Using some brainstorming techniques and outlining to improve writing skills for 12th form non english majors at lam son gifted high school

THANH HOA EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT
Lam Son Gifted High school

TEACHING EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE

Using some brainstorming techniques And
Outlining to improve writing skills for 12th
form non - English majors at Lam Son Gifted
high school

Writer : Nguyen Thi Huong
Position: Teacher
Subject : English

THANH HOA - 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART A. INTRODUCTION..................................................................
I. Reasons for choosing the topic..............................................................
II. Aims of the study.................................................................................
III. Participants and applying scope of the study......................................
IV. Method of study..................................................................................
PART B: DEVELOPMENT..................................................................
I. Overview of writing...............................................................................
1.1. Definitions of writing.........................................................................
1.2. Approaches to teaching writing skills in foreign language teaching

01

01
01
02
02
03
03
03

........................................................................................................ 03
2. Applying of Brainstorming techniques in English teaching.................

04

2.1. Definition of Brainstorming .............................................................. 04
2.2. Organization of brainstorming techniques for warm-up .................. 04
2. 3. Some suitable and useful activities for applying brainstorming
04
techniques in pre- writing. .......................................................................
3. Applying of outlining a paragraph writing in English
07
teaching...................................................................................................
II. The actual teaching and learning context at Lam Son Gifted high
school........................................................................................................ 08
III. Examples of applying brainstorming techniques in actual lessons in
English teaching Tieng Anh 12................................................................

09

IV. Examples of applying outlining in actual lessons ...........................
V. Reached results...................................................................................

PART C: CONCLUSION......................................................................

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18
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PART A. INTRODUCTION
I. Reasons for choosing the topic
In the process of globalization, English plays an important role in enhancing
economy, politics, culture and international relations between many countries.
Therefore, there is a great demand for teaching and learning English in the world as
well as in Viet Nam. English users today focus more on the ability to communicate
in spoken and written languages. However, the education quality has not met the
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society’s expectation because mostly high-school graduates cannot communicate in
English effectively in both oral and written forms. Under the urgent demand of
improving the quality, Vietnam’s English language teaching has recently undergone
a comprehensive reform. Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training has
continually updated a new set of textbook for high school students in order to
develop students’ communicative competence. Moreover, in September 2014,
Education Ministry decided to merge the two current exams into one national exam
that is required the writing ability of students. However, regarding Vietnam’s
context, the change will create many difficulties to not only teachers but also
learners of English who are too familiar to the old teaching methods, especially in
teaching writing skill, which seems to be the most difficult work in teaching and
studying English nowadays.
At Lam Son Gifted high school, writing skills is really a big challenge for
non-English majors. For students, they used to learn in the way which writing

has no place. Another problem is their level of English proficiency. That is why
they find it too difficult to write English compositions. Moreover, lack of
motivation also faces the students. They often get bored and indifferent in the
writing lessons.
As a teacher of English, who is aware of the fact and current challenges and
wishes to contribute some suggestions for possible improvements in the teaching
and learning of writing skill, I have been trying all the best ways and techniques to
teach and improve writing skills for non-English majors in grade 12 th. During my
writing teaching period, I have always wanted to see my students’ excitement on
the lesson every time they learn English. Thus, I think it is necessary to operate a
lesson with some activities that take a little time but can bring much effect on
stages of the lesson. In addition, in order to cope with the demand of the society
and the requirement of the current national examination this school year, I want
to introduce the brainstorming techniques and making outlines that I am applying
in classroom teaching. Therefore, I decided to make this “Using some
brainstorming techniques and outlining to improve writing skills for 12th form
non - English majors at Lam Son Gifted high school”
II. Aims of the study
This assignment is aimed at:
- Investigating the situation of teaching and learning writing to the 12 th form
non- English majors at Lam Son Gifted high school.
- Giving the effectiveness and difficulties of applying some brainstorm
techniques and outlining in teaching writing to the 12 th form non- English majors at
Lam Son Gifted high school.
- Providing some suggestions and implications for the improvement of
writing teaching and learning by using some brainstorm techniques and outlining.
III. Participants and applying scope of the study.
3

