SELF - ASSESSMENT REFLECTION ON WRITING (EPOSTL)

I can evaluate and select meaningful activities to encourage learners to develop their writing skills.
I can evaluate and select a range of meaningful writing activities to help learners become aware and use appropriate language for different text types (letters, stories, reports, etc.)
I can evaluate and select texts in a variety of text types to function as good examples of learners’ writing.
I can evaluate and select texts in a variety of materials to stimulate writing (authentic materials, visual aids, etc)
I can evaluate and select activities which help learners’ to participate in written exchanges (e-mails, job applications, etc) and to initiate or respond to texts appropriately.
I can help learners to gather and share information for their writing tasks.
I can help learners to plan and structure written texts (e.g., by using mind maps, outlines, etc)
I can help learners to monitor, reflect, edit on and improve their own writing.
I can use peer-assessment and feedback to assist the writing process.
I can use a variety of techniques to help learners develop awareness of the structure, coherence and cohesion of a text and produce texts accordingly.
I can evaluate and select a variety of techniques to make learners aware of and use spelling patterns and irregular spelling.
I can evaluate and select writing activities to consolidate learning (grammar, spelling, vocabulary, etc.)

(Explanation)

Activities to develop writing skills:

categorising words into lists
composing accounts from picture prompts
converting graphical information into verbal
correcting wrong statements
expanding sentences
expanding texts from notes
filling gaps
filling tables and charts
ordering sentences to compose a text
retelling stories from questions and pictures
composing advertisements
composing essays
composing poems from scrambled phrases
composing weather description
composing reports
composing stories from word prompts
writing letters

Development of writing skills - adapted from Scrivener

Copying	Forming letter shapes, note down form the board, copy examples from a textbook, etc – A1
Doing exercises	Write single words phrases, sentences, etc., in response to very tightly focused tasks with limited options and limited opportunities for creativity or getting things wrong – A2
Guided writing	Write longer texts in quite restricted or controlled tasks by offering samples, models, possibly useful language items, advice, organizational frameworks, etc. (Product writing) – B1
Process writing	Write what you want to, with help, encouragement and feedback from others and oneself throughout the process of choosing a topic, gathering ideas, organizing thoughts, drafting, etc. – B2
Unguided writing	Write freely without overt guidance, assistance or feedback during the writing process, though a title or task may be set and work may be ‘marked later’

Meaningful writing activities follow 3 principles: motivation (a strong, engaging context); challenge (a time or word limit), follow-up (creating a real communication

Different text types (notes, thank-you notes, greeting cards, post cards, invitations, ads, wanted posters, warnings, wills, recipes, menus, letters, stories, reports, reviews, speeches, self-descriptions, memos, questionnaires, diaries, newspaper articles etc)

Select texts (notes, thank-you notes, greeting cards, post cards, invitations, ads, wanted posters, warnings, wills, recipes, menus, letters, stories, reports, reviews, speeches, self-descriptions, memos, questionnaires, diaries, newspaper articles etc)

Materials to stimulate writing (authentic materials, pictures, music, dialogue, realia, story, visual aids, etc)

Written exchanges (e-mails, notes, apologies, post cards, questionnaires, invitations, job applications etc)

Gather and share information (observing, brainstorming, listing, log-keeping, reading, questioning, imagining, clustering, outlining, mapping, cueing, free writing)

To plan and structure – using mind maps, word bank, clustering, mapping, Venn diagram, data retrieval chart, outlines, concept pyramids etc.

To monitor – to check to discover how the writing activity is managed

Reflect on – systematic, critical and creative thinking about action

Edit – read the paper several times, making sure that every word is the best possible one to express one’s thought and that sentences are clear and varied (using response groups, peer-editing, self-revision, yes-no questions, written responses). Editing checklists can be provided

Peer assessment – students are providing a feedback on the proficiency of other students (proofreading, correcting, grading, holistic scoring

Feedback – the information given to students using various techniques (extending and elaborating, enriching and deepening, questioning, offering alternatives, challenging, encouraging, explaining) with the purpose to improve their writing

Structure – topic sentence, supporting information, concluding sentences

Coherence and cohesion – supporting information is arranged in a logical order and linked with transitions (orders for supporting information, transitions for paragraphs, repetition of main words)

Spelling patterns are used for different sounds in English words as there are several spellings for the same sound in English