Upload
majunylda
View
233
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
1/39
Intellectual
Writing
By. Ma. Teresa Walang
Preface
1
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
2/39
One of the co-curricular activities
that Pines international Academy
integrates to its writing course
syllabus is the introduction of the
basic concepts of campus journalism
and its application. The main goal of
the course is to come up with a class
newsletter similar to that of a
school. An end camp issue is found to
be more productive in terms of
students mastery of micro-language
skills although it entails more time
and effort. One doesnt need to be
2
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
3/39
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
4/39
1. Plot: What is going to happen?
2. Setting: Where will the story take place? When will the story take place?
3. Characterization: Who are the main characters? What do they look like?
4. Structure: How will the story begin? What will be the problem? How is
the problem going to be resolved?
5. Theme: What is the theme / message the writer is attempting to write?
The use of Language is also important take note of the following:
1. Actionverbs: Action verbs provide interest to the writing.
2. Written in the first person (I, we) or the third person (he, she, and they).
3. Usually past tense.
4. Connectives, linking words to do with time.
5. Specific nouns and verbs: Strong nouns and verbs have more specific meanings.
6. Active nouns: Make nouns actually do something, eg.It was raining.(could
become) Rain splashed down.
7. Careful use of adjectivesandadverbs: Writing needs careful use of adjectives
and adverbs to bring it alive, qualify the action and provide description and
information for the reader.
8. Use of the senses: Where appropriate, the senses can be used to describe and
develop the experiences, setting and character:
4
What does it smell like?
What can be heard?
What can be seen - details?
What does it taste like?
What does it feel like?
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/verbs.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/verbs.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/verbs.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/nouns.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/nouns.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/adjectives.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/adjectives.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/adverbs.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/adverbs.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/verbs.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/verbs.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/nouns.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/nouns.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/adjectives.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/adverbs.html8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
5/39
Variety in sentence beginnings, there are a several ways to do this.
1. Participles: "Jumping with joy I ran home to tell mum
my good news."
2. Adverbs: "Silently the cat crept toward the bird"
3. Adjectives: "Brilliant sunlight shone through the
window"
4. Nouns: "Thunder claps filled the air"
5. Adverbial Phrases: "Along the street walked the girl as
if she had not a care in the world."
6. Conversations/Dialogue: these may be used as an
opener. This may be done through a series of short or
one-word sentences or as one long complex sentence.
5
Example by using:
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/verbs.html#morehttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/adverbs.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/adjectives.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/nouns.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/phrases.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/verbs.html#morehttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/adverbs.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/adjectives.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/nouns.htmlhttp://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/exp_lang/phrases.html8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
6/39
Topic: Writing Fairy Tales
Objective: To be able to develop a story using the elements in writing a fairy talestory.
Detailed Content
In the land of make believe anything can happen. Fairy Tales do make us believe just
that. It also makes children use their imagination. Fairy Tales take us to many
places that we wouldn't be able to visit just for fun. Kids love magical-mystical
happenings.
The Elements of a Fairy Tale
There are several elements present in a fairy tale. Here are few that can guide a
writer in developing his/her fairy tale story.
6
DAY 2
Special beginning and/or ending words Once upon a
time...and they lived
Happily ever after.
Good character
Evil character
Royalty and/or a castle are usually present
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
7/39
Example
Once upon a time
there was a prince whowanted to marry a
princess; but she would
have to be a real
princess. He travelled all
over the world to find
one, but nowhere
could he get what he
wanted. There were
princesses enough, but
it was difficult to
find out whether
they were real ones.
There was always
something about them
7
Princess and the Pea
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
8/39
that was not as it should be. So he came home again and was sad, for he would have
liked very much to have a real princess.
One evening a terrible storm came on; there was thunder and lightning, and
the rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly a knocking was heard at the city gate,and the old king went to open it.
It was a princess standing out there in front of the gate. But, good gracious!
what a sight the rain and the wind had made her look. The water ran down from her
hair and clothes; it ran down into the toes of her shoes and out again at the heels.
And yet she said that she was a real princess.
"Well, we'll soon find that out," thought the old queen. But she said nothing,went into the bed-room, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and laid a pea on the
bottom; then she took twenty mattresses and laid them on the pea, and then twenty
eider-down beds on top of the mattresses.
