如何有效地教授英语写作技巧

写作是一项非常需要学生积极上进的技能。如果他们没有参与到写作任务中，换句话说，如果他们没有写作的理由，你设定的任务就不会是一个有效的学习经历。Writing is one of those skills that deeply requires students to be motivated. If they’re not involved in the writing task, in other words, if they don’t have a reason to write, the task you set forth won’t be an effective learning experience.

WHAT POSSIBLE REASONS COULD THEY HAVE? 他们有什么理由?

• 成人ESL学生最可能需要在商务环境中用英语写信件、电子邮件或传真。Adult ESL students most likely need to write letters, emails, or faxes in English and in a business context.
• 青少年也可能有兴趣在互联网上与英语国家的同龄人联系。Teens may also be interested in contacting peers in English-speaking countries on the Internet.
• 但是孩子们呢?他们可能没有一个普遍的、长期的学习写作的理由，但他们可以与一个特定的任务联系起来，特别是如果它很有趣，或者他们会得到一个写作贴纸的奖励。But what about children? They probably won’t have a general, long-term reason to learn to write, but they can relate to a particular task, especially if it’s fun, or if they’ll be rewarded with a writing sticker.

此外，作为一名教师，你也有理由教英语写作:你希望你的学生培养一套技能，如果你还没有，你的第一步，首先是定义这些技能。然后，你决定哪些教学策略、练习或活动能帮助他们发展这些技能。最后，你选择一个特定的主题，以确保学生将参与热情。Moreover, as a teacher, you also have a reason to teach English writing: there is a set of skills you wish your students to develop, and in case you haven’t yet, your first step, above all else, is to define these skills. Then, you decide which teaching strategies, exercises, or activities will help them develop these skills. Finally, you choose a specific topic to ensure that students will participate with enthusiasm.

1 选择你将专注的技能  CHOOSING THE SKILLS   YOU’LL FOCUS ON

问问你自己以下几个问题  Ask yourself these questions:

他们是否因为特定的原因需要写作技巧?(商务信函、大学申请信等)你希望他们提供什么?(给初学者的一封简短的电子邮件，一篇国际考试的文章)一旦你清楚了你的学生需要发展的技能，就进入下一步。Do they need writing skills for specific reasons? (business correspondence, college application letters, etc.) What do you expect them to produce? (a short email for beginners, an essay for an international exam) Once you’re clear on the skills your students need to develop, move on to the next step.

2 选择你的活动或写作练习CHOOSING YOUR ACTIVITIES OR WRITING EXERCISES

你可以给你的学生分配各种各样的写作任务来帮助他们磨练写作技巧，但是仔细考虑你上面回答的问题会帮助你缩小你的选择范围。下面是一些例子There is a wide variety of writing tasks you may assign your students to help them hone their writing skills, but careful con- sideration of the questions you answered above should help you narrow down your options. Here are some examples:

– 商务邮件写作  Business email writing:

这是越来越多的ESL学生在申请国际或跨国公司的工作，或移居到英语国家时需要的技能。This is a skill that more and more ESL students require these days as they apply for jobs in in- ternational or multinational companies, or move to English-speaking countries.

有效的电子邮件沟通有几个子技能，你应该在你的ESL课程中尽可能多地涵盖它们。There are several sub-skills that go into effective email communication, and you should cover as many as possible in your ESL classes.

为了介绍任务，给他们提供一封示例电子邮件供他们阅读。然后，作为练习，设定一个情境或背景:给所有团队成员写一封简短的电子邮件，提醒他们明天的会议。纠正语法、语气和文体上的错误。To introduce the task, provide them with a sample email to read. Then, for prac- tice, set up a situation or context: “Write a brief email to all team members to remind them of tomorrow’s meeting.” Correct any mistakes in grammar, as well as tone and style.

– 考试中的论文、书信、故事Essays/letters/stories for international examinations:

一些学生可能正在准备参加国际考试，如剑桥英语第一证书(剑桥ESOL)或托福，这些考试要求学生写符合特定要求的文章。让我们以FCE写作考试为例Some students may be preparing to sit for international exams, like the First Certificate in English (Cambridge ESOL) or the TOEFL, which require students to write essays that meet specific requirements. Let’s take the FCE writing test as an example:

• 为学生提供可能需要完成的不同类型的写作任务的大量样本。在第一部分考试中，有一个强制性的任务:要求他们为特定的听众和目的写一封160字的正式或非正式信件。第二部分要求学生从以下六项任务中任选一项:短文、报告、文章、评论、信件或故事，字数不超过180字。Provide students with plenty of sam- ples of the different types of written tasks they may be required to complete. For Part 1 of the test there is a compulsory task: they are required to write an informal or formal letter of 160 words for a specific audience and purpose. For Part 2 students are re- quired to choose one of out six tasks: essay, report, article, review, letter or story of up to 180 words.
• 学生必须针对每种可能性进行练习:练习得越多越好。课堂写作是可以的，但你也可以要求他们做一些写作作为家庭作业。Students must practice for each of these possibilities: the more they practice the better. Inclass writing is ok, but you may also ask them to do some writing for homework.

– 描述说明 Descriptions:

一个非常简单的写作任务是提供一些学生可以描述的东西。这适用于任何水平和年龄组。从一张照片或最近的暑假景点的书面描述，你可以要求学生尽可能详细，从50到200字。A very simple writing task is to supply something that students may describe. This is adaptable to any level and age group. From a written description of a photo or a recent summer vacation spot, you may requests students to make them as detailed as you wish, from 50 to 200 words.

– 写作提示 Writing prompts:

写作提示非常有用，是完成写作任务的绝佳触发器。这里有一些很好的写作提示的例子Writing prompts are tremendously useful, great triggers for a writing task. Here are some examples of some great writing prompts:

• Who is your favorite actor/actress and why?
• What are the three items you’d take to a deserted island and why?
• Write about one of your favorite movies and why you liked it so much.
• What is the best gift you’ve ever gotten?

– 日记写作 Journal writing:

要求学生带一个空白的笔记本，从那时起，它将被称为他们的日记。每周或每两周分配一次主题，取决于他们的水平。你可以使用上面的写作提示，或者建议任何其他主题:他们对最近发生的事件的看法，他们在寒假里做了什么，他们的圣诞愿望清单上有什么，等等。写日记是让学生定期写作的好方法，而且还能跟踪他们的写作技巧进步。Ask students to bring a blank notebook that will from then on be referred to as their “Journal”. Assign topics on a weekly basis, or every two weeks, whichever you prefer and depend- ing on their level. You may use the writing prompts from above, or suggest any other topic: their thoughts on a recent current event, what they did over the winter holidays, what items are on their Christmas wish list, etc. Journal writing is a great way to get students to write on a regular basis, plus keep track of their progress as far as writing skills are concerned.

3 选择主题  CHOOSING YOUR TOPICS

即使你选择了一个引人入胜的写作活动，它也应该伴随着一个主题或背景，这将激励你的学生写作。在某些情况下，你的选择应该是显而易见的:在商务英语课程中，学生将处理所有类型的商务情况。青少年喜欢流行明星、运动、时尚、电视和电影。虽然篇幅有限，但孩子们可能会写一些日常生活中的事情，比如他们的家庭、朋友和学校。Even if you choose an engaging writing activity, it should be accompanied by a topic, or context, that will motivate your students to write. In some cases your choices should be obvious: in a business English course, students will handle all types of business situations. Teens relate to pop stars, sports, fashion, TV, and movies. Though limited in the length of their writing, little ones may write about the things that are a part of their daily lives, like their families, friends, and school.

你可以让他们写任何他们感兴趣的东西，只要确保他们写，并确保这是一个定期的活动。YOU CAN HAVE THEM WRITE ABOUT ANYTHING THAT INTERESTS THEM, JUST MAKE SURE THEY WRITE, AND MAKE SURE IT’S A REGULAR ACTIVITY.

我们中的一些人犯了这样的错误:在活动或练习中只关注答案的书写，偶尔让他们写一些更长的东西。无论是创意写作、商务写作还是引导性写作，首先要以身作则，然后让他们在写作中自由表达自己的想法。Some of us make the mistake of focusing only on the writing of answers in activities or exercises, and once in a blue moon have them write something longer. Whether it is creative writing, business writing, or guided writing, teach them by example first, and then let them have free reign in the way they express themselves in writing.