Several barriers hinder students from producing clear and impactful written work. Writing assignments are often given on an individual basis, similar to homework, and without any assistance. Students in a classroom context have access to both their classmates and the teacher while they are working in groups or pairs as part of their assignments.…

Sixteen vocabulary and self-expression exercises on the word, sentence, and paragraph levels designed to encourage creativity and free expression in writing in French as a second language are described. (MSE)

This article proposes a modified version of traditional sentence combining (SC) exercises for use in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes. Called SC Plus, this technique involves sentence combining, ordering these sentences into a meaningful text, and editing and revising the constructions initially used in the combining process. (25…

Describes design for advanced writing exercises for ESL classes which provides more individualized instruction and acquaints students with English thought patterns which underly the organization of longer units of discourse. Methods isolate one organizational function at a time for intensive practice. (Author/BK)

The dicto-comp, an exercise consisting of a passage to be read several times by the student and then reproduced, usually taps a student's ability to write dictation and composition. Here the emphasis is on composition rather than auditory memory expansion, with the idea that each dicto-comp has a specific teaching point to convey. (PJM)

This paper examines typical problems that students of English as a Second Language (ESL) have in expository writing, namely those involving classification criteria and hierarchical categories. It also provides a set of guidelines for the practice of classification skills as well as specific classification exercises. (18 references) (MDM)

Of all the language skills, writing is the most difficult challenge for language teachers because students have less experience with written expression. Stimulated by audio-visual materials throughout their lives, students are novices in the discipline of writing. Making writing an ongoing part of foreign language acquisition from the first day in…

To help provide writing instruction to elementary school children who are taught English as a second language, a writing project was designed for three ESL students: a third grader from Japan, a fourth grader from Costa Rica, and a fifth grader from Indonesia. The goals of the project were to help the students find writing to be enjoyable and…

Dialogue journal writing offers students of English as a second language (ESL) authentic, natural communication practice in the classroom. It is an interactive, self-generative, cumulative and functional writing/reading exchange between student and teacher, and is being used successfully in many kinds of ESL classrooms, with all age groups, and…

For most English-as-a-Second-Language students, writing is the most difficult skill to master. By integrating writing within the daily routine of language learning, students become as comfortable with writing as they are with speaking and reading. This article presents practical examples for integrating writing within everyday K-12 classroom…

Second language students may develop writing skills gradually, or they may learn and practice these skills through the use of sentence combining techniques. A study is reported of the consistent use of sentence combining exercises with intermediate language classes at the university level. A total of 325 students enrolled in intermediate French,…

Presents nine tips for planning effective second-language writing lessons. Tips are based on three principles (writing is a means of communication, writing is a process, and eliciting oral or written production of foreign language varies according to the degree of guidance teachers give to students). The paper offers six sample writing lessons for…

This paper describes techniques used by a German instructor with American students during a summer abroad program. Learning activities, both in and outside of class, concentrate on writing. The students keep logs and diaries, which force them to be aware of their surroundings and to participate more actively in the life around them. With the…

Observation and investigation indicate that academic writing tasks are generally quite different from those required in standard English composition courses, with respect to both process and product. Writing instruction in English as a second language should prepare students for subject-matter writing tasks, focusing less on pure composition.…

Examines the use of persuasive responses by Hispanic second-language writers and categorizes these responses by level of language proficiency and gender. Findings indicate that students exit English-as-a-Second-Language classes without having achieved a higher level of expertise in the use of persuasive discourse and that females elaborate more…