big circle
6. Put a small square in the circle.
7. If it is Monday, write X; if not, write the letter X in the English alphabet.
Expected answers:
1. Nguyen Huu Canh
2. 6
3. Maths, Literature, English
4. 34
5.

6.

7. x
- Teacher leads to the new lesson: Today, you will write a paragraph about education
system in Vietnam.
 PICTURE GUESSING GAME

- Teacher divides the class into 4 groups.
- Teacher reads 4 clues, one by one about the picture and asks the students to guess
what the picture is about.
- The first group calls out the name wins the game.
 Unit 5: HIGHER EDUCATION – Part D: Writing
Ex: - It’s one of the most famous universities in the world.
- It was established in 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

- Bill Gates used to study there.
- It begins with letter H.

- Teacher leads to the new lesson: Harvard University is one of the most famous
universities in the world. If you plan to continue your study at Harvard
University, what will you do?
 VIDEO CLIP WATCHING
- Teacher asks the students to watch the clip.
- The students answer the question: “What’s the clip about?”.
- Teacher leads to the new lesson.
Ex:
 Unit 8: LIFE IN THE FUTURE – Part D: Writing
 Unit 6: FUTURE JOBS – Part D: Writing

Illustration : (CD included)
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

- Teacher leads to the new lesson: Today, you will write a paragraph about the
world you imagine in the future.
 MIMING GAME
- Teacher gets one student to the board. The teacher gives him/her list of words.
- The student uses actions to describe the words. He/she cannot speak or spell the
word in the air.
- The other students watch their classmate and try to guess the words.
 Unit 13: THE 22ND SEA GAMES– Part D: Writing
Ex: A student uses actions to describe some sports. He/she cannot speak or spell
the word in the air. The other students watch their classmate and try to guess the
words.
Illustration : (CD included)
- Teacher leads to the new lesson: + Which of the sports above you enjoy watching
most?
Expected answer: football
+ Do you ever watch a football match?
Expected answer: yes
- Teacher : Today, we’ll learn how to describe a football match.
 TREASURE HUNT GAME

- Students work in small groups of 6.
- Teacher tells students to follow the given instructions to the treasure and collect
the letters on the way.
- The first group to find out the treasure (the word) wins the game.
Ex:  Unit 15: WOMEN IN SOCIETY– Part D: Writing (Describing a chart)
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

The first letter is on the car.

A

H

C

T
The second letter is next to the pine.
O

H
I
The third letter is under the dolphin.

A

U

E

The fourth letter is next to the rabbit.

The last letter is on the left of the treasure chest.

E
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Y
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Nguyen Ngoc Khanh


Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

Expected answer: Chart
- Teacher leads to the new lesson: Today we will learn how to write a chart
description.
II. PRE- WRITING
Pre- writing stage is the time for students to think and develop ideas about a

topic. If students do not prepare well enough they cannot write well. The pre-writing
stage lessens students’ anxiety and builds their confidence. Therefore, pre-writing is
the most important part of the writing process.
As we know, the nature of learning is moving from easy to more difficult things.
Experience shows that in writing, the difficulties students face with come from their
poverty of language resources. In other words, they lack ideas to write. If teachers do
not guide them what to write, students would probably find it difficult and make many
mistakes. However, it is very time-consuming for the teacher to correct their work
paper by paper. Meanwhile, the best time of correcting work is correcting mistakes
immediately in class rather than returning it the next day.
To solve the problem, the students’ lack of ideas to write, I suggest some solutions.
Step 1: A model is given.
Step 2: Students work on the model, analyze its typical features, and pay
attention to the language and structure of the model.
Step 3: Students work in groups/ pairs to find out the ideas for the writing topic
and produce an outline. Teacher gives out the checklist. And then students do their
own writing based on the format, ideas, the outline and the checklist.
Ex:
 Unit 5: HIGHER EDUCATION –Writing a letter of request.
- Teacher asks students to read the model carefully and work out the format based
on the model.
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

