Teaching Writing to Bored Class

by Maha
(Saudi Arabia)

I have been teaching writing for six years. Our books give a very huge paragraph, which has many new words and statements that are hard for students to deal with. Whether they understand the paragraph or not, they have to situate the words or phrase according to a table they have.

After this class they can't write a complete sentence at all. I find my students disappointed and bored through this way of learning.

Linda responds:

Your experience sounds much like that of many American elementary teachers who find having students do worksheets does not enable them to write, and the worksheets are boring, too.

I am not trained in teaching English as a foreign language, so I have almost no help to offer. The practices for teaching writing described on this website are for individuals with a mastery of spoken English who have the cognitive development required for abstract thinking. (Generally speaking, pre-teens cannot do the kind of writing discussed at this website regardless of how well they are taught.)

Perhaps other visitors could offers some suggestions if you could tell more specific information about your teaching situation:

• How old are your students?


• Are they all learning English as their second language?


• Do they converse in English outside school?


• Are they good at writing in their primary language?


• How long have they been studying English?


• How many students do you have in a class?


• What do you do to supplement the textbooks?


• Do your students have access to computers?


• Do your students have access to the Internet and web resources?


• Is English your primary language?


• How did you acquire your knowledge of the English language?


• Have you taught anywhere other then Saudi Arabia?


• What kind of training did you have in teaching writing?


• Was your training specifically in teaching writing in English?


• What kind of writing and how much writing do you personally do every week?

This sort of data will help visitors provide you with help for your problems teaching writing.