The brainstorming techniques and outlining methods of teaching writing
skills were carried out at Lam Son Gifted high school with the participation of
students whose majors are Physics, Biology, Information Technology and Literature
in grade 12th. To those students, English was not their majors but a compulsory
subject in the courses. All of them have learnt English for at least four years at
secondary schools, especially some of them have learnt English for nine years.
Most of them can do grammar very well but have difficulties in mastering four
skills, especially writing skills which students find most challenging and boring.
I mainly concentrate on effectiveness and difficulties of applying some
brainstorm techniques and outlining in teaching writing to the 12 th form nonEnglish majors at Lam Son Gifted high school
The examples given in this assignment are based on the textbook of English 12.
IV. Method of study
To conduct the study, many methods are used. However, the main ones are
descriptive statistics, observation and analytical method.

PART B: DEVELOPMENT
I. Overview of writing
1.1. Definitions of writing
There are many definitions of writing. According to Byrne (1991), writing
can be defined as the act of forming graphic symbols. When we write, we use
graphic symbols: alphabet, grammar, and structures to make visual meaningful
utterances. Other researchers considered writing as a communicative process with
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purposeful interaction between the participants. For example, NuNan (2003, p.
100) stated, “Writing is not a solitary act; rather, it is the result of the interaction
among people, contexts, and texts.”
Writing is characterized with some basic features, such as being linguistics,
creative, progressive and interactive. Besides, the word “writing” itself may imply

an act, a process, or a skill, which needs practice and study to develop. It requires
both physical and mental powers from the writers.
In classroom, the teaching and learning of writing also plays an important
role. Through writing, we are able to share ideas, arouse feelings, persuade and
convince other people. We are able to discover and articulate ideas in the ways that
only writing makes possible. Therefore, writing has always occupied a place in the
language syllabus. The teaching of writing also aims at communication. However,
beside used to communicate, writing helps our students learn. First writing
reinforces the grammatical structures, idioms and vocabulary that we have been
teaching our students. Second, when our students write, they also have a chance to
be adventurous with the language, to go beyond what they have just learnt to say, to
take risk. Third, when they write, they necessarily become very involved in the new
language, the effort to express ideas and the constant use of eyes, hand and brain is
a unique way to reinforce learning.
With all the roles mentioned above, writing really becomes an integral part in
almost every language syllabus from elementary to tertiary level.
1.2. Approaches to teaching writing skills in foreign language teaching
There are various ways to teach writing but the two most common are the
product approach and the process approach. Nunan (1991) introduced the two
approaches in teaching writing and the differences between them clearly as follows:
The product approach
The process approach
- In favor of classroom activities in - Favour of collaborative group work and
which the learners individually conferencing to enhance motivation and
imitate copy and transform model of positive attitude toward writing. Model
correct language, usually at sentence texts are only for comparison.
level.
- Ideas are important.
- Organization of ideas is more - The learners are encouraged to get their
important than ideas themselves

ideas on paper without worrying too much
- Emphasize grammar exercises and about correctness.
correctness.
- Focus on the various forms of classroom
- Focus on the end result of the activities which promote the development
writing process: the writing paper of of language use.
the learners.
- The final draft is the result of a long and
painful process of writing successive
- Learners only produce one final drafts.
draft.
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Table 1: Approaches to teaching writing skills
While “The product approach to writing usually involves the presentation of
a model text, which is analyzed and then forms the basis of a task that leads to the
writing of an exactly similar or a parallel text” ( Evan and St John, 1998: 116), the
process approach focuses on thinking and writing processes. Nevertheless, the
product approach sees the language learners as creators of language, decision
makers of the message and content. In the view of Hedge (1990), the process
contains a lot of stages which can be illustrated as follows: "being motivated to
write - getting ideas together - planning and outlining – making notes - making a
first draft - revising. replanning. redrafting - editing and getting ready for
publication." There are three essential steps: pre-writing, planning (outlining),
writing, and revising drafts. Each step involves certain kinds of task that the writers
have to fulfill in order to construct a good piece of work.
The most important is pre-writing that is any classroom activity that
encourages the learners to get ready to write. It may include understanding the
purpose of writing, discovering the topic, thinking about the audience, gathering

