GUIDELINE FOR TEACHING AND WRITING ESSAYS AND ...

GUIDELINE FOR TEACHING AND WRITING ESSAYS AND TRANSACTIONAL TEXTS

English Grades 10 - 12

Home language Fist Additional Language Second Additional Language

CONTENTS TYPE OF TEXT 1. Introduction 2. Process writing 3. Essays: Kinds of essays 3.1. Narrative essay 3.2. Descriptive essay 3.3 Expository essay 3.4 Argumentative essay 3.5. Discursive essay 3.6. Reflective essay 4. Transactional Writing 4.1 Longer Transactional Texts 4.1.1. Official letter 4.1.2. Friendly letter 4.1.3. Internal Memorandum 4.1.4. Writing a short article 4.1.5. Agenda and minutes of the meeting 4.1.6. Speech 4.1.7. Dialogue 4.1.8. Interview 4.1.9. Review 4.1.10. Newspaper article 4.1.11. Magazine article 4.1.12. Newspaper column 4.1.13. Curriculum Vitae (CV) 4.1.14. Obituary 4.1.15. Brochure 4.1.16 Editorial

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4.2. Shorter Transactional Texts

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4.2.1. Invitation

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4.2.2. Diary

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4.2.3. Post card

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4.2.4. Direction

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4.2.5. Instructions

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4.2.6. Advertisement

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4.2.7. Flyer

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4.2.8. Poster

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4.2.9. Filling in a form

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4.2.10. Writing an email

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4.2.11. Sending a Fax

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1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this guideline is to briefly guide teachers and learners on the aspects of writing and presenting. Furthermore, the guideline presents and shares information with regards to producing various texts and their uses. This will enable learners to attain and successfully demonstrate Learning Outcome 3 (LO 3), which aims to ensure that `The learner is able to write and present for a wide range of purposes and audiences using conventions and formats appropriate to diverse contexts.'

This guideline may be used by teachers and learners of English Home, First and Second Additional Languages. The document will also enable learners to prepare for the Writing Paper (Paper 3) which requires learners to choose and write three of the various writing texts dealt with during the course of the year.

2. PROCESS WRITING

Writing and designing texts is a process and learners need the opportunity to put this process into practice. They should:

? decide on the purpose and audience of a text to be written and/or designed; ? brainstorm ideas using, for example mind maps, flow charts or lists; ? consult relevant sources, select relevant information and organise ideas; ? produce a first draft which takes into account purpose, audience, topic and genre; ? read drafts critically and get feedback from others (classmates); ? edit and proofread the draft; ? produce a well-designed final version.

Note!

Learners should write every day. Learners should often be given the opportunity to

write freely without an assessment requirement.

In more formal writing, teachers are advised to assess a particular skill or sub-skill

being dealt with during that particular stage of the process. For example, all language

skills need not be addressed during each step of the process.

Peers should also learn to edit one another's work as this interaction is an important

part of the process of writing and improves own and other's awareness of the

process.

An important aspect of this Learning Outcome is the presentation of written work. It

can be shared with peers, teachers, the school as a whole, parents and/or a wider

range of stakeholders. The learner should take pride in a rounded, complete product.

Learners should be informed about the characteristics and requirements of different

kinds of creative texts. A short description of the kinds of writing texts that learners are

required to produce is provided below.

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3. ESSAYS

An essay is an extended piece of writing, in which a writer expresses his/ her point of view on the topic given.

The length of texts ranges from:

? 200 ? 250 words for English Second Additional Language; ? 250 ? 300 words for English First Additional Language; and, ? 400 ? 450 words for English Home Language.

An essay should have an introduction, body and conclusion. A brief explanation of each follows:

? Introduction

The introduction should catch the reader's attention, define the topic and briefly tell the reader what the essay will be addressing.

? Body

The body comprises the full content of the essay. The body must be divided into paragraphs, each of which must pursue a specific idea to the end. The writer must address all the ideas he or she wanted to address, keeping to the topic.

? Conclusion

The conclusion is the ending, the rounding-off of the presentation. This should tie up all that was presented by the writer, a parting shot that justifies the writer's point of view. As this is the end, the writer must not bring in new information.

Learners must be taught how to write ? and must write - the following kinds of essays:

3.1 Narrative essay A narrative essay tells a story or tells of a past event. It can be written from any perspective.

Example topics:

We were having a wonderful time. There was good food, good music and good

company. Suddenly there was an earth-shaking crash. Write about the incident.

The best story my grandfather told me.

Consider the following when writing a narrative essay:

The story must have a strong story line and be convincing even if it is fiction.

A narrative essay is usually written in the past tense.

The introductory paragraph should capture the reader's attention.

A good story often has a point to make.

An unusually interesting ending gives a story the final touch.

The reader's interest must be maintained until the end. The style, rhetorical devices

and action must ensure sustained interest.

A successful narrative vividly highlights sensory details such as sight, sound, taste,

smell and tactile sensations.

A narrative essay often has a strong descriptive element.

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