Using Classroom Journals to Improve ESL Writing Skills - Research Paper Example

 Using Classroom Journals to Improve ESL/EFL Writing Skills Introduction ESL is an acronym that stands for English as a Second Language. As a curriculum, it teaches English to a person whose primary language is one other than English. According to NSW Department of Education and Training (2004), “the English as a Second Language (ESL) program aims to develop ESL students' English language competence and improve their learning outcomes throughout the curriculum to a level where they can fully participate in schooling and independently pursue further education and training”. ESL education is currently being offered in primary schools, high schools, Intensive English Centers (IECs), and the Intensive English High School (IEH) (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2004). The emergence of ESL programs as a school requirement, as Giridharan & Robson (n.d.) stated, has been influenced by the lack of competence of most foreign students in academic writing, which usually affects their academic performance. This is especially true for tertiary education in which students are expected to “advance their own ideas within a framework of domain or discipline knowledge and engage the reader in academic discourse” (Giridharan & Robson, n.d., p. 1).Therefore, ESL has been created to help U.S. students attain educational proficiency standards. Celic (2009), furthermore, stressed that that the key to establishing effective teaching skills lies on combining proper teaching tools with strategic and results-driven teaching styles. Through ESL programs, therefore, students are not only able to enhance their academic performance, they also gain confidence to better understand, relate, and interact in their specific social environments (Smith, Vellenga et. al., 2006). Thus, it is the feeling of authentic belongingness that ESL hopes to give to its students for them to get fully immersed in the country’s culture, values, and society. The difficulty in teaching ESL writing, as most researchers today claim, lies not on the stark differences among the students’ learning abilities but on the choosing of the proper approach through which writing must be taught. In this regard, ESL practitioners have recognized the two primary schools of thought for teaching ESL writing. The first one teaches writing through a systemized and process-driven approach. Proponents of this school of thought believe that by exposing the students to specific writing steps (from researching of topic to revising the written material in accordance to grammar and syntax), they are able to develop a proper and more disciplined manner of writing. The second one, on the other hand, focuses on the content of the material rather than the proper writing approach. Supporters of this school of thought opine that for writing to be enjoyable for the students, they should write about topics that have value to them. In this regard, the teacher does not emphasize much on grammar and syntax but more on the relevance of the topic to the student writing it. While there are apparent strengths and weaknesses in the two teaching approaches, as will be discussed in the succeeding parts of this paper, it must be pointed out that free-writing must be regarded as the more apt approach to teaching ESL writing. This is anchored on the idea that writing is first and foremost a way of interpersonal communication. Thus, while abiding to specific rules of grammar is important, the writer must first learn how to express ideas that truly matter to him. In this regard, this paper aims to underscore its thesis that journals, as a form of free-writing teaching technique in ESL programs, are an effective tool in developing good writing skills as it allows students to not only express their own ideas in a dynamic and free-flowing manner, it also guides them in reflecting on their written material after. In this light, disciplined writing is also instilled as the students are able to correct whatever grammatical or syntax-related issues their written material may have. The Two Approaches to Teaching ESL Writing As previously introduced, researchers and teachers have noted the two main approaches that could be employed when teaching ESL writing: process-writing and free-writing. While it was previously underscored that free-writing seems to be a more effective teaching approach, exposing the specific strengths and weaknesses of each one is key to providing the aforementioned statement. 1. Process-Writing Process-writing teaches students to develop a more disciplined and structured manner of writing. As such, the way process-writing is taught usually involves six steps: rewriting, first draft writing, responding, revising, final draft writing, and publishing (Deqi, 2005). As elucidated by Bello (1997), process writing begins with a pre-writing assignment in which the students are asked to work together in groups to generate ideas on a specific issue given. This is usually done through brainstorming activities. After exchanging ideas with the group, the individual member then works independently to compose his first draft with the aim of translating all his ideas into an actual output, without worrying about spelling or grammar yet. After this individual exercise, the students now face their classmates to read to them their first draft. This part encourages constructive criticisms and questioning from the class in order to evaluate the intent of the writer, the ideas being presented, and the manner in which such ideas were discussed. After this, the individual now revises his works based on the responses of his classmates. Organization, sequencing of ideas, choice of words, grammar, and punctuation are important facets that are being considered during the revision stage. As Bello (1997) further commented, variations in the process may occur depending on the demands of the curriculum, the level of the students, and the available class time. There are various benefits to using process writing as a method of teaching ESL programs. As Tangpermpoon (2001) noted, students are able to write systematically using rhetorical patterns in English such as narration, description, and persuasion. Aside from this, students are also able to, firstly, widen their vocabulary; secondly, enhance their use of various sentence structures; and lastly, be highly aware of grammatical structures. However, there are also disadvantages to using process writing. For one, focusing too much on the technical aspects of writing such as grammar and syntax may lead the writer to forgetting his audience and his writing purpose (Tangpermpoon, 2001). And as a result, listeners may lack the motivation in expressing their ideas and feelings as they get caught up with the process. 