On this the princess had to lie all night. In the morning she was asked how
she had slept.
"Oh, very badly!" said she. "I have scarcely closed my eyes all night. Heaven
only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, so that I am
black and blue all over my body. It's horrible!"
Now they knew that
she was a real princess
because she had felt the
pea right through the
twenty mattresses and the
twenty eider-down beds.
Nobody but a realprincess could be as
sensitive as that.
So the prince took
her for his wife, for now he
8
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
9/39
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
10/39
However, also note that some types of violence are still forbidden.
The crime should be believable.
While the details of the murder -- how, where, and why it's done, as well as how the
crime is discovered -- are your main opportunities to introduce variety, make surethe crime is believable. Your reader will feel cheated if the crime is not something
that could really happen.
The detective should solve the case using only rational and scientific
methods.
The culprit must be capable of committing the crime.
Your reader must believe your villain's motivation and the villain must be capable of
the crime, both physically and emotionally.
In mystery writing, don't try to fool your reader.
The detective should not commit the crime. All clues should be revealed to the
reader as the detective finds them.
Example:
Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew moves to Los Angeles and in typical Drew fashion, immediately
stumbles upon a mystery concerning a dead movie star and her inheritance.
Nancy soon discovers that the rude needling from her new classmates is the
least of her worries as she's almost run over by a car and nearly blown up
diffusing a bomb. Nancy's luck runs out when the bad guys get the drop on her
and put Chloroform over mouth! Nancy is taken by complete surprise and barely
has time to fight before the anesthetic hits her nostrils and turns out her
lights! They drug Nancy in broad daylight and make her go nightly night! The
attack is so effective, so precise, people walk right past the vehicle with no
idea there's a young girl inside, fully anesthetized, chloroformed out of her
mind! Nancy has no idea what hit her as her abductors drive her to their
10
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
11/39
hideout. Nancy comes to drugged but quickly escapes her attackers. Nancy
feels foolish for having had her nose and mouth shoved into a rag that knocked
her out. But the resilient sleuth marches forward, solves the case, then
watches the men who drugged her go down.
Topic: Writing Science Fiction StoriesObjective: To be able to develop a story with the help of the given elements of a
science fiction story.
Detailed Content
ELEMENTS OF SCIENCE FICTION
1. EVIDENCE OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
The story should have a high and advance evidence of technology the characters
may be alien or domestic who are capable of many things and with high intellect.
2. FUTURE TIME SETTING
The time setting may be alternate time of the past and present, but it would be best
if the time setting is in the future where everything is advance.
3. ALTERNATE LOCATION SETTING
The location would exactly give the picture of the story it may be on another planet,
may be under the oceans or may be in another dimension of existence.
4. ALIENS
One particular feature of a science fiction story is the existence of aliens that may
be on earth or other place, or humans that may have changed or mutated, or humans
may be on an alien planet
5. STRANGE POWERS
11
DAY 4
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
12/39
Often aliens have strong mysterious powers; sometimes humans now have new
powers or senses ex. ESP
6. SCIENCE IS IMPORTANT IN THE STORY SOMEHOW
It may refer to technology or understanding of the world7. PROTAGONIST (HERO)
8. ANTAGONIST (VILLAIN)
It may be a being or beings or may be a force, sometimes it is a societies rules.
Or sometimes human sometimes not
9. PROBLEM
The problem must be overcome.
10. RESOLUTION
Usually the protagonist solves the problem.
Example:
Star Wars (summary)
Luke Skywalker stays with his foster aunt and
uncle on a farm on Tatooine. He is desperate to
get off this planet and get to the Academy like
his friends, but his uncle needs him for the next
harvest. Meanwhile, an evil emperor has taken
over the galaxy, and has constructed a
formidable "Death Star" capable of destroying
whole planets. Princess Leia, a leader in the
12
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
13/39
resistance movement, acquires plans of the
Death Star, places them in R2D2, a droid, and
sends him off to find Obi-Wan Kenobi. Before he
finds him, R2D2 ends up on Skywalkers' farm
with his friend C3PO. R2 then wanders into the
desert, and when Luke follows, they eventually
come across Obi-Wan.
Topic: Writing Romance Stories
Objective: To be able to write a story centered to a love story with an emotional
satisfying happy ending
Detailed Content
When planning on writing a love story or romance, you will need to create the
perfect characters, setting, and plot for your story. Here are some of the things to
keep in mind while you are writing.
