keeping it real… real life and motivating writing tasks
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Keeping it real…Real life and motivating writing tasks
I wish to express my dissatisfaction with…
I was very disappointed by…
I would be very grateful if you would let me know…
I would appreciate it if you could replace the missing part by next week.
Please let me know as soon as possible what action you propose to take.
I look forward to hearing from you within the next ten days.
What tasks to choose?
What language to focus on?
How to engage/motivate learners?
How to provide meaningful feedback?
Commenting on a travel blog
Voicing your opinion on discussion forum
Writing a tweet to promote your small
business
Writing a letter on behalf of Amnesty
International
Writing a report for your line manager
Writing a poem for a poetry competition
Writing a letter of complaint
• Passive voice
• Narrative tenses
• Set phrases
• Tone
• Online review
• Online advertisement
• Writing a tweet
• Writing to your local councillor
• Writing a CV
How can we engage and motivate students?
• Personalise existing material to suit
your students
• Use a speaking activity to whet
interest
• Use humour
• Provide a real life audience
You really don’t know anything about beggars. They also just a normal people like us, only they are not as lucky as us.
I am so sorry, but I have to say that your thought seems to be silly, it is punk...
I think the beggars are someone who we really need to help; mostly for kids or handicapped people. However, this day we almost can’t tell which one really needs ours help.
Teaching Points
• Hedging Language• Formal/informal language• Taking into account both sides of the argument• Polite disagreement
Further Reading
Blogs
http://elt-resourceful.com/2012/12/06/real-world-writing-activities/
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/common-core-in-action-writing-for-audience-rebecca-alber
http://oupeltglobalblog.com/2013/12/13/how-to-keep-writing-tasks-real-hotel-reviews/
Books
Hedge, T. 2008 Writing Oxford University Press
Raimes, A. 1983 Techniques in Teaching Writing, Oxford University Press
Tribble, C. 1996 Writing Oxford University Press