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Approaches to Writing in EFL/ESL Context: Balancing

Product and Process in Writing Class at Tertiary

Level

Md. Kamrul Hasan & Mohd. Moniruzzaman Akhand 

Introduction.

The majority of careers at universities like, Science and Engineering, Bachelor of 

Business Administration and most of them are exposed to English in a limited ay per 

eek. !oreover, it can "e added here that the medium of instruction in all private

universities is English. They study and rite English# !ost of the times they translate

texts and for that reason their understanding of the texts and riting skills are not orth

mention.

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Product approach:  It is the $traditional ay%, it means that the student follo a

 pattern, for example in a product approach classroom the teacher gives a structure and

students must follo it "ut creating a ne product.

The product approach consists of four stages&

Stage one& Students study the model text and after that, they pain attention on the genre

and the features, for example, in a letter. A student gives more importance to the

techni'ue used, also in the voca"ulary in order to adopt a ay to follo.

Stage to& In this stage the student control the techni'ue, for example in a letter the

student is asked a"out the structure like $I ould "e grateful if you ould%.

Stage three& In this stage the ideas are organi(ed, in this stage is very important the

control of language, also the organi(ation of the text is more important than the opinions

or ideas of the riter.

Stage four& In this stage the student ill choose "eteen to orks, the students use

skills, structures and voca"ulary in order to sho their fluency and competency.

Process approach: This process is more focused on varied activities in classroom and

ith this kind of activities the language is developed. The process approach comprises

eight activities&

Brainstorming& It means to generate ideas "y "rainstorming and discussing in class.

In this "rainstorming activity, the left hand side presents the arguments of the topic

hile the right hand side presents the arguments against the topic.

)lanning*Structuring& Students exchange ideas into note form and judge 'uality and

usefulness of the ideas.

!ind mapping& Students put in order their ideas "y making a mind map, spidergram or 

linear form. This activity allos organi(ing the ideas in a hierarchical order.

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+riting the first draft& Students rite the first draft, this is done in class and fre'uently

in groups.

)eer feed"ack& rafts are exchanged, -