Recall and/or bring to class pieces of writing, which would illustrate the types given below. Find the difference between various pieces, e.g. “essay” and “report”.
Description:
Character drawing, verbal portrait, putting image in words
Narration:
Paragraph, anecdote, short story, diary, fable, myth, personal letter
Exposition:
News story, business letter, autobiography.
Persuasion:
Letter of complaint, letter to the editor, review, advertisement.
Reasoning
Essay, report, article, research paper.
Schemata theory for writing
To write on a subject, one has to have some prior knowledge on what to write. The schemata concept can be interpreted as a structure for organizing knowledge, which can be imaged as a "series of slots plus fillers" in the writer’s mind. It serves the function of the "cognitive schemes" or, in other words, functions as the “route of cognition” that exists in the individual mind. It's the "schema" that gives our knowledge “the direction of thought”, in which we try to find the answer to a question or to a problem. Thus, a "schema" (the knowledge a person already has) can serve as a semantic interface between a person and a surrounding world. (After Harley. T. 1995. The Psychology of Language. Psychology Press. P. 193).
Exploratory task 1.4
Jot down notes of the knowledge you already have that might be helpful in writing an essay “Can you teach a dog to bark?”
Text format
Teaching to write is inseparable from teaching a text format,i.e. a typical lay-out of the text. For teaching writing it is essential to use the following formats of texts: congratulations and condolences, telegrams, notes, signs, labels, captions, notices, menus, advertisements, personal letters, invitations, condolences, business letters, applications for a job, CV, references, letters of complaint, recipes, diaries, log-books, dictation, note-taking, reproductions, abstracts, summaries, reviews, reports, précis, synopsis, case-studies, projects, essays, stories, poems. E.g. business letter is usually laid out as
Address of the sender
Address of where the letter is
to be sent
Greeting
Body of the letter
Closing
Polite expression
Exploratory task 1.5
You have to leave a note to your mum and to say where you have gone. Which of the following notes the most appropriate and why?
A/
Dear Mum,
Gone to cinema. Back about 10.30.
Dinner in fridge.
IF Alex rings, please get his new number.
Hope interview went well!
Love, Sandra.
B/
Dear Mum,
I am writing to tell you that I have gone to the cinema. I will be back at approximately half past ten. I have placed your dinner in the refrigerator. Should Alex ring, would you be so good as to obtain his new telephone number? I do so hope your interview was successful. With every best wishes,
Maria.
C/
Dear Mum,
Just note to tell you that I have gone to the cinema. I will be back at about half past ten. Your dinner is in the refrigerator. If Alex rings, please can you get his new number. I hope the interview went well.
Love,
Maria.