mf’s c1 course · 2 more tips we learn to write as we learn to notice writing, so reading is...

MF’sC1courseathttp://www.talkingpeople.net/tp/ra/c1/

NAME(familynamefirst):___________________________________________________________________________ DATE(month,date,year):________________________________

1

LearningtoWrite.Workshop.WritingaTextwithParagraphsByMicaelaFordforEFLAdvancedstudents(Spain,summer2019)Inourcourse,writingassignmentsinvolvesomeBeforeWritingworkattwodifferentlevels.Ontheonehand,weneedtofindsimilartextstotheonewewishtolearntowrite,andthenworkonlearningabouttheirstructureandlanguage.Ontheother,weneedtothinkaboutourtext:brainstormonideasandalsoonlanguageitemswecouldusetoexpressthem,anddoanoutlineafterselectingandorderingourideas.Ifwearenotclearaboutwhattosayanditsorder,we'reboundtofailinourendeavor!Letusthinknowof300wordtextswithatitle.Considernarratives(e.g.astory)andessays(e.g.anarticle).Structurallyspeaking,thegeneralideaiswrittentextsneedatleastanintroduction,abodywhereideasaredeveloped,andaclosure,sometypeofending,forinstanceafinalcomment(aconcludingstatementorprediction--amusingorserious--linkingallthattothefuture),aconclusion(whattheanalysisamountstoorthecodainstorytelling),arecapitulationorsummary.Mosttextsalsoneeda"title"(original,atruetitle,orthestatementyoupartfrom,theessayquestion),andsometimesotherheadingsorsubheadings(e.g.proposalsandreports,informativearticles).Whenyoureadarticles,publishedessaysornovels,noticeparagraphing.Inacademicessays,introsandendingstendtobeshorterthantheparagraphswhereyoudevelopthebody,andthesetendtoberegularinlength.Butthisneedsnotbeso,ofcourse!It'sjustawayoftrainingtowrite.Moreonparagraphs.Beginningsandendings.Atexthasanopeningsentencethatiscrucialforthebeginning,anditgenerallyneedsapowerfulclosingsentencetoo.Thetitleandtheopeningandclosinglinesarekeymomentstograbthereaders'attentionandmakethemimagineorcontinuethinkingaboutthematter.Theyarealsogoodforindicatingwhatthetoneis,whetherserious,original,funny,imaginative,factual...Paragraphshaveatopicsentenceatthebeginning(generallythefirstsentence),establishingwhattheparagraphwillbeabout,andsometimestheyhaveatransitionforclosure,toallowreadersknowwhatthenextparagraphwillbeabout.Transitionsarealsousedatthebeginningoftheparagraph,forvariousreasons:• theyestablishthetopic("Abouttechnologynowadays"),timeandplace(Afterourtimein...,In

thesummerof1954,WhilewewaitedforMuriel,Reachingthesummit,Afterhavingmissedourflight,BylateAugust)togiveusthesubjectorsetting(facilitatingthuscomprehension),

• theyincludeconnectorswhichallowustounderstandlogicalprogressioninthetext(Also,Moreover,Besides,Furthermore=addingmorepoints,However,But,Incontrast,Although,Otherwise,Still,Despite=comparing,contrasting,opposingeventsorideas,Logically,Consequently,Subsequently=deducing,inferring,resulting,comingafter...),

• theyallowustointroducevariedsentencestructuretoavoidconstantS-Vopeninglines.Thesetransitionscanbewords/shortphrases,liketheadverbialsandconjunctionsabove,orlongerwordingwhichmayevenincludeclauses(introducedbysubordinatingconjunctions,forinstance,the"that/who/which"relativepronounsforadjectivalclauses,or"when"and"where"foradverbialclausesoftimeandplace,andsoon).CheckmytableofclausesintheC1ResourcePackoranytextbookorcoursenotesyouhave;andmylanguagenotesonOrangeIstheNewBlack,forinstance,onmyLanguageLearningfromReadingblog.

2

MoretipsWelearntowriteaswelearntonoticewriting,soreadingiscrucialforlearningtowrite,too.Youneedtokeepanotebooktogatherinterestinginformationthatwillhelpyouimproveyourproductiveskills(bothspeakingandwriting).Wecouldevenpublishyournotebooks,ifyoulike.• Practiceoutlinesandbrainstormingthroughoutthecourse,they'rekeytoknowingwhattosay

andknowinghowtosayit.• Avoidbeginningparagraphswithapronounwhosenounhasbeenmentionedintheprevious

paragraphandnowyouaretakingforgrantedthatthereaderknowswhatyouaretalkingabout.Don'tdothat.Don'tbeafraidofrepeatingawordifit'sforclarity.Inthissense,EnglishallowsitandSpanishdoesn'tfavorit.SorepetitionfeelsdifferentinEnglish.NoticewhenIrepeatthetopicwordandwhenIdon't,inmynotes.