13
DAY 5
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
14/39
The Hero
The hero in your story should be strong, exciting and bold. He knows what he wants,
and does what is necessary to get it. He has a purpose in life. He does not have to be
rich, brilliant, political, or economically powerful. But he can be any of those, if youwish.
Heroine
The heroine in your story can be strong-willed or shy. She can have imperfections as
long as they are not great. She can look anyway you want, as long as she is attractive
to the hero. But one thing she must be is someone the hero is willing to do whatever
it takes to have.
Villain
The antagonist is the best character to write. He can be as bad as you want, as evil
as you need. He/She should be flexible and motivated. He knows what he wants and
is willing to do ANYTHING to get it. But he has to have some good qualities. Every
human on the planet, even the most evil, has something about them that is not evil.
Secondary Characters
The story is about your hero and heroine. Your secondary characters should never
be more vivid then your main characters. They can be used to move the story
forward, give information to the main characters, and provide support to them, but
they should never take control of the story. Every part should have at least one of
the main characters in it.
Setting
Where you set your story is very important. Your setting does not have to be out ofthe ordinary as long as you are able to convey it to your reader in such a way that
they can become part of the setting.
Story Basics
The main characters should meet as soon as possible and find themselves in conflict
14
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
15/39
with each other right away. Their first meeting should be emotionally. It should
make them be attracted, and hate, each other from the beginning.
Example:
Enchanted (summary)
In an animated fairy tale world, a young girl meets and falls in love with
the handsome prince of her dreams. News of this romance upsets the
prince's mother, the evil queen, who uses her black magic to send the
girl hurtling out of the animated world into the one place in the universe
where there is no true love: modern day Manhattan. The now-real girl
has to survive in New York City and find her way home again to her true
love.
Topic: Writing Historical Stories
Objective: To be able to present the scene and characters, should be described in
detail, and provided with sufficient historical evidence exists to back up the
description.
Detailed Content:
I- Requirements in Writing a Historical Story
Historical writing requires a combination of attention to structural (The use of verb
tenses and the subject and verb agreement) considerations along with the finding
15
DAY 6
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
16/39
and assessing of facts. Therefore, it is not sufficient to write well grammatically
and stylistically. The writer must also address the background of the event, and
significant dates.
II- Three Basic Processes
In order to produce an historical work, the writer must master three basic
processes: gathering data; criticism of that data; and the presentation of his or her
facts, interpretations, and conclusions, based upon the data, in an accurate and
readable form. Before beginning the writing process, the writer should have an
understanding of: the data that has been gathered.
Example:
Robin Hood (summary)
After escaping from a Dungeon after being captured
by the Turks during the crusades, Robin, son of Lord
Locksley and a warrior Moor named Azeem return to
England only to
find Robin's
father has been
murdered by the
16
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
17/39
corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham and has taken over his
Father's lands. Unable to be helped by Maid Marian
Dubois, sister of Robin's friend Peter who died trying
to help Robin and Azeem escaped. Robin vows to
avenge his father and flees to the Forest of Sherwood,
home to a band of outlaws who have been banished
from their villages by the Sheriff of Notingham.
Combining the forces of the outlaws, Robin and his
merry men set out on a crusade against the Sheriff of
Nottingham and defeat the Sheriff of Nottingham and
his henchmen who bids to take over the throne of
England's rightful ruler King Richard and put a end to
the corruption that has infested the English
countryside.
Topic: Writing Adventure Stories
17
DAY 7
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
18/39
Objective: To be able to compose a story encompassing characters in pursuit of a
mission.
Detailed Content:
In an adventure story, one or more people set out on a quest. The path they take is
seldom smooth and various parts tell us the characters travels. It has more
structure, excitement is the key ingredient. Adventures can happen to ordinary
people going about their daily chores.
Adventure stories can encompass other story types, including escape, rescue,
thriller, romance and more. Perhaps more than any other genre, though, the
adventure embraces traditional plot elements, such as a journey, gaining symbolic
artifacts and defeating a villain.