475 Le Thanh Ton St, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
September 15th, 2012
Mr Micheal Swazz - The University of Birmingham
Edgbaston ,Birmingham B15 2TT
United Kingdom
Dear Sir,
I am interested in applying to an undergraduate course in Computer
Science at the University of Birmingham in England so I am writing this
letter to ask what the requirements are to be eligible for the course.
I would be very grateful if you could send me information about tuition
fee, accommodation and exams.
Now I am in the last year of the high school and will finish secondary
education in 9 months. And I have got 7.5 for the last IELTS test.
Could you please send me information as soon as possible so that I can
start the course next year?
I look forward to hearing from you soon,
Yours faithfully,
Nguyen Nhi

Expected format:
1. Heading
- Writer’s address
- Date of writing
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

- Receiver’s address
2. Greeting
3. Body
4. Closing
5. Signature
- Teacher has the students outline the required letter, teacher can supply language
input.
Expected outline of a request letter
1. Heading
- Writer’s address
- Date of writing
- Receiver’s address
2. Greeting
Dear + Sir or Madam,
3. Body
a. Introduction
b. Request
c. Further information
d. Conclusion
4. Closing
Yours truly, / Yours faithfully, …
5. Signature: (full name)
- Teacher can provide some useful expressions and the checklist.
a. Introduction
- I am writing this letter to………………………………………………………………..

- I am writing to you because I need ……………………………………………………
- I am interested in applying to a course in …………. at ……………..… university
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

- I would like to apply ……………………………..……………………….……………
b. Request
- I would be grateful if you would provide me information about ……………………
- I wonder whether you could give me some information about …………………..…
- I should be very grateful if you let me have the following information ……………
- I should be very much obliged if you could let me have full details of ……………
c. Further information
- I have recently graduated ………………………
- I am in the last year of the ………………………
- I have a good command of English.
- I believe that my academic background and language skills would help me………
d. Conclusion
- I look forward to hearing from you
- Would you please let me know as soon as possible whether …

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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

Checklist
 The letter has 5 parts.
 Your address is at the top of the right hand side of the page.
 Their address is on the left hand side of the page.
 The date is on the right hand side of the page, underneath your address.
 Paragraph to introduce yourself.
 Paragraph to explain why you are writing.
 Paragraph to say what you want them to do about it.
 It begins and ends in appropriate ways.
Ex:
Dear Sir /Madam, => Yours faithfully,
Dear Mr. Jones, => Yours sincerely,
 All sentences begin with capital letters.
 There is a punctuation mark at the end of each sentence.
 All words are spelled correctly.
 The verbs are in correct tenses.
 Your signature
The column chart illustrates the average hours of housework per week
done by married women in comparison with married men.
To couples without children, women are reported to spend 30 hours per
 Unit
15: WOMEN
SOCIETY

chart.
week
doing
houseworkINwhereas
this –Describing
number is aonly
20 hours for men.
are quitetodifferent
house.
In families,
-However,
Teacherthings
asks students
read the when
modelchildren
carefullyenter
and the
work
out the
of one based
or twoon
children,
men maintain approximately the same number of time
format
the model.
doing housework as in childless households, but women’s number of time
doing housework as in 50 per week because it takes them more time to take
care of their children.
With families that have three or more children, women have to work
harder. They spend 55 hours a week doing housework while their husbands

share with only 10.
These numbers shows the unequal distribution of housework hours per
week between the two sexes. Therefore, if women are to gain social quality,
they should first be liberated from familial responsibilities. This can only be
done if men lend a more helpful hand to women in doing domestic chores.
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

Expected format:
I. Introduction (Introducing the topic)
II. Body (giving details)
- Topic sentence 1.
- Supporting ideas .
- Topic sentence 2.
- Supporting ideas.
…
III. Conclusion
- Giving opinion
- Teacher has the students outline the description.
Expected outline of a chart description
I. Introduction (Introducing the topic)
What the chart is about.
II. Body (giving details)

- Topic sentence 1.
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

It is clear from the chart that….
It is noticeable that….
As can be seen in the chart,….
- Supporting ideas.
Giving numbers + comparison

- Topic sentence 2.
It is clear from the chart that….
It is noticeable that….
As can be seen in the chart,….
- Supporting ideas.
Giving numbers + comparison

….
III. Conclusion
- Giving opinion.
- Teacher can supply language input.
+ The chart represents/illustrates/shows………….
+ The chart indicates the average hours of housework per week done by married

women in comparison with married men.
+ It is clear from the chart that….
+ It is noticeable that….
+ As can be seen in the chart,….
- Teacher can provide the checklist.