• Payattentiontotitles,paragraphing,capitalizationandpunctuation.• Traininrevisingandediting(proofreading).It'saskillthatmakesourworkinglifemost

effective.Rememberweneedtocheckthetextbyreadingitaminimumofthreetimes,noticingdifferentkindsofthings.

• Asyoureadandwrite,noticevocabularyrange:keeplistsofusefulwordsandphrasesincontextforfuturereference.Modifiers(adjectives,nouns,prepositionalphrases,clauses).

• Asyoureadandwrite,noticelanguagerange:varietiesofsentencestructure,andhowS+V'scombinewithothersinconnectedclauses.

• Asyoureadandwrite,noticetoneandregister.Thebasicsarenotthathardtomaster.Keepasectioninyournotebookwithtablesonthis.Forexample:Avoid"many","big","huge","kids","guys","go"and"have"(forallkindsofverbs)insemiformalandformaltexts.

• Asyoureadandwrite,noticestandardvarietiesofEnglish:USAmerican,orBritish,andkeepasectioninyournotebooktojotthemdown.

TechnicalmattersyouneedtotraininallyearthroughHowmuchspacedoyour300wordstakeupwhenyouwritewithapen?Visualize.Andabouthowlongwouldittakeyoutowritethem,consideringtheformatoftheBefore,DuringandAfterinexams,forinstance?• Countingwordsinhandwrittenwork.Remembercountingwordsisnotaboutcountingallthe

words.Countthewordsinthreeorfourlinesinyourtext,workouttheaveragenumberofwordsperline,andthenmultiplybythenumberoflinesonthepage.

• Typewrittenwork.Forapagewith3cmmarginsanda12pointfont,agoodruleofthumbis500wordsforasinglespacedpageand250wordsforadoublespacedpage.

• Speaking,no.ofwordsandtime.DaphneGray-Grantsaysthatahumanaverageisabout125-150wordsperminute—meaning5minutesofspeakingwouldentailabout600-800words.

HowlongdoestheDuringandAftertakeyou?TheDuringisaboutwritingthepiecejustONCE,buteffectivelybecausewehaveworkedonitintheBeforeWriting.TheAfterisaboutproofreading:revising(checkingtextualmatters:structure,format,coherenceandcohesionorlogicalprogression)andediting(correctingspelling,grammar,punctuationmistakes)

EXERCISEOUTSIDECLASS.Readingexercisestolearntowrite

1. Readtoenjoywhiletryingtonoticehowwellwrittentextsare.2. Re-readandtakenoteswhenyoufindthingswe'retryingtolearnhere.3. Inclass,shareyournotesandinsight.

MF’sC1courseathttp://www.talkingpeople.net/tp/ra/c1/

NAME(familynamefirst):___________________________________________________________________________ DATE(month,date,year):________________________________

3

EXERCISEINCLASS.Readingexercisestolearntowrite1. Studentsvolunteertoreadafirsttime,includingthequestions(weunderlinekeywordsinthem)2. Studentsreadthetextasecondtimeandunderlinethings.3. Weanswerthequestions,insmallgroupsoratplenary.Ifinsmallgroups,rememberthatlatersomeonewillhave

toreportonyourhighlightstoplenary.4. Follow-upwork:Listento"ATree,ARock,ACloud,"astorybythiswriterontheTPPodcastswithherhypothesis