Example:
Indiana Jones (summary)
Three years after he recovered The Ark of the Covenant. Jones recovered anartifact that he found as a kid, the Cross of Francisco De Coronado from
treasure hunters. Now, Jones discovers the history of another biblical
artifact called "The Holy Grail". He was also informed that his father, Henry
Jones is missing. Jones has to find his father who is looking for the Grail.
However, Jones will become involved in the search of the Holy Grail along with
his father, as well as fighting the Nazis to reach it.
Topic: Writing Fables Stories
18
DAY 8
http://www.changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/classic/escape.htmhttp://www.changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/classic/thriller.htmhttp://www.changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/classic/romance.htmhttp://www.changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/classic/escape.htmhttp://www.changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/classic/thriller.htmhttp://www.changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/classic/romance.htm8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
19/39
Objective: To be able to convey a good moral, teaching the readers ethics of life
through writing a fable story.
Detailed Content:
I- Choose a moral
All fables have a moral. What is the lesson that you want to teach? You can use a
well known saying or come up with your own.
II- Invent characters
Who will be in your fable? Many fables have animal characters. Your characters canbe animals, people, objects, or anything you like. If you choose animals or objects,
you should use good personification (when you make a thing, idea, or an animal
dosomething only humans can do.)to make your characters more believable.
III- Find a setting
A fable can take place anywhere or anytime. It can be a in a real place or an
imaginary one.
IV- Create a plot
All stories need a plot. What will happen to your characters? What will be the
conflict? How will they learn their lesson?
1) Introduce the characters and setting
19
Pre-writing: Planning
Writing Proper: Getting it down on
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
20/39
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
21/39
Objective: To write an original creation of myth making sure to include all the
elements of a myth:
Detailed Content:
Myth explains how things came into being. It composes of the elements like;
1) characters 2) setting, 3) conflict, 4) plot, and 5) resolution.
During the pre-writing
Choose something you've wondered about, something that interests you, or
something that you think
It would be enjoyable to write about to use as the basis for your own creation myth.
For example, you might want to write about:
how cats got their tails
how the sun came into being
why the moon disappears once a month
why giraffes have long necks
why there is dew on the grass in the summer
why dogs bark instead of chirp why wheels are round
why penguins can't fly
why trees grow vertically instead of horizontally
why people have language and animals do not
Create a setting, choose characters, and identify the problem. Remember the way in
which the problem in your story is resolved should somehow influence the creation
idea you are describing.
Plan your myth using a story map
21
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
22/39
Drafting
Using the information you wrote in your story map write the draft of your myth.
Example:
Creation of the world (summary)
22
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
23/39
In the begining there was Chaos. From Chaos the first gods
were born -- Uranus and Gaea, the sky and the earth. They
had plenty of children, but Uranos shut them all in Tartarus
because he couldn't stand their ugliness. Desperate Gaia told
one of her sons into revenge. Cronus cut his father's secret
parts off with a sword. And Cronus' reign began and the king
of gods married his sister, Rhea. Afraid of his father's
prophecy, which said that he will be killed by his son, the god
ate all his children just after they were born. Rhea couldn't
stand it any longer and when she gave birth to Zeus, she
gave her husband a stone in diapers. Cronus swallowed him,
suspecting nothing. The baby was raised on Crete by
mountain nymphs and the goat Amalthea. When Zeus has
grown up, he killed his father and gave freedom to his
brothers and sisters who were living bowels. The powered
was distributed between gods, who have moved to Mount
Olympus and lived their lives joyfully, arguing and loving
each other and watching people. Zeus also had many
children, not only with his wife Hera but also with other
goddesses and even women.
23
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
24/39
Topic: Writing Life /Personal Stories
Objective: To be able to write down personal life experiences following the given
suggestions in writing a personal essay.
Detailed Content:
Some Suggestions for Writing a Personal Experience Essay
1. When you see the topic, quickly choose oneexperience from your life that
relates to the topic.
2. Write down some quick notes about the experience on a separate piece of
paper.
3. Don't waste time on a formal introduction; jump right into the experience
or story. Save general statements for the conclusion.
4. For most personal experience essays, use simple past or past continuous
tense. If something happened previous to the personal experience, use past
perfect.
5. Include details to make your essay interesting (but don't get off the topic.)
6.
24
DAY 10
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
25/39
Remember:
Also:
see, hear, smell, feel, taste.
emotions, thought, actions.
(What were you thinking, feeling and doing?)