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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

Checklist
 The description has 3 parts.
 It has a general remark.
 Topic sentence.
 Supporting ideas for topic sentence.
 Conjunction of contrast: while, whereas, however, on the contrary,.…
 All sentences begin with capital letters.
 There is a punctuation mark at the end of each sentence.
 All words are spelled correctly.
 The verbs are in correct tenses.

 Unit 13: THE 22ND SEA GAMES –Describing a sport event.
- Teacher asks students to read the model carefully and work out the format based
on the model.

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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

To celebrate the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s Foundation
Day, our school’s sports club recently played a friendly football match with
Nam Ha High school’s Football team. The match was held at 2.30 pm on 24th
March on our school’s playground.
The match took place in cool weather, which was good for both teams.
From the beginning, two teams played very excitingly. In the 1st half, we always
kept the ball away from our goal and led the ball towards our neighboring team.
However, after 30 minutes, the opponents scored a goal. The goal was so fine
that all of the audience jumped up and cheered. From then on, the match became
more exciting. In the second half, our team played in greater determination. One
of our excellent defenders, Hung, took the ball and passed it skillfully to our
striker, Lam, who gave a final kick into the goal. The stadium was “broken”
again in the shouts and the whistles of the spectators. It was one against one.
The atmosphere at the stadium made the match became tenser and tenser. Both
teams tried to win. Many good chances to make more scores were missed.
Everyone had tried their best but no more score was given.
The match ended in a draw but all of us were very happy. I felt very proud
of my school’s football team. They had shown a wonderful way of playing, a
sportsmanlike style-young, fair and impartial.

Expected format:
1. Introduction
2. Details of the match
3. Conclusion

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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

- Teacher has the students write the outline, teacher can supply language input.
Expected outline
1. Introduction
- Why the football match was held.
- What teams took part in the match.
- When and where the match took place.
2. Details of the match
- The weather on that day.(cool, hot, warm,…)
- How each team played.( excitingly, fair(ly), unfair(ly),…)
- The spectator’s attitude.(excited, bored,…)
- Who scored a goal.( make a goal against/ score a goal,..)
3. Conclusion
- The result.(draw, gain victory over,…)
- What you thought about the game.( boring, competitive, exciting,…)

Useful expressions:
+ To celebrate the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s Foundation Day,…
+ To celebrate the Teachers’ Day,…
+ a friendly football match between …and … football team.
+ The match was held at … on … on …..
- Teacher can provide the checklist.

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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

Checklist
 The description has 3 parts.
 There is the climax
 The writer expresses his/her impression about the match.
 Transitional words (First, next, then,and,….)
 All sentences begin with capital letters.
 There is a punctuation mark at the end of each sentence.
 All words are spelled correctly.
 The verbs are in past tenses.
Teacher can also conduct an oral preparation. Teacher generates ideas by
brainstorming, discussing and listing. Teacher uses ideas from the different groups.
Students draft theirs writing thanks to the checklist and the format provided by

teacher. Teacher can help students by giving a set of guiding questions. By answering
these questions, students can write the paragraph required.
Step 1: Generating ideas by brainstorming or discussing. Teacher provides
language input if required so as not to prevent students from the production of ideas.
Step 2: Students extend ideas into note form.
Step 3: Students organize ideas and produce an outline. Teacher gives out the
checklist. And then students do their own writing based on the format, ideas, the
outline and the checklist.
Ex:  Unit 1: HOMELIFE –Writing about family rule.
- Teacher puts students in groups of 4.
- Students discuss and complete the charts.