information or inventing possible content. Once the possible content for writing has
been explored, the writers will feel more confident to move forward to the next
stage. This step is included choosing and narrowing the topic, gathering ideas and
editing ideas.
2. Applying of Brainstorming techniques in English teaching
2.1. Definition of Brainstorming
“Brainstorming is the name given to a situation when a group of people meets to
generate new ideas around a specific area of interest.” Raimes, A.(1983). Using
rules that remove inhibitions, people are able to think more freely, move into new
areas of thought, and so create numerous new ideas and solutions. The participants
shout out ideas as they occur to them and then build on the ideas raised by others.
All the ideas are noted down and are not criticized. Only when the brainstorming
session is over are the ideas evaluated. Brainstorming is a process for developing
creative solutions to problems.
2.2. Organization of brainstorming techniques for warm-up
“Brainstorming is a way of gathering ideas of a topic via making a list, free
writing and mapping.”, McDowell, 1999. This is adapted these requirements:
Rules: The teacher has to ensure that the students understand how a game or
activity is played by giving clear instructions of the rules and remembers to check
their understanding before starting.
Forms of playing: Students can play the games or brainstorming activities: in pairs
(student A with student B); in small groups of four or five or more; in two groups
( the class is divided into two teams); in individually with class
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Depending on each game or brainstorming activity, teacher chooses the most
suitable one flexibly.
Requirements: While playing the games students should use English as much as
possible. In connection with the games is the topic of the new lesson student should

recognize the link between them.
Preparation: A teacher should prepare a little in advance: pictures, cards, word
square, quiz, questions, clear instructions and so on.
Role of the teacher: Teacher plays the role of an instructor and counselor during
the game or brainstorming activity.
Time limit: Each game or activity in pre- writing stage takes from 5 to 8 minutes.
Before starting, time limit should be given to students and teacher should stop them
whether they have finished or not.
2. 3. Some suitable and useful activities for applying brainstorming techniques
in pre- writing.
There are many suitable activities that I have adapted in each writing lesson.
a. Building up sentences
- Divide the students into groups. The size of group may vary depending on
total number of the class.
- Give words making up meaningful sentences in a wrong order and explain
the sentences to students.
- Ask the students to write out sentences correctly, read out the sentences and
then write on the board.
b. Writing consequences
This is a fun activity to create a group story. Each student needs a blank sheet
of paper and a pen. If possible, sit in a circle to play. Each student adds one stage to
the story then folds the paper to cover the information and passes the paper to the
student on the right.
- The teacher asks the students to get into groups of six or seven.
- The teacher reads aloud to provide the students with the following
instruction:
- Write the name of a man. It can be a famous man or a man everyone in the
class know. (Depending on the group, allow them to put the names of classmates).
- Write the name of a woman. It can be a famous woman or a woman
everyone in the class knows. (Depending on the group, allow them to put the names

of classmates)
- Write the name of the place where the two people meet.
- When they meet, he says something to her. What does he say? Students
write what he says to her. She replies to the man. What does she say? What is the
consequence of this encounter? What happens? What is the opinion of the whole
story? What does the world say as a comment?
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- After each command, the student writes down the information that he has
been asked to provide, fold the paper over to hide what he has written to the person
on his right. The next command is given and the procedure is repeated.
- When the work has finished, groups open them and, in writing, join the
fragments of information together to make it more interesting and logical.
- The students read the story aloud.
c. Correct the facts
Preparation: Prepare handouts that contain one picture and sentences with
wrong description of the picture.
- Divide the class into groups.
- Deliver handouts to each group. Then ask them to correct the sentences to
match the picture.
- Go around and observe the performance of groups.
- When the groups have finished their work the teacher calls representatives
of groups to write the answer on the board.
- The teacher and the students correct sentences together. The group that does
better and more quickly will be the winner.
d. Exchange letters
The complaining customer: In this activity, students write complaining letters
about goods they have bought after seeing an advertisement. The students represent
the company who make the goods then have to reply to those letters.