Conclude by telling what you learned from the experience.
7. Don't worry about grammar. Take five minutes at the end to proofread your
essay. (Reading aloud helps you catch your mistakes.)
8. Remember: Specific is Terrific! To do this take a look at your transitions
Example:
Helen Kellers Biography (summary)
Helen Keller was born June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. An
unidentified illness took her hearing and sight when she was only 19 months old.
After losing both, she became wild and uncontrollable due to her inability to
communicate and learn.
Almost as well known as Helen Keller is the work of Anne Sullivan, who
became her teacher in 1887, working in a role that today is known as an
intervener. Helen finally learned that things have names when Sullivan had the
famous "water" breakthrough, finger spelling "water" into Helen's hand and
pumping water for Helen to feel.
After that breakthrough, there was no stopping Helen Keller. She went
on to attend a school for the blind and other schools, learned how to talk,
learned how to lip read with her fingers, and graduated from Radcliffe College.
25
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
26/39
Helen Keller never lived independently (unlike today where many deaf
blind people live independently). She always lived with either Anne Sullivan (and
for a few years, Anne Sullivan's husband too), or Polly Thompson who joined the
household in the 1930s and stayed on after Sullivan passed away in 1936.Among the many things that Helen Keller was famous for saying was her
statement that deafness was a "greater affliction" than blindness. Helen Keller
passed away on June 1, 1968.
Helen has been the subject of several books, particularly children's
books. The image of a little girl discovering language through the spelling of the
word "w-a-t-e-r" into her hand is fascinating for children.
Week 2: NEWS WRITING
Topic: Hard News Writing
Objective: To produce and polish a hard news item thru writing following the set
rules in journalism.
Detailed Content
Tell What, Why, When, How, Where and Who.
As a general rule, every news story must answer the questions, What, Why, When,
How, Where, and Who. Dont assume (guess) that your reader is already familiar
with the context (background) of the story or basic background information. Be
brief (short), but be sure to include all essential (important,
relevant) information.
26
DAY 11-12
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
27/39
Use the active voiceActive voice: Subject of sentence does the action.
Passive voice: Subject receives the action.
Active voice Passive voice
The Principal believesthat teachers
must placemore effort on less active
students.
It is believedby the Principal that
more effort must be placedon less
active students.
Researchers earlier showedthat high
stress can causechildren to give up
their studies.
It wasearlier demonstrateddropping
students can be causedby high stress.
The teacher hitthe student. The student was hitby the teacher.
Hard News and Soft News
A news story can be hard, recording as concisely (in few words) as possible who,
what, where, when, why and how of an event. Or it can be soft, standing back to
examine the people, places and things that shape the world, nation or community.
Feature stories are often written on these soft news events.
There is no firm line between a news story and a feature
27
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
28/39
Topic: Writing Features
Objective: To write something on which the students interest him or her the most.
Detailed Content
Features are not meant to deliver the news firsthand. They do contain elements of
news, but their main function is to humanize, to add color, to educate, to entertain,
to illuminate. They often recap major news that was reported in a previous news
cycle.
Features often:1. Profile people who make the news
2. Explain events that move or shape the news
3. Analyze what is happening in the world, nation or community
4. Teach an audience how to do something
28
DAY 13-15
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
29/39
5. Suggest better ways to live
6. Examine trends
7. Entertain
Personality profiles:
A personality profile is written to bring an audience closer to a person in or out
of the news. Interviews and observations, as well as creative writing, are used
to paint a vivid picture of the person
Human interest stories:
A human interest story is written to show a subjects peculiarity (uniqueness) or
its practical, emotional, or entertainment value.
Trend stories:
A trend story examines people, things or organizations that are having an
impact on society. Trend stories are popular because people are excited to read
or hear about the latest fads.
In-depth stories:
Through extensive research and interviews, in-depth stories provide a detailed
account well beyond a basic news story or feature.
Backgrounders:
29
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
30/39
A backgrounder--also called an analysis piece--adds meaning to current issues in
the news by explaining them further. These articles bring an audience up-to-
date, explaining how this country, this organization, this person happens to be
where it is now.Writing and Organizing Feature Stories
Feature writers seldom use the inverted-pyramid form. Instead, they may write a
chronology that builds to a climax at the end, a narrative, a first-person article
about one of their own experiences or a combination of these.
