Writing Skills
“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.”
WRITING A
PARAGRAPH
WRITING AN ESSAY
WRITING A
SENTENCE
Writing Guide
1st
ESO
2nd
ESO
3rd
ESO
4th
ESO
1st
BATO
2nd
BATO
The Writing Process
Writing is NOT magic or inspiration which comes out of the blue. Writing requires a complex combination of skills such as planning, brainstorming, drafting, organising, revising and proofreading before you finally share it or hand it in.
In order to master your wiriting skills and learn to write successfully, you need to focus on the different steps involved in the writing process.
BRAINSTORM for ideas
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Write down all the ideas you can think of. Outline your ideas using diagrams.
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Don´t worry about whether all the ideas are relevant.
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At this point, don´t worry about grammar or spelling.
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You can also write ideas in your own language (later you will be able to develop them in English)
ORGANISE your ideas
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Decide which ideas to keep and cross out the others.
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Group similar ideas together.
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Organise the groups to convey a particular idea or present an argument
Write a FIRST DRAFT
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Write your first draft on the computer or by hand. If you are writing by hand, use a pencil. Leave wide margins for notes.
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Leave space between lines for additions and corrections.
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Write quickly. Don´t worry about neatness or accuracy.
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If you can´t think of a word in English, write it in your own language. Look up the word in a dictionary later.
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If you can´t spell a word, write it any way you can. Then check the word in a dictionary or use a spellcheck when you have finished.
CHECK your work
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Use the error checklist to make sure that you avoid common mistakes such as verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, annoying repetitions, punctuation, etc. Use the writer´s checklist so that you make sure the contents are organised in a coherent way.
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Use a dictionary to check the spelling of any word that you are not sure about.
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Proofread: examine your text carefully to find and correct typographical errors and mistakes in grammar, style, and spelling. Read out loud (by sounding out words, you’re forced to go over work more slowly and actually listen to what you have written.
WRITE A FINAL DRAFT
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If you are writing by hand: copy your corrected work neatly onto a clean sheet of paper.
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If you are using a computer, print out a copy of your essay. It´s easier to find mistakes on a printed copy.
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Use a pen and leave a margin on the left-hand side.
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Proofread. Does it sound correct?
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Make sure your paragraphs are clearly indicated by indenting (moving the first word of the paragraph to the right) or by skipping a line before beginning a new paragraph (in that case each paragraph begins at the left-hand margin).
Creative Writing Activities
HOW TO WRITE A STORY ON TWITTER:
a) Your story must have a beginning, a middle and an end. A story must have a structure, there must be movement
b) Your story must have a character that needs something
c) Your story must be easy to read
d) Don't overload readers
e) Move the story forward with each tweet
Read the Instructions and write your own story.
Assessment Rubric
WRITING SKILL: DESCRIBING A PAINTING
Here you have an interactive presentation on how to describe a painting (it is also applicable to photographs). Follow the steps to guide yourself through the writing process.
I have chosen one of my favourite paintings as an example of a description of a painting.
First, click on the numbers and you will learn about the process. Then click on the pencil and read the model text provided by your teacher. I have also added some curious facts about the painting and a video. Finally, I include a word bank so that you can use the appropriate vocabulary.
WRITING TASK
Choose a painting and describe it. But... let´s do it creatively! You are going to create a puzzle using the picture of your painting. Therefore the first thing you have to do is search the web and download a good quality photograph of the painting of your choice. Once you have done that, follow the steps below.
1. Creating the puzzle:
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Go to "Create" and follow the steps there. Find the photo of your painting in your computer and upload it.
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Give it a name.
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Decide on the number of pieces you want your puzzle to have (do not make it very difficult, otherwise people will get bored and will give up doing it)
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Decide on the shape you want the pieces to have.
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Create an album and save.
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Click on the small globe to share and choose the embed option (insertar). Grab the code of the game (you have to scroll down a little bit) and embed the puzzle in your site (WRITING TAB)
WRITING TASK II
2. Writing your description.
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Write the description of your painting simply typing in your text. I recommend that you write the text on a word precessor first in order to check misspelling mistakes and, once finished, copy and paste it in your site.
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Add the link to the museum where the painting is exhibited and if you find any interesting or curious facts about it, feel free to add either the link or the information itself (just as I did in the presentation).
THE SELF-I-e-INSTRUCTIONS: A set of activities designed to learn how to write an instruction text.
Sequence of activities:
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Know thyself: what are the adjectives which best describe you?
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Create a Word Cloud with your adjectives (ICT task).
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Take or choose a selfie.
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After studying a model in your course book and the characteristics of instuction texts, write an instruction text about yourself showing others how to handle with you
WRITING SKILL: A NARRATIVE TEXT - HOW TO TELL A STORY