At home, I have to…

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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

I am not allowed…

Expected answers:
get up at 5:30
do the household chores.
At home, I have to…

prepare meals when my mother is
out.
scrub the toilet three times a week.

to come home late after 9:30 p.m
to go out with friends at night.
I am not allowed…

to listen to loud music after 9 p.m.

to watch TV after 10 p.m.
Expected format:
1. Heading
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

- Writer’s address
- Date of writing
- Receiver’s address
2. Greeting
3. Body
4. Closing

5. Signature
- Teacher has the students outline the required letter, teacher supplies language input.
Expected outline of an informal letter
1. Heading
- Writer’s address
- Date of writing
- Receiver’s address
2. Greeting
Dear Mai,
3. Body
- The reason to write the letter.
4. Closing
Yours truly, / Yours faithfully, …
5. Signature: (full name)
Some useful language: - I am writing this letter to…………………………
- Every family has its own rules. Mine has a few.
- Teacher can provide the checklist.

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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

Checklist
 The letter has 5 parts.

 Your address is at the top of the right hand side of the page.
 Their address is on the left hand side of the page.
 The date is on the right hand side of the page, underneath your address.
 Paragraph to explain why you are writing.
 It begins and ends in appropriate ways.
Ex:
Dear Mai, => Love, Yours sincerely,
 Connectors: Firstly, secondly, next, then, at last,… .
 All sentences begin with capital letters.
 There is a punctuation mark at the end of each sentence.
 All words are spelled correctly.
 The verbs are in correct tenses.
 Your signature

 Unit 4: SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM – Describing school education
system in Vietnam.

SCHOOL EDUCATION
SYSTEM
VIETNAM
- Students work in pairs
to askIN
and
answer questions about school education
system in Vietnam, using the information shown in the following diagram.

Primary education (5 years)

Secondary education

Lower secondary education
(4 years)

Compulsory education

Upper secondary education
(3 years)

National exam for GCSE
( early June)

Academic year (9months)
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Term 1 (Sep- Dec)

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Term 2 (Jan- May)


Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

Questions:
1. How many levels of education are there in Vietnam?
2. How many classes are there in each level?
3. How long does it take to finish the lower secondary education/ upper secondary

education?
4. When do children start to go to primary school?
5. How many weeks are there in the academic year?
6. How many terms are there in a school year? When are they?
7. When can students take the national examination for GCSE?
- Teacher has the students write the outline, teacher can supply language input.
Expected outline
1. Education system in Vietnam :
+ two levels: Primary education and secondary education
2. Primary education: compulsory
+ Start grade 1 at …….years old.
+ 5 years to complete primary education
3. Secondary education:
+ lower secondary education: compulsory - four grades from grade 6 to grade 9
+ upper secondary education: three grades from grade 10 to grade 12
- GCSE
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

4. A school year:
+ two terms: term 1 (Sep-Dec), term 2 (Jan-May)
- Teacher can provide the checklist.

Checklist
 The first line of the paragraph is indented
 The topic sentence ( There are two levels of education in Vietnam...)
 There is a concluding sentence.
 There are transitional words like first, second, …to make your ideas
smooth.
 All sentences support the topic sentence.
 All sentences begin with capital letters.
 There is a punctuation mark at the end of each sentence.
 All words are spelled correctly.
 The verbs are in correct tenses and forms.

 Unit 16: THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS –
Writing a letter of recommendation.
- Teacher sets the situation: Your pen pal is gong to spend his summer
vacation in Vietnam. Write a letter to him/ her to recommend a significant
place you are familiar with.
- Teacher divides the students into 6 groups.
- Teacher asks the students to think about what they write in the letter.
- Students discuss in groups.
Expected answers:
+ Location
+ Natural features
+ Entertainment
+ Food
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Some effective ways in teaching writing – Grade12

+ People
….
- Teacher asks student to give the format of the letter.
Expected format:
1. Heading
- Writer’s address
- Date of writing
- Receiver’s address
2. Greeting
3. Body
4. Closing
5. Signature
- Teacher has the students outline the required letter.
Expected outline of an informal letter
1. Heading
- Writer’s address
- Date of writing
- Receiver’s address
2. Greeting
Dear Ann,/ David,
3. Body
- Introduction of place
- Location
- Natural features
- Entertainment

- Places to visit
- Food
- People
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