Steps in Feature Writing:
1. Choose the theme. The paper provides unity and coherence to the piece.
It should not be too broad or too narrow.
2. Write a lead that invites an readers into the story. A summary may not
be the best lead for a feature.
3. The body provides vital information while it educates, entertains, and
emotionally ties a reader to the subject.
4. Write clear, concise sentences. Sprinkle direct quotations, observations
and additional background throughout the story. Paragraphs can be
written chronologically or in order of importance.
5. Use transition. Connect paragraphs with transitional words, paraphrases,
and direct quotations.
6. Use dialogue when possible. Feature writers, like fiction writers, often
use dialogue to keep a story moving. Of course, feature writers cannotmake up dialogue; they listen for it during the reporting process. Good
dialogue is like good observation in a story; it gives readers strong
mental images and keeps them attached to the writing and to the storys
key players.
30
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
31/39
7. Establish a voice. Another key element that holds a feature together is
voice, the "signature" or personal style of each writer. Voice is the
personality of the writer and can be used to inject color.
8. Conclude with a quotation or another part of the line. A feature can trailoff like a news story or it can be concluded with a climax.
Topic: Writing Editorial
Objective: To make stand on given issues. In this students are asked to criticize the
issue and, give suggestions for a change.
Detailed Content
An editorial is an article that presents the newspaper's opinion on an issue. Editorial
writers build on an argument and try to persuade readers to think the same waythey do. Editorials are meant to influence public opinion, promote critical thinking,
and sometimes cause people to take action on an issue. In essence, an editorial is an
opinionated news story.
Editorials have the following:
1. Introduction, body and conclusion like other news stories
2. An objective explanation of the issue, especially complex issues3. A timely news angle
4. Opinions from the opposing view
5. The opinions of the writer delivered in a professional manner. Good
editorials engage issues, not personalities and refrain from name-calling
31
DAY 15
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
32/39
or other insignificant strategy of persuasion.
6. Alternative solutions to the problem or issue being criticized. A good
editorial should take a pro-active approach to making the situation
better by using constructive criticism and giving solutions.7. A solid and concise conclusion that powerfully summarizes the writer's
opinion.
1. Explain or interpret: Editors often use these editorials to explain the way
the newspaper covered a sensitive or controversial subject. School newspapers
may explain new school rules or a particular student-body effort like a food
drive.
2. Criticize: These editorials constructively criticize actions, decisions or
situations while providing solutions to the problem identified. Immediate purpose
is to get readers to see the problem, not the solution.
3. Persuade: Editorials of persuasion aim to immediately see the solution, not
the problem. From the first paragraph, readers will be encouraged to take a
specific, positive action. Political endorsements are good examples of editorials
of persuasion.
4. Praise: These editorials commend people and organizations for somethingdone well. They are not as common as the other three.
32
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
33/39
Topic: Writing Campus Celebrities
Objective: To appropriate a profile for a certain campus celebrity.
Detailed Content
How to write about your favorite celebrity?
Step 1
Gain access to an interview with the celebrity you want to write about. Personal
interviews are a key factor in securing factual information about a person you want
to write about.
Step 2
Research biographical information about your celebrity personalitys life,
information obtained from authorized biographies is more likely to be accurate than
that from unauthorized.
Step 3
Determine what angle you are going to use for your article. Like feature articles,
celebrity pieces need to have a narrow focus.
Step 4
33
DAY 16
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
34/39
Use the notes you have gathered to form an outline for your article. Outlining a
large task helps make it seem smaller and easier to handle.
Step 5
Write out a rough draft of your article, knowing that you can edit it later. Concernyourself with getting the facts down on paper.
Topic: Writing Columns
Objective: To express a certain view to inform, to entertain, and to educate the
readers on some events concerning the academy.
Detailed Content
What is a column? A column is not a news article, but it is news. It generally answers
why and how. It often is personal, using the first and second person (I and you). A
column often states an opinion. It is said to be like writing an open letter. A column
also has a standard head, called a title, and a by-line (name) at the top. These
identify you and your column for the reader (Debrah Jefferson)
Column suggestions
When writing a column, do
Give the reader timely, helpful information.
Develop a structure and keep it.
Write simple and short sentences and paragraphs.
In personal columns, use local names and places.
Learn the difference between a column and a news story.
34
DAY 17
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
35/39
When writing a column, don't
Use technical or complex words.
Talk in slang or unfamiliar terms.
Talk about one topic constantly. Include too much detail or material. You should be stimulating interest, not
exhausting a subject.
Refer to yourself as a third person (this author, your reporter) or quote yourself
(Jimmy Jones said). Instead use mine.
Topic: Writing a Report (based on an interview)
Objective: To write a report based on an interview to the source of information.
Detailed Content:
Selecting and Contacting your Interviewee
Your interviewee can be involved in any aspect of professional writing. Select
someone who works in your area(s) of interest.
Ideally, you should arrange to conduct the interview in person. Face-to-face,
real-time interaction will help to build rapport and give you the opportunity to ask
follow-up questions as your interviewee responds. The best method for initiating
35
DAY 18
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
36/39
contact is to call your interviewee.
1. introduce yourself and explain the purpose of the interview.
2. give a clear sense of the time frame in which you need to schedule an appointment.
3. forecast the amount of time you will need (45 minutes-1 hour) for the interview
itself.
4. if you want to tape the interview, ask for permission in advance.
5. give him or her an effective way to get in touch with you if they have any
questions or concerns.
If your potential interviewee is not in when you call, be certain to leave a
detailed message explaining who you are and why you are contacting him or her.
Invite him or her to call you back, but also leave yourself an opening. State a
particular day and time when you will call back.
Consider the following as you draft your interview questions.
As you plan your interview, think about not only the individual questions but also the
shape of the interview as a whole. Order the questions so that they flow logically and
productively build on each other.
Have at least 6 well-developed questions, but don't let these questions stifle the
natural flow of conversation.
Listen carefully to the responses and ask follow-up questions based upon the
interviewee's interests and concerns.
Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no.
Avoid asking questions that are too broad or too narrow.
Avoid asking leading questions that assume particular answers and discourage the
36
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
37/39
interviewee from voicing alternative interests/concerns.
Topic: Science and Technology
Objective: To report an update regarding Science and technology thru writing.
Detailed Content
Writing strategies in science and technology classes improve students' ability to
summarize information and make connections between new information and
experiences.
1. Summary Exercises
Writing a summarize information provides concluding thoughts. Paragraphs or essays
can be assigned to evaluate a scientific article.
2. Exploratory Exercises
Though not as precise as summative exercises, exploratory writing has an important
place in science and technology writing exercises are less formal and encourage
students to make connections between known concepts or explore a new idea byusing what they already know.
PREPARING FOR SCIENCE WRITING
How can one prepare for freelance science writing?
1. Learn about recent developments and new inventions.
37
DAY 19
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
38/39
2. Identify experts who are cited on particular subjects.
3. Discover concepts for illustrations for articles.
4. Identify print and electronic sources of additional information for the topic.
5.
Discern developing areas of interest.
Topic: Preparing the Dummy Sheet
Objective: Students will learn about newspaper design and the steps to making a
well-designed page using a dummy sheet. They will be able to recreate already
printed newspaper pages, and also create their own designs for newspaper pages.
Detailed Content
The dummy page is just a smaller, mock-up version of the actual printed newspaper
page a sheet with a grid on it and is used to draw publication layouts.
1.
Draw a Plan- Draw a detailed plan of two facing pages following the desired
design of the school. The design should be full size, with margins, measure all
sides where you wish to drop your article. The
more detailed it is the better and easier it will
take to do the design.
2. Number the Proofs- Place a number where you
wish to drop the article, the numbering must
38
DAY 20
8/14/2019 Writing4 Handbook(for esl-students)
39/39
follow a certain order so it would also serve as the guide to where do you
want an article be.
3. Arrange the Proofs of Illustrations- Arrange the illustrations in order they
will appear. Cut sheets of pictures or plain paper just to create an exactpicture of the real Layout soon after.
4. Trim the Dummy- Trim the boxes where youll place the articlele. Use
adhesive tape to stick your articles to their respective area of content.
5. Continue the Process- Continue placing all the articles until you finish placing
all the articles from the front page to the last. Adjust if necessary; use a
ruler to measure all adjustments. Facing units should be balanced.
6. Revise-Revise the dummy to fit in all things nearly. A form is usually a
multiple of eight or sixteen pages.
39