- Students are divided in to small groups. Each group is given an
advertisement
- The groups are told to imagine they have bought the item that is advertised
but are not satisfied with it for some reasons.
- The letters are then given to different groups. The new group has to study
the letter of complaint and decide what to do about it. When the decision has been
reached they can write a reply to the original letter.
- The letters are then returned to the original group who read them and
discuss what they have been sent.
e. Writing games
As for games, they are enjoyable and lively at all levels. This means that
students should not be too much inhibited by the fear of making mistakes.
Students write the description of people or places and the rest of the class
have to guess who the people are what the places are.
- The teacher divides the class into 2 groups.
- The students are all instructed to write a description of famous person or a
member of the class, without mentioning that person’s name.
- A member of one of the group reads his description. If someone from the
opposing team can identify the person, the group scores a point from the group
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reading the description if the information about the person in wrong or the English
is totally unpredictable.
f. Role playwriting
Writing can be much more motivating if the teacher gives students a chance
to play a role. In this activity, the students will have the chance to write to an
imaginary romantic partner.
- Prepare the role cards for the students.
- Read the situation from the role-play.

- Divide the class into groups and then give out role cards to each group for
them to read. Explain to them that the different groups do not talk to each other.
- Give the students time to write the letter but be sure to give them a firm
time limit. Remind them that they must finish the letter with the last line provided.
- When they have finished the letter the teacher can either ask them to read
the letter aloud. The important thing is that they must the letter in the correct order
to tell the story.
3. Applying of outlining a paragraph writing in English teaching
Knowing how to write an essay outline is an invaluable skill. Especially writers
who are experienced and used to writing off the cuff can write good essays without
outlines. However, using outline makes the process easier, smoother and better
organized. It provides the skeleton, on which students can build writing, low the
ideas and thoughts logically, and go on towards a strong conclusion. Without these
steps, students may run the risk of going off in different directions, the ideas
disorganized and the thoughts all jumbled.
Steps of making an outline.
a. Read the assignment guidelines carefully.
Highlight or underline important words and phrases in the instructions. Make sure
that students fully understand what the instructor is asking you to do.
b. Develop a topic.
There are many useful prewriting strategies that can help to generate ideas for the
paper. List all the ideas that come to mind (good or bad) and then look over the list
the students have made and group similar ideas together. Expand those lists by
adding onto the list or by using another prewriting activity.
Questioning. On a piece of paper, write out “Who? What? When? Where?
Why? How?” Space the questions about two or three lines apart so that students
can have their answers on these lines. Respond to each questions in as much detail
as they can.
c. Identify writing’s purpose.
Ask students what they want to accomplish with their papers. Are they writing this

paper in order to persuade, entertain, enlighten, or something else? Just make sure
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that the purpose is in line with what the assignment asks them to do. Look for key
words in the assignment guidelines to help figure out what their purpose should be.
d. Identify the audience.
Identify the needs and expectations of their audience by considering what they do
and do not know about the topic. Anticipate their reactions as well. How they might
react to the information that you will be sharing with them? Will they be angry, sad,
amused, or something else?
e. Develop the thesis.
Once you have developed your ideas and considered your purpose and audience,
you should be ready to write a thesis statement. Effective thesis statements express
the main focus of a paper and state an arguable claim. A thesis should not be more
than one sentence in length. Make sure your thesis is arguable. Do not state facts or
matters of taste.
Make sure your thesis provides enough detail. How many main ideas you intend to
express and remember to give detail and relevant information.
f. Identify the linking words and go on in the right types of writing paragraph.
According to Keith S. Folse, 2010 , types of writing paragraph consists of
descriptive, comparison, cause- effect and classification paragraphs. So make sure
that student know to develop its right outline. Further more, using suitable and
effective linking words can make the writing more unity and coherence.
II. The actual teaching and learning context at Lam Son Gifted high school
Although, English is a compulsory subject at Secondary Schools, many pupils
are not interested in learning English, they are only interested in their major
subjects which they are supposed to perform in the university examinations or
specialized in. The primary concern of the pupils is to get good marks at written
achievement tests. Besides, a small number of pupils make efforts to learn English