aboutlovebasedonexperience.It'sgoodforpracticingreadingaloudyour-edendings!EXCERPT1:STORIES.TheHeartIsaLonelyHunter(1940novel;Penguin,1961)byCarsonMcCullers(USA.1917-1967).Excerpt:pages90-93(about1,650words)CarsonMcCullersonTP:https://www.talkingpeople.net/tp/literature/maccullers/mccullers.htmlThegirlisMickKelly,oneofthemaincharacters.Theothertwoaredeafmen.Butallthetime—nomatterwhatshewasdoing—therewasmusic.Sometimesshehummedtoherselfasshewalked,andothertimesshelistenedquietlytothesongsinsideher.Therewereallkindsofmusicinherthoughts.Somesheheardoverradios,andsomewasinhermindalreadywithouthereverhavinghearditanywhere. Inthenight-time,assoonasthekidswereinbed,shewasfree.Thatwasthemostimportanttimeofall.Alotofthingshappenedwhenshewasbyherselfanditwasdark.Rightaftersuppersheranoutofthehouseagain.Shecouldn’ttellanybodyaboutthethingsshedidatnight,andwhenherMamaaskedherquestionsshewouldanswerwithanylittletalethatsoundedreasonable.Butmostofthetimeifanybodycalledhershejustranawaylikeshehadn’theard.ThatwentforeverybodyexceptherDad.TherewassomethingaboutherDad’svoiceshecouldn’trunawayfrom.Hewasoneofthebiggest,tallestmeninthewholetown.Buthisvoicewassoquietandkindlythatpeopleweresurprisedwhenhespoke.Nomatterhowmuchofahurryshewasin,shealwayshadtostopwhenherDadcalled. ThissummersherealizedsomethingaboutherDadshehadneverknownbefore.Upuntilthenshehadneverthoughtabouthimasbeingarealseparateperson.Alotoftimeshewouldcallher.Shewouldgointhefrontroomwhereheworkedandstandbyhimacoupleofminutes—butwhenshelistenedtohimhermindwasneveronthethingshesaidtoher.ThenonenightshesuddenlyrealizedaboutherDad.Nothingunusualhappenedthatnightandshedidn’tknowwhatitwasthatmadeherunderstand.Afterwardsshefeltolderandasthoughsheknewhimasgoodasshecouldknowanyperson. ItwasanightinlateAugustandshewasinabigrush.Shehadtobeatthishousebynineo’clock,andnomaybeeither.HerDadcalledandshewentintothefrontroom.Hewassittingslumpedoverhisworkbench.Forsomereasonitneverdidseemnaturaltoseehimthere.Untilthetimeofhisaccidentlastyearhehadbeenapainterandcarpenter.Beforedaylighteverymorninghewouldleavethehouseinhisoveralls,tobegoneallday.Thenatnightsometimeshefiddledaroundwithclocksasanextrawork.Alotoftimeshehadtriedtogetajobinajewellerystorewherehecouldsitbyhimselfatadeskalldaywithacleanwhiteshirtonandatie.Nowwhenhecouldn’tcarpenteranymorehehadputasignatthefrontofthehousereading‘ClocksandWatchesRepairedCheap’.Buthedidn’tlooklikemostjewellers—theonesdowntownwerequick,darklittleJewmen.HerDadwastootallforhisworkbench,andhisbigbonesseemedjoinedtogetherinalooseway. HerDadjuststaredather.Shecouldtellhedidn’thaveanyreasonforcalling.Heonlywantedrealbadtotalktoher.Hetriedtothinkofsomewaytobegin.Hisbrowneyesweretoobigforhislong,thinface,andsincehehadlosteverysinglehairthepale,baldtopofhisheadgavehimanakedlook.Hestilllookedatherwithoutspeakingandshewasinahurry.Shehadtobeatthathousebyninesharpandtherewasnotimetowaste.HerDadsawshewasinahurryandheclearedhisthroat. ‘Igotsomethingforyou,’hesaid.‘Nothingmuch,butmaybeyoucantreatyourselfwithit.’ Hedidn’thavetogiveheranynickelordimejustbecausehewaslonesomeandwantedtotalk.Outofwhathemadeheonlykeptenoughtohavebeerabouttwiceaweek.Twobottleswereonthefloorbyhischairnow,oneemptyandonejustopened.Andwheneverhedrankbeerhelikedtotalktosomebody.HerDadfumbledwithhisbeltandshelookedaway.Thissummerhehadgottenlikeakidabouthidingthosenickelsanddimeshekeptforhimself.Sometimeshehidtheminhisshoes,andothertimesinalittle