2. Free Writing The dwindling interest of students in writing as caused by the emphasis on the more technical aspects of writing has led ESL practitioners in devising a more interesting teaching method, thus, the free-writing approach. In this regard, this approach allows its students to write on a topic of interest to them for a given period of time (Bello, 1997). Given its light and free-flowing nature, free-writing can usually come in numerous writing styles such as quick writes (time-bound writing exercise that is done individually) and dialogue journals (written to a teacher, a classmate or other partner who then responds) . Such works, as Bello (1997) commented, are kept by the students in a portfolio or notebook. At this point, it can be said that he main aim of free-writing is to allow the students to make their writing more personal and relevant to them. By being able to write about their experiences, students are able to more effectively express their thoughts and feelings, as well as discover or generate new ideas that surround them. Therefore, it can be said that good writing occurs in the completion of real and meaningful tasks in the pursuit of real goals (Mahendran, 2012). As such, a person must first need to feel the urge to write in order to express his thoughts on a given issue, rather than viewing writing as an imposed academic exercise. This is the primary reason why classroom writing should not be taught as a mere exercise but an individualized sharing of experience. In this light, Mahendran (2012) further commented that “composition exercises are meaningless if they are entirely removed from the aims and interests of writers and those of their readers”. There are various techniques that the teacher may employ to better manage free-writing exercises. As Bello (1997) commented, the teacher may: firstly, ask students to write about what they want to learn in a few words using English or their native language. Students in advanced ESL programs may write a simple letter, journal entry or essay to explain their topics of interest. Secondly, require students to respond to a piece of music, photograph or drawing through writing. They may also write about their recent field trip, movies watched or books read. Thirdly, ask students to write cover letters, letters of complaint, or letters of advice to expand their knowledge on various writing styles. And lastly, require students to analyze and synthesize information from various graphs such as charts, drawing, and maps. What free-writing is able to achieve, which process-writing is not able to provide, is teaching the students on the relevance of writing in their everyday lives. As Bello (1997) described it, “writing is a continuing process of discovering how to find the most effective language for communicating one’s thoughts and feelings” (p. 1). Indeed, it is in the ability to strongly and succinctly communicate one’s ideas that a person is able to better connect with the people that surround him. (Colorado, 2007). In this manner, free-writing is able to underscore the concept that writing is essentially about creating a new form of knowledge (either a reaction to an event or a reflection on a scenario) based on what one has learned in his social environment. In this sense, to write is to synthesize one’s own thoughts and present them in a manner that is easily understood by one’s intended audience. With this, it could be stated that the logical presentation of ideas can be regarded as a prerequisite to good writing. As Bello (1997) emphasized, “writing enhances language acquisition as learner’s experiment with words, sentences, and larger chunks of writing to communicate their ideas effectively and to reinforce the grammar and vocabulary they are learning in class”. Thus, unlike process-writing that delves more into the technical aspect of writing, free-writing enables the students to personally practice and experiment with the English, in order to deliver a message in an intelligible manner. However, the difficulty in perfecting one’s writing skill is the primary reason why it has to be harnessed, and why it has to be interesting to the students for them to feel the need for it to be enhanced. As Tangpermpoon (2001) reckoned, writing is difficult because it requires writers to not only have a great deal of lexical and syntactic knowledge, but to also practice certain principles of organization. Therefore, free-writing is definitely more apt for teaching ESL writing to students. Journals as Effective Form of Free-Writing Approach Through the previous discussion on free-writing and its core attributes, it could now be said that an effective teaching tool for ESL writing provides the students with freedom, firstly, on what they want to write; and secondly, on how they want to write about it. It is, indeed, important to remember that through the free-writing approach, the learning process is more dynamic and reflective. It is dynamic because the students’ writing is not confined to the demands of the teacher nor the technical writing aspects that must be incorporated into the material. Rather, it teaches the students on how to be more expressive about certain issues that matter to them using the English language. It is reflective because it equips the students with the proper mindset on why proper writing structure is needed—not to abide by certain grammatical or syntax-related rules, but to be mindful and considerate of the intended audience of their written material. With these things in mind, it could now be stated that the use of journals in teaching ESL writing has proven effective as it allow students to focus on the expression of their thoughts and ideas (Uduma, 2011). Journal, in this light, is an educational process of establishing a routine writing activity and connecting reading with writing. At this point, it is worthy to ask the specific attributes of journals that make them an effective tool of instruction. For this matter, Uduma (2011) believes that the act of experience-examination that results in a writing output allows the student to focus both the presentation and content of ideas. As for the presentation, journals, as opposed to various forms of process writing which are academic in structure, have the rhythm of every day speech. This makes the process less rigid and mechanical, but rather spontaneous and free-flowing. The minimal attention given to the rhetorical patterns in English allows the student to focus on his intent for expressing his ideas on a certain topic. In this regard, it can also be said that through journal writing, certain cognitive characteristics are honed such as observational, questioning and speculative. As for the content, the entries in a journal tend to be long, frequent, self-initiated and well documented (Uduma, 2011). This enables the student to write fluently and instills confidence in them to focus on what they want to say first before how it should be said. Thus, journals, as further claimed by Uduma (2011), offer the students with the opportunity to not only explore their thoughts, but to also develop new ideas as well. In this regard, journals could be deemed as great learning tools as gives the students the freedom to write down what they think and react about their personal experiences. And because of the diversity of topics that could be written by the students, journal writing also aids in allowing the discovery of varying types of writing style. In a way, the self-directed nature of teaching in journal writing makes the learning more personal and relevant to the student. There are two types of journals that are currently used in teaching ESLs: personal and dialogue journals. Firstly, personal journals demand the student to track his writing development in a timely manner. As such, personal journals are used for recording daily events, thoughts, and reflections. By incorporating various cognitive activities such as self-analysis, discussion of personal beliefs or goals, and evaluation of real-life situations, the student is able to harness his analytical and communication skills. As Uduma (2011) further commented, free form of writing is acceptable in this type of journal with less attention on syntax and grammar. On the other hand, dialogue journals contain written exchanges between students and their teacher on a certain topic being discussed. Journal writing, therefore, becomes a collaborative effort of the entire class as students need to work with pairs or teams to record or track the progress of class discussions. As Uduma (2011) highlighted, dialogue journals gives the opportunity for the student to write creatively and come up with poetry, fiction, and narratives. Having pointed out these things, journals could truly enhance the writing ability of ESL students since it is able provide the following benefits: firstly, it improves the students’ memory and analytical abilities; secondