Integrating Writing with Reading
Yang Shuying Dalian Naval Academy (Dalian, China)
Introduction
Reading and writing have been considered two different language skills that should be studied separately. As a result, many college students in China find it hard to put their thoughts into English. The process genre approach can be successfully applied to integrate writing into the reading class. In this approach, besides linguistic knowledge, the writing genre, the schematic structure, and the writing skills of the in-class reading materials are also stressed. The writing skills are in turn utilized in guided writing, from outline writing, drafting, to revising. The purpose of such a teaching process is to achieve multilevel understanding of the reading materials and a sound basis for the writing of different genres.
Procedure
To demand students` active participation, a lesson using the process genre approach can be divided into the following phases: understanding specific information, in-class collective writing and after-class writing practice.
Understanding of the Reading Materials
Preview Requirements:
Master the main linguistic knowledge or the language points.
Catch the main idea, find the topic sentence of each paragraph.
Try to determine the genre of the article.
Understanding Specific Information:
Objectives:
understanding the main idea, mastering the main language points
Activities:
Ask several students to tell the main ideas of the text, or give a brief summary
Ask questions and answers about the specific information to make sure the students understand details of the text
Explain the language points. As is required for preview, students should have mastered the language points before coming to class. So the teacher`s job is just to check to see if they have. The way to check is to ask students to the blackboard to do paraphrasing and or to give explanations and examples.
As the students carry on with the language points, the teacher should pay close attention and be able to make necessary adjustment and supplement.
Analysis of Writing Skills:
Objectives:
Understand the typical features and the writing scheme of the genre of the text.
Principle:
Using a heuristic teaching style, the teacher gives out some clues for the students to think about and infer from. Then the teacher gives final confirmation.
Activities:
Analyze the genre of the article. Ask the students to think about the purpose of writing according to the main ideas they have derived. Decide the genre of the text.
Analyze the writing skill and the schematic structure of the text. Through discussion, students should be able to decide the functions of each paragraph, and the specific diction to support the main ideas.
In-class Collective Writing
Objectives:
Utilize the specific writing skills and the schematic structure just derived.
Principle:
Instead of being the information provider, the teacher should just be the organizer of classroom activities, the person who writes on the blackboard.
Activities:
Group discussion of the topic of the writing the teacher provided.
Collective writing. Using the output of discussion, the class will write a paragraph collectively. Each group provides a sentence, following the writing scheme very closely.
Comment on the total output. The teacher will make comments on sentence coherence, semantic conformity, the specific writing process, and make necessary adjustments. Reasons must be given as to why the change is necessary.
After-class Writing Practice
Students should write an article using the writing skills and the specific diction achieved. The teacher must read every piece of writing very carefully; select the best ones and the ones with typical errors to use as examples for further comments.
Example
The following is an example of writing analysis of the writing of refutation, and a paragraph of writing finished in class.
The schematic structure of a piece of refutation writing.
The first paragraph: Present the ideas/opinions to be refuted
The second paragraph: Show the disagreement
The third paragraph: Refute the first wrong idea
Writing skills:
1. present the idea again
2. show disagreement/ I think he is wrong
3. use illustrations to support one`s own idea
The fourth paragraph. Refute the second wrong idea
Writing skill:
1. present the idea
2. show disagreement/ I have news for him
3. use illustrations
The fifth paragraph: Conclusion
In class collective writing of refutation. (in brackets are the reasons for the original sentence, the reasons for the correction and other comments). The topic is It is not necessary to work hard once we enter college.
Paragraph One
Some people say that college should be a time for relaxing and fun. [present the wrong idea] But in my opinion, college is a time for studying [Show one`s own attitude]. In the future, we will work in the society. If we don`t have enough knowledge and ability, we will lag behind [illustration 1]. Our lives are limited, but study is unlimited. The fact that we entered college does not mean we have mastered all knowledge [illustration 2]. So we must study hard. We must read, write, think and