Types of Writing in ESL

Summary

In this video, Darren Thomas, Director of Educational Research, explores four key levels of writing in the ESL context: imitative, intensive, responsive, and extensive. He explains how each level builds on language skills, from simple grammar practice at the imitative level to the creation of full research papers at the extensive level. He emphasizes the importance of understanding context, grammar, and vocabulary at each stage. Additionally, Darren discusses how to mark and grade student work, recommending the use of rubrics for more subjective assessments as students progress to higher levels of writing.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video discusses four levels of writing in the ESL context: imitative, intensive, responsive, and extensive.
• 😀 Imitative writing focuses on basic grammar and text reproduction, often used for beginners or young learners.
• 😀 Intensive writing involves more complex tasks, such as transforming sentences and focusing on word choice and grammar.
• 😀 Responsive writing requires students to produce paragraphs, often describing visuals or presenting ideas in a structured format.
• 😀 Extensive writing involves crafting full essays or research papers, showing advanced language skills and academic writing capabilities.
• 😀 As students progress through the levels, the complexity of the writing task increases, requiring deeper mastery of the language.
• 😀 Grading becomes more subjective as students move from imitative to extensive writing, with a greater focus on the structure and content of the writing.
• 😀 Rubrics are recommended for grading higher-level writing, as they provide clear guidelines and set expectations for students.
• 😀 At the imitative level, grading is straightforward—right or wrong answers based on grammar and replication of text.
• 😀 At the extensive writing level, students must demonstrate the ability to form coherent arguments, structure essays logically, and follow academic conventions.
• 😀 The video emphasizes that these writing levels are not exclusive to ESL students, and the techniques can be used in other educational contexts as well.

Q & A

What are the four levels of writing in the ESL context mentioned in the video?

The four levels of writing discussed are imitative, intensive, responsive, and extensive.

How is imitative writing different from other levels of writing in ESL?

Imitative writing is the simplest form, focusing primarily on grammar and reproduction of text, where students copy sentences to practice language structures without much deep thought.

Why is imitative writing particularly useful for beginner ESL learners?

It helps students get familiar with the basic mechanics of writing, such as forming letters and understanding sentence structure, without requiring high-level cognitive engagement.

What skills are emphasized in intensive writing?

Intensive writing emphasizes vocabulary selection, grammar knowledge, and the ability to transform sentences according to specific directions, such as changing verb tenses.

Can you give an example of an intensive writing task for ESL students?

An example would be asking students to convert a sentence in the present tense, like 'Dan is going to the store,' into the past tense, such as 'Dan went to the store.'

What distinguishes responsive writing from imitative and intensive writing?

Responsive writing involves writing longer texts, such as paragraphs, where students describe or explain something based on visual cues, requiring more in-depth use of language and context.

How does responsive writing demonstrate a deeper mastery of language compared to earlier levels?

It shows a deeper mastery because students are required to construct coherent paragraphs, utilizing their knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and context, which involves more complex cognitive processes.

What does extensive writing require from ESL students?

Extensive writing requires students to compose entire essays or research papers, integrating all the skills learned in previous levels, such as grammar, vocabulary, paragraph structure, and overall coherence.

Why is extensive writing considered the most challenging level for ESL students?

It is the most challenging because it requires students to synthesize and present complex ideas, often for academic purposes, which demands advanced proficiency in both language and thought.

What advice does the video offer for grading writing at higher levels?

The video advises using rubrics or clear grading guidelines to ensure consistency and fairness, as grading becomes more subjective at higher levels of writing.

How does the process of marking change as students progress from imitative to extensive writing?

As students advance, marking becomes more subjective. For simpler tasks, like imitative writing, the grading is straightforward (right or wrong), but for extensive writing, it involves evaluating the depth of ideas, coherence, and overall structure, which requires more nuanced assessment.

How can teachers ensure clarity in their grading when assessing advanced writing tasks?

Teachers can ensure clarity by using rubrics that clearly outline expectations for each level, helping both students and educators understand the criteria for successful writing at each stage.