Text Type Based Approach for ESL
Teaching Writing through the Analysis of Short, Specific Passages
This structured approach for teaching writing to English language learners recognizes that not all learners have the same experience in writing in their first language.
Not all English language learners have the same writing abilities. Not only this, but also the fact that writing approaches differ greatly from language to language makes teaching writing to ESL (English as a Second Language) or EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners frustrating for many teachers.
By implementing this approach in their lessons, teachers can help English language learners get a better idea of how to construct short, specific texts where a process-based approach (brainstorming, outlining, drafting, etc.) may not be appropriate. Texts that work well with this approach often cover subjects such as movie or restaurant reviews, postcards, steps in a process (such as a recipe), rules and regulations, etc.
The Approach
- Teachers may want to start the lesson by warming up the activity. For instance, if the writing assignment is to write a restaurant review, the teacher may start by asking the learners what restaurants they have eaten in recently.
- Next, the learners read examples of the specific text type that they will eventually be writing. Three sample texts is probably sufficient for the lesson, but this will be at the discretion of the teacher. As a general rule, teachers may want to include one or two texts that are just at or below the learners’ level, and one that is just a bit higher than what they will be expected to write.
- After the learners have read the text types, they should be instructed to analyze them to isolate characteristic features of that text type. Learners will probably need guidance at this stage of the lesson. An example of an analysis activity would be to have learners underline words that describe something, or words (verbs) that talk about the something that happened in the past, future, etc. Learners can also be asked to notice phrases and/or words that are repeated or common in all the text types. It can also be helpful to discuss the function of the text, for example whether the text is trying to persuade someone of an opinion, give advice, explain the processes in a step, etc.
- Next the teachers give the learners some exercises which practice the particular features of the text type that they have been looking at. Some examples are exercises which ask learners to order the paragraphs in a text (or sentences in a paragraph), or to combine sentences using a relative pronoun. As learners work through this part of the approach, they will be introduced to any familiar language or grammar structures that are necessary for writing the type of text they are working on.
- The last step in the process is guided writing practice. Now the learners get to write their texts. In this final stage, the teachers should provide prompts, such as pictures, a cloze text (fill-in-the-gaps), or sentences which summarize the main ideas in each paragraph. Using the prompts, learners write their texts.
Possible Disadvantages to this Approach
As this writing approach is extremely structured, there is little room for creativity from the learners. Throughout the lesson, learners are asked to replicate language and structures that are found in the sample text types, and are not encouraged to produce much of their own language. This, however, does not go against the main idea of the approach, which is exactly that: to give learners a controlled format from which to order their thoughts.
It should also be noted that there is a lot of teacher/material preparation that goes into using this approach.
Teachers may like to review a sample lesson plan using this approach.
