DYNAMICS
OF THE WRITING CLASSROOM
Many factors
play different roles to make a writing classroom conducive. Figure 1 shows the
vital components that make up a writing classroom. Factors like teachers’ roles
and responsibilities, teachers’ teaching methods, learners’ roles and responsibilities.
In addition to that, materials used in the classroom also will make a
difference in the classroom setting; hence the role of materials and how they
are used.
CASE STUDY: PRE
SERVICE TEACHERS
A case study was
conducted to see the writing classrooms of selected Pre-Service teachers. A
group of students were assigned to observe Pre Service teachers teaching
writing in classroom. The observation was done based on the Teaching checklist
in Table 2 below (Noor Hanim, 2011;Appendix B,pp65-66).
Observers would
indicate and make comments in the checklist provided. The checklist comprised
of 5 sections not including the personal biodata: (1) Teachers Roles and
Responsibilities, (2) Teaching Method, (3) Learners’ Roles and
Responsibilities, (4) Learning Materials Role, and (5) How Materials are used.
TEACHERS’ ROLE IN THE WRITING CLASSROOM
Table 3 reveals
the findings for Teachers’ Roles in the Writing Class. The writing teachers
were observed to play various roles in this study.
The most common
role in this study is that of a facilitator (93.8%). Teachers are also seen
helping students to support with scaffolding (87.5%). The teacher is also seen
as Co-Participant (81.3%) and provides background knowledge (81.3%). Teachers
need to be Planners (68.8%) and plans the writing class. 62.5% of those
observed were seen as non-authoritative; thus guiding and prompting learners,
as well as providing opportunities for students to participate in class. 56.3%
of the teachers observed socialize the writing activities. 50% of the teachers
writes a class collaboration with students. 43.8% of them teach meta-cognitive
strategies but also provides learning environment. However, only 31.3% were
observed to define writing projects clearly and also 31.3% provided
opportunities to practice writing extensively. Finally, only 25% allows
students to participate in discussions about topics.
TEACHING METHOD
Figure 4 shows
Teaching Methods used by the Practicum teachers. For better understanding, this
section would discuss the use of different approaches by the teachers observed.
The use of Product approach is still practiced by some teachers. 25% are
concerned with the structure of language. 50% saw writing development as the
imitation of input.
Some pre-service
teachers used Process approach. 25% were observed to exercise linguistic
skills. 50% saw writing development as the unconscious process when the teacher
facilitates.
Strategic
approach is also used by some of the Practicum teachers. 75% used prior
knowledge and graphic organizers. 37.5% coached writing using thinking aloud.
68.8% allows learners to talk to their partners about writing. 56.3% makes
students write for authentic purposes and 50% prompt learners to use specific
strategies.
Some Practicum
teachers were also observed to use the Cognitive approach. 25% saw that writing
is recursive. 37.5% allows learners to consider potential audience. 56.3% used
graphic organizers in class. 25% allows learners to retrieve relevant
information from various sources. 37.5% guides and prompts learners with ideas
and suggestions, and 50% of them focused their instruction on goals.
The teachers
also used Genre approach. 25% taught the knowledge of language. 56.3% gave
writing activities tied to social purpose. 31.3% saw the development of writing
as the imitation of input.
Some of the
teachers used the Process Genre approach. 50% used models for imitation. 31.3%
were concerned with knowledge about the structure of language. 50% taught the
social purpose of writing and another 50% allows students to learn the process
of writing. Finally, 56.3% were observed to use the Input-Process-Output
approach in their writing class.
LEARNER’ ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
What roles do
learners play in the writing classroom. Figure 5 is a bar chart showing learners’ Roles and
responsibilities. 93.8% of the learners learns from friends and relatives.
68.8% learns from materials given by the teacher. 25% learns from the teachers
only while 12.5% learns from materials brought by themselves.
LEARNING MATERIALS’ ROLES
What roles do
materials play in the writing class?
Figure 6 shows the bar chart of Learning Materials’ Roles. 31.3% depended
on textbooks. 18.8% used course book such as assessment books. 12.5% used
film-related materials and home-made handouts.
Some teachers
takes into consideration the cultural content of materials. 68.8% considers the
sociological sense. 37.5% considers the aesthetic and semantic sense, while
18.8% considers the sociolinguistic sense.
1.1
HOW MATERIALS
ARE USED
In
what ways are materials used in the writing class? Figure 7 shows the bar chart
showing How Materials are Used. Materials are used in various ways in the
writing classroom.
Sometimes
the teacher would control the amount of help given. 75% of the time, stimuli
like pictures, maps, tables, and diagrams are used. 68.8% of the time, notes
are used .Models are used but not for
all students (43.8%).
At
other times the teacher may control the interactional mode. 56.3% of the time,
the students are organized into groups. 43.8%
of the time, they are organized into mixed ability interaction, while
12.5% of the time, the teacher allows
good students to work on their own.
On
the other hand, some teachers give different targets of achievements to their
students. 37.5% provide model based on their proficiency. Some teachers use a
variety of approaches. 62.5% emphasized the process of writing in the classroom.
Finally, some teachers evaluate according to individual capability and
progress. 43.85% evaluate according to how much progress was made, and 56.3%
provide suggestions .
SUMMARY
The
teachers’ role has transformed from ‘know-all’ to facilitator providing background knowledge and scaffold thus
creating opportunities for students to learn.
Teachers no longer “teach” but provide “opportunities for learning to
take place.” In accordance with the change in teachers’ roles, teaching methods
too have undergone changes. Teachers are becoming familiar with strategic
approach. Students were taught strategies in writing, and they were taught to
depend on graphic organizers to plan their writing. In addition to that, the
students were exposed to peer collaboration: group writing and group editing in
the writing classroom.
When
it comes to the learners’ roles in the classroom, the learners prefer learning
with their friends although traditionally still expecting teachers to provide
the materials for them. When it comes to the learning materials’ roles,
interestingly, learners preferred the sociological approach in writing. They
need to tie writing to the social need for them to see the importance of
writing in their classroom. In addition, materials like pictures and graphic
organizers are popularly used with teacher providing notes as background
knowledge and exposing the learners to the process of writing
PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICAIONS
Writing need no longer be a chore for the teachers teaching and learners learning
it. Teachers are not expected to know everything and impart knowledge. Teachers
must learn to be creative and make full use of resources available around them
to make obtaining information easier and writing less tedious for students.
FUTURE RESEARCH
Future
researcher ought to observe even the experience teachers teaching writing and
report on the practices in writing classroom. There is a need to find out what
works best for learning to take place effectively and what practices need to be
discarded to improve students’ writing.
Cited from
Noor Hanim Rahmat (2011)
Approaches in the Teaching of Writing. Shah Alam, Malaysia: UiTM Press
