Section 4

Writing Strategies

We can use different strategies to help learners with writing. Choose from the following activities those best suited for your tutors’ learners. You could choose to do all of them or only one or two, but remember that tutors are always looking for strategies to use with their learners. They will appreciate knowing these.

Activity A

Language experience

Language experience works well for beginner writers who have limited skill in writing or are hesitant to write. The technique encourages them to write from their own experience. You can then use the material generated by writing the story for further reading and writing exercises.

Use of video, handout, discussion

Materials and equipment

Handout 7.13: Language Experience Procedure
Video clip: Creating Learning Partners – Language Experience
TV and VCR
Flip chart and markers

Preparation

Review the process of language experience.
Cue the video to the language experience section.
Copy handout.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

  1. Ask tutors what they know about using language experience. (If they are new tutors, they may not know anything about this strategy. Seasoned tutors may have heard about this strategy when learning reading strategies.)
  2. Briefly describe language experience: a person tells his story, which someone else simultaneously writes down.
  3. Explain that the video will demonstrate how to use this strategy with a learner. Watch the video section on language experience.
  4. Ask tutors to name the steps they saw outlined in the video. List them on the flip chart.
  5. Ask tutors when they would use this strategy and why.
  6. Give tutors the handout Language Experience Procedure.