well to apply for a job more easily in the future. Only pupils specializing in English
are motivated to learn English to pass the entrance exam into university and to
seek scholarship to study abroad.
Moreover, language environment is another problem, the scale of class is an
obstacle to teachers in general and English ones in particular, the number of
students in a class is too great; there are still about 30 to 39 students per class.
Thus, in a forty-five –minute lesson, it is difficult to take out their writing
successfully. Moreover, a large number of students have a bad habit of thinking of
topics in Vietnamese and then trying to translate their ideas into English. This habit
has a great influence on the ways the students write in English.
In short, through observation and reality when teaching English for nearly 13
years and teaching four classes 12F, 12I, 12V and 12S at Lam Son Gifted high
school in the school year 2015 – 2016, the students’ inactiveness and incorporation,
the limitation of communicative environment, lack of teachers’ investment lead to
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the students’ inability of writing skills and developing English compositions. To
solve these problems, I myself have applied some brainstorming techniques and
making outline in teaching writing lessons, which within this paper I would like to
deal with to improve writing skills for 12th form non - English majors.
III. Examples of applying brainstorming techniques in actual lessons in English
teaching Tieng Anh 12
The following examples are based on the textbook of English 12. Each unit may
have more than one activity of brainstorming depending on knowledge of lessons. I
am trying my best to exploit and find out as many as possible. Allowing students to
work individually, in pairs or in groups is basing on abilities of each class. During
the teaching process, I usually use the different pictures, different symbols or
different maps and so on to stir the interests of my students to the writing lesson
and try to show them on the papers, blackboard or screen of projector.

Units
Required tasks
1. Home Life
Writing about family rules
2. Cultural Diversity
Describing typical features of a Vietnamese conical
leaf hat
3. Ways of Socializing
Writing about advantages and disadvantages of the
mass media ( changed requirement)
4. School education system Describing school education system in Vietnam
5. Higher education
Writing a letter of request
6. Future Jobs
Writing a formal letter of job application
7. Economic Reforms
Writing a report based on given information
8. Life in the Future
Describing the world you would like to live in the
future
9. Deserts
Describing main features of a desert
10. Endangered Species
Writing about measures to protect endangered
species and possible results
11. Books
Describing a book
12. Water Sports
Giving instructions
nd

13. The 22 Seagames
Describing a sporting event (a football match)
14.International
Writing a short description of an international
organizations
organization
15. Women in society
Describing a chart
16. The Association of Writing a letter of recommendation
Southeast Asian
Table 2: Checklist of writing tasks in English textbook 12.
1. “Stop the bus” game and “making sentences” in unit 1: Home life
Topic: Writing about family rules
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a. Brainstorming technique is used in pre- writing stage as a game: Stop the bus!
Procedures:
Arrange students to work in small groups of 5 or 6 depending their seats and ask
- Write down five words showing family relations.
- Write down five things that family members often do together.
- Write down five verbs expressing feelings – parents to children and vice versa.
-Write down five qualities that most parents should want their children to have.
- They must say “Stop the bus!” when they have 5 things in order to be checked
and score points. The first group to finish and get all corrects wins 10 points.
- Keep a running total point for each group on the board. The group with more
points wins the game. And declare the winner.
Then led to the lesson “Parents always want the best things for their children and
to achieve this, children are asked to follow some rules…”
b. Matching and making sentences in pair work .

Matching column A with column B
1. Do your parents often let you go out A. No, because my parents are strict. I only
in the evening?
watch T.V from 7p.m to 8 p.m.
2. Who do you share your feeling with? B. My parents don’t let me come home late.
3. Are you allowed to come home late ? C. I often share my feeling with my parents.
4. Are you allowed to use your family D. I am allowed to use the family motorbike
motorbike?
when it is needed, not to talk on the phone
during the meal.
5. Who has to do the household chores? E. I have to attempt to win a place at university.
6. Do they let you watch T.V whenever F. We are allowed to go out with friends only
you like?
on some special occasions
7. What do you have to do in this year? G. None of us is allowed to go out at night
8. when are you allowed to go out with H. Everybody in the family has to do the
friends?
household chores.
- Ask each group to make sentences with their own words and some of the
sentences above
2. “Web map vocabulary” in unit 2: Cultural Diversity
Topic: Write a paragraph about factors of your ideal marriage (or future partner).
“Web map vocabulary is used in pre- writing stage:
I used the blackboard and asked the whole class one by one to give as many words
as possible.

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Sacrifice

Situation of family
Partnership of equals
Age
Factors of
marriage

ABeauty/ appearance

Personality
Thoughts
True love
Shares (all
thoughts)
Money/
Job

Trust
Experiences

3. Listing out in Unit 3: Ways of Socializing
Topic: Writing about advantages and disadvantages of the mass media ( I have
changed the requirement of this lesson in order to meet the demand of the national
examination)
Listing out as many as possible was used in the pre- writing stage
Steps: I divided the class into four groups, each group was eight students in two
desks. Gave each a large paper and ask them to list out as many things as possible.
Two groups wrote about advantages and two groups wrote about disadvantages, as
example above.
Advantages of mobile phone

Exchanging information
anytime and anywhere
quickly

Many kinds to choose
basing on hobby and
ability about money.
(anyone also can buy one)
SMS is cheap
Limiting the number of
people in street

Electromagnetic wave is not
good for health

Surfing internet, using for
entertainment

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Small => Easy to
lose
Many people don’t use it
with right purposes (only use
because of honour/ face,
listening to music, playing
games)
Many people are too young to
use , especially pupils)

Disadvantages
of mobile
phone

Waste of money to buy cards/ time
4. Game: “Throw and catch” in pre- stage and fluency writing in while- stage
in Unit 4: School education system
Topic: Describing school education system in Vietnam.
Game: “Throw and catch”
- Have students work in two groups, ten in each group.
- Prepare a ball of paper.
- Tell students that they throw the ball to a student in other group, they call out a
word relating to SCHOOLS. And when a student catches the ball, he/she has to call
out other word.
- The class decides if the word is correct. If it isn’t, or repeats other group’s word,
the student is out of the game. If correct, the student calls out another word and
throws the ball to other group and so on.
- The last student left is the winner.
5. “Letters arrangement” game and building up sentences in group in unit 5:
Higher Education
Topic: Writing a letter of request to the USCA
a. Game: Letters arrangement
- Divide the class into 8 small groups. Give each group an envelop with pieces of
papers inside and with a letter written on each piece of paper.
- Ask the group to arrange the letters to make a meaningful word. The first group to
finish, stick the words on the board. They are the winner if all the words are right.
1, I
N
F

O
R
M
A
T
I
O
N
2,
T

3,
4,

U

I

T

I

O

N

F

E

E

S

A

C

C

O

M

M

O

D

A

T

I

E

X

A

M

I

N

A

T

I

O

N

O

N

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Transition: Writing a letter of request to the USCA.
b. Building up sentences
- Ask Ss to work in pair and complete the following sentences to make a reply to
the complaint about the poor quality of the service at the above English Centre.
Dear Duc,

1. Thank / your letter / inform / me / poor / service / centre.
2. We / examine / the / situation / and / find / what / say / true.
3. This / due / the / difficulty / finance and / low / discipline / teachers.
4. We / send / another / better / class / next week.
5. If you like, we / give / refund but you / get / 80 percent / money / back.
6. I / beg / sympathy and / look / forward / support.
Yours truly,
Call on some representative exchange letters to read aloud.
Give feedback sentence by sentence.
6. Making net words and role playwriting in unit 6: Future jobs
Topic: Writing a letter of application for a job as a tour guide
a. Brainstorming: Making net words
- Ask students: “In order to be a tour guide, what qualifications do you need?”
Expected answers: Good English, good-looking, strong, smart, good manner,
willing to work hard for a long time, having a good knowledge about history and
geography, ect …
Experience

Qualities of
a tourist
guide

Good manner

Social
knowledge

Speaking
foreign
languages

fluently

Level of
education

Appearance
(good-looking, well
-built body)

Transition: Writing a letter of application for a job as a tour guide
b. Student - selected grouping in using role playwriting
The teacher divides the class into 4 random groups then give the following cards
and ask students to categorize into 2 column which ones used in the Beginnings
and which ones used in Closings.
- The group having the correct answers the soonest will be the winner.
Look at the following expressions which are used when we write letters.
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Make a list under each heading:
- Thanks for your letter.
- Thank you for sending me your brochure.
- Sorry for not writing for so long.
- I must apologise for not contacting you
sooner.
- I'm writing to ask you a favour.
- Write again soon!
- Bye for now.
Beginnings

- It was lovely to hear from you.
- All my love.
- Best wishes.
- It is great to get your letter.
- Thank you so much for writing.
- Take care.
- Good luck!
- Hope to hear from you soon.

Closings

7. Crossword puzzles in unit 8: Life in the future
Topic: Describing an ideal world in the year 2020
a. Game: Crossword puzzles
U I L L I T E R A
S N E N E I M T H
T T E R R O R I S
A R G M Y S H O F
R S E N P O V E R
V E T I K L O M A
A S H O R T O F F
T B R E A T H Y H
I F B N E Y U W M
O B E D I S E A S
N O T I N E F R A
C G R E E N H O U

T
U
M

R
T
R
U
U
A
E
I
S

E
W
B
A
Y
T
E
L
N
S
N
E

V
R
E
S
O
H
L

L
I
X
T
T

- Divide students into two groups, A and B.
- Hang a crossword on the board and ask the groups to find in the square the words
showing problems that people on the earth are facing today.
- With a correct word, they will get 10 points.
- The group with more points wins the game.
Expected answers: starvation, terrorism, poverty, diseases, war, unemployment,
illiterate, short of fuel,
Transition: Describing an ideal world in the year 2020
IV. Examples of applying outlining in actual lessons
16


The format of an essay: When making an outline, students should follow the
format of an essay.
An essay includes three parts: Introductory paragraph, body and the concluding
paragraph
+ The introductory paragraph:
The attention getter : a sentence that gets the reader interested
The main idea: the topic or thesis of the composition
The guide/thesis statement ( the last sentence of the introductory paragraph) : A list
of the points that will be discussed , thus showing the organization of the
composition
+ Body: The Body consists of everything between your intro and conclusion
and it is where you discuss your three main points. A good starting place is to

envision that each point is a separate paragraph (or in a long paper, each point
might be a section). In each paragraph students should introduce your point and
explain their point, give supporting evidence (this is where quotes go!) and explain
how the point and evidence relate to your thesis
+ The concluding paragraph :
A summary repeats the main points of the composition.
A prediction discusses what will happen in the future.
An evaluation compares the main points and states what is best.
Topic 1: Measures to protect our environment.
Aks the whole class to build up an outline.
Introduction: Role of environment/ danger/ protection.
Body
: Main idea 1: Raise people’s awareness of the need of saving our
environment. ( extra-curricular activities/ do volunteer/ campaigns/
propagandize )
Main idea 2: Apply slogan “reduce / reuse and recycle. ( trash/ air
pollution/ bottles/ cans/ wood and papers/ renewable sources of
energy/ global warming/ green house effects)
Main idea 3: raise fund to protect endangered animals and plants.
( red list/ be driven to the verge of extinction/ plant more green
trees/ biodiversity/ soil erosion)
Main idea 4: pass and enact the laws ( illegal hunting/ releasing
chemical pollutants / wild products/ living conditions)
Conclusion: sense of responsibility/ our survivals/ our descendants.
Notes: - Linking words.
- vocabularies: environment/ surroundings/ atmosphere/ natural habitats/
protect/ take care/ save/ preserve/ conserve
Topic 2: Book report
Name what you should mention in a book report:
17

- Divide the class into small groups of five or six.
- The group with enough ideas wins the game.
Call some representatives of the groups to express their groups’ ideas in front of
the class.
Auth
or

Book report

Title
Opinio
n
ion
Characters

Type
Them
e
Plot

Feeling

Where
is it
set?

General introduction
What is the title of the book?

Who is the author?
What the type of book is it?
Summary of the book’s content
Where is the book set?
What is the main theme of the book?
Who are the main characters?
What is the plot of the story?
Conclusion
What was your opinion of the book?
Would you recommend the book?
Writing according to an outline.
-Teacher asks students to work in groups of four and make an outline by using the
table below about the book that they have seen.
Title
“ Gone with the wind”
Type
Romantic love story novel
Plot
It is about….
Filming(place)
Based on
Main characters
Opinion
- Give them 5 minutes to do and then calls on 3 students to go the board and write
them and help students to correct their mistakes and give the comment
V. Reached results
18


After applying the methods as described above to teach English for students

in four classes 12F, 12I, 12V and 12S (with 136 students) for nearly a year, I am
really amazed by the improvements made by students from 4 classes when they
learn to write as well as make any piece of paper in class and in their daily life . But
teacher have to be creative and use suitable techniques and methods to each stage
of writing lesson to attract students` attentions and improve their ability and
creation in learning. The results of the final exam and university entrance exam are
considered the most importance of teaching and learning English at school so both
the teachers and students are concerned much about the changes in the form of its
examination.
I have seen that using these techniques made my students more active and their
compositions or paragraph of writing had fewer mistakes, more correctly and
proficiently. They can make up their own writing more easily and more
successfully whenever they are asked to do so. Especially, what makes me
extremely happy is that they love my subject, English more and more and they take
part in classroom activities with their enthusiasm and interest, which results in my
effective lesson and the students’ advance in English in general and in their writing
in particular.
This below is the specific result.
Purposes and results
Students identify the purpose and
form of the piece of writing,
enrich background knowledge,
improve English ability understand
vocabularies
and
contents,
use
instructions
and
guided

information to make their writing
successfully.
Students attend the class with
enthusiasm and actively but their
writings have grammar or structure and
vocabulary errors
Students can not acquire the lesson and
only write few sentences but still wrong.

Before
being

applied

After
being applied

12
F

12 12 12 12 12 12 12
I
V S F I
V S

42
%

40 38 32 72 70 75 65
% % % % % % %

3 3 3 2 2 1 2
35
0 2 0 5 2 5 5
%
% % % % % % %

3 3 3
1 1
23
3 8
0 0 8
0 0
%
% %
% % %
% %
Table 3: Specific result of comparison between before and after applying

PART C: CONCLUSION
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Of the four skills in English teaching- learning process, writing is considered
rather difficult because it requires much accuracy in grammatical structures or word
choices. It is a complex process that allows students to explore thoughts and ideas,
and make them visible and concrete. The uses of brainstorming techniques and
outlining are effective ways to improve writing skill of high school students. It
helps learners have chance to recall, share and exchange background knowledge
and information, ideas and to help each other in a natural and creative way. A

number of recommendations such as techniques and for motivating students have
been applied and discussed. Their results are visible in their forty- five minutes
tests and final term examinations in this school year.
Although the study is rather limited, we hope that it will contribute a small
part to helping students to learn and master English better at high schools and to be
more successful in their writing skills and their next national examinations and in
their future life. Obviously, it is my great effort so mistakes are unavoidable and
inevitable. I would like to receive your strict criticism and constructive comments
to make it a better one for another time. In addition, from this school year,
requirement of writing compositions is very important in the exams, I would like to
get and improve my methods of teaching writing from my colleagues, friends and
students here and there.
Thank you very much.

XÁC NHẬN CỦA THỦ TRƯỞNG
TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN LAM SƠN

Thanh Hóa, ngày 25 tháng 05 năm 2016
TÔI XIN CAM KẾT KHÔNG COPY,
KHÔNG SAO CHÉP.
Họ tên và chữ ký của tác giả

Nguyễn Thị Hương

REFERENCES
1. Byrne, D. (1991). Teaching writing skills- Longman handbook for language teachers. London:
Longman.
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2. Evan, T.D.& St John, M.J. (1998).Development IN ESP- a multi-disciplinary approach.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
3. Hedge, T, (1990). Writing, Oxford University Press, Oxford
4. Keith S. Folse, (2010). From Great Paragraph to Great Essays
5. McDowell, (1999). Process Guide: Brainstorming (The project of Sab Diego United School
District)
6. Nunan, D, (2003). Practical English Language Teaching, Mc Graw Hill.
7. Nunan, D. (1991). Language teaching methodology: A textbook for teachers. London: Prentice
Hall.
8. Raimes, A.(1983). Techniques in Teaching Writing. Oxford: Oxford University Press
9. Tiếng Anh 12, NXB Giáo dục.

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