4

slithehadcutinhisbelt.Sheonlyhalfwaywantedtotakethedime,butwhenhehelditoutherhandwasjustnaturallyopenandready. ‘IgotsomuchworktodoIdon’tknowwheretobegin,’hesaid. Thatwasjusttheoppositetothetruth,andheknewitgoodasshedid.Heneverhadmanywatchestofix,andwhenhefinishedhewouldfoolaroundthehousedoinganylittlejobthatwasneeded.Thenatnighthesatathisbench,cleaningoldspringsandwheelsandtryingtomaketheworklastoutuntilbedtime.Eversincehebrokehishipandcouldn’tworksteadyhehadtobedoingsomethingeveryminute. ‘Ibeenthinkingalottonight,’herDadsaid.Hepouredouthisbeer&sprinkledafewgrainsofsaltonthebackofhishand.Thenhelickedupthesaltandtookaswallowoutoftheglass. Shewasinsuchahurrythatitwashardtostandstill.HerDadnoticedthis.Hetriedtosaysomething—buthehadnotcalledtotellheranythingspecial.Heonlywantedtotalkwithherforalittlewhile.Hestartedtospeakandswallowed.Theyjustlookedateachother.Thequietnessgrewoutlongerandneitherofthemcouldsayaword. ThatwaswhensherealizedaboutherDad.Itwasn’tlikeshewaslearninganewfact—shehadunderstooditallalongineverywayexceptwithherbrain.NowshejustsuddenlyknewthatsheknewaboutherDad.Hewaslonesomeandhewasanoldman.Becausenoneofthekidswenttohimforanythingandbecausehedidn’tearnmuchmoneyhefeltlikehewascutofffromthefamily.Andinhislonesomenesshewantedtobeclosetooneofhiskids—andtheywereallsobusythattheydidn’tknowit.Hefeltlikehewasn’tmuchrealusetoanybody. Sheunderstoodthiswhiletheywerelookingateachother.Itgaveheraqueerfeeling.HerDadpickedupawatchspringandcleaneditwithabrushdippedingasoline. ‘Iknowyou’reinahurry.Ijustholleredtosayhello.’ ‘No,I’mnotinanyrush,’shesaid.‘Honest.’ Thatnightshesatdowninachairbyhisbenchandtheytalkedawhile.Hetalkedaboutaccountsandexpensesandhowthingswouldhavebeenifhehadjustmanagedinadifferentway.Hedrankbeer,andoncethetearscarnetohiseyesandhesnuffledhisnoseagainsthisshirt-sleeve.Shestayedwithhimagoodwhilethatnight.Evenifshewasinanawfulhurry.Yetforsomereasonshecouldn’ttellhimaboutthethingsinhermind—aboutthehot,darknights. Thesenightsweresecret,andofthewholesummertheywerethemostimportanttime.Inthedarkshewalkedbyherselfanditwaslikeshewastheonlypersoninthetown.Almosteverystreetcametobeasplaintoherinthenight-timeasherownhomeblock.Somekidswereafraidtowalkthroughstrangeplacesinthedark,butshewasn’t.Girlswerescaredamanwouldcomeoutfromsomewhereandputhisteapotinthemliketheywasmarried.Mostgirlswerenuts.IfapersonthesizeofJoeLouisorMountainManDeanwouldjumpoutatherandwanttofightshewouldrun.Butifitwassomebodywithintwentypoundsherweightshewouldgivehimagoodsockandgorighton. Thenightswerewonderful,andshedidn’thavetimetothinkaboutsuchthingsasbeingscared.Whenevershewasinthedarkshethoughtaboutmusic.Whileshewalkedalongthestreetsshewouldsingtoherself.AndshefeltlikethewholetownlistenedwithoutknowingitwasMickKelly. Shelearnedalotaboutmusicduringthesefreenightsinthesummer-time.Whenshewalkedoutintherichpartsoftowneveryhousehadaradio.Allthewindowswereopenandshecouldhearthemusicverymarvellous.Afterawhilesheknewwhichhousestunedinfortheprogrammesshewantedtohear.Therewasonespecialhousethatgotallthegoodorchestras.Andatnightshewouldgotothishouseandsneakintothedarkyardtolisten.Therewasbeautifulshrubberyaroundthishouse,andshewouldsitunderabushnearthewindow.Andafteritwasallovershewouldstandinthedarkyardwithherhandsinherpocketsandthinkforalongtime.Thatwastherealestpartofallthesummer—herlisteningtothismusicontheradioandstudyingaboutit.Questionstogetyoustarted1. Considertopicsentencesandtransitions.What'stheirfunctionintheirparagraphandinthetext?2. Howdoesthewritermakeyoufeel?Wheredoesshetakeyou?Whatkindoflanguagehelpsher?3. Whataboutspeed&movement?Howdoesshehelpyoustopormoveon?4. CanyouunderstandMick?Doyouhavesimilarthoughts?5. Didyoufeelanytensionduringthereading?Whywouldthatbe?6. Whatquestionwouldyoumakeyourclassmatesoryourself?