CONTROLLED WRITING vs GUIDED WRITING SDU Philology Department

CONTROLLED WRITING vs GUIDED WRITING SDU, Philology Department

CONTROLLED WRITING Writing is controlled when the outcome is totally predictable. Advantages: It is either right or wrong so it can be easily corrected. Every student works at his own pace. Disadvantages: Predictability and lack of original expression. The classroom is not the appropriate place for timeconsuming exercises.

EXAMPLES OF CONTROLLED WRITING TASKS JIGSAW SENTENCES It is straight copying but done thoughtfully. Students must match the halves of several sentences and write them out. A Teachers and lecturers Ski enthusiasts Animal lovers Bad watchers Tourists Hotel owners Air crews B get to visit many countries. profit from long holidays. often go to beach resorts. enjoy game park safaris. enjoy the countryside. prefer winter holidays. work through holiday periods.

COPYING WITH CORRECTIONS The class rewrites the paragraph changing incorrect details. British Airways is one of the smallest airlines in the world. Their buses fly all over the country. It’s best to check in two or three days before the advertised arrival time. Travellers in economy class are restricted to 22 tons of luggage in addition to any foot baggage. This should be small enough to fit inside the cockpit.

MULTIPLE-CHOICE CLOZE PASSAGES Students rewrite the passage choosing the correct option that is given in brackets. Switching on the light (he/she/Mr Cossey/Mrs Cossey) looked at the (bedside clock/newspaper / table lamp). It was only (5 am/5 pm). In another hour (he/she) would be able to (watch the breakfast show/go back to bed/telephone the doctor). (Still/Yet/Now), there was no reason why (he/she) (wouldn’t/shouldn’t/won’t) make a nice cup of tea. (Sitting up/Getting out of bed), the old lady … etc.

DICTATION A good way to do dictation is in pairs, with students taking it in turns to dictate lines from a passage that they have studied. In this way, students work at their own pace, correcting after each sentence. Teacher remains free to monitor the activity.

SENTENCE COMBINING The class is given a passage written in short sentences. They combine these sentences, using appropriate connectives which are scrambled on the blackboard, with extra ones as distractors.

REDUCING The class copies a passage, taking out all unnecessary words and phrases. The students are permitted to make only minor necessary cosmetic changes to the original structures. This is best done in pairs, with permission to compare work with neighbours. SMS The aim is to send a text message as concisely as possible, because every message costs money.

GUIDED WRITING PICTURE DESCRIPTION A good way to begin is by having the students compose a few questions about the picture. These can then be answered in writing in the form of description. The subject of the picture might be a famous person, a domestic scene, an event, a shop, a well-known building or a place, etc.

PICTURE SEQUENCE ESSAY The class is shown a series of four to six pictures which indicate a story line. The picture may well be jumbled, if the aim is also to get pairs or groups into discussion. The students then write the story in their own words.

SUMMARY After a passage has been read intensively it can be rewritten in summary form. Clear instructions of this sort should be given: - Summarise the passage in one parapraph, drawing attention to the five main points. In this way, the check relates to the major points of content, rather than to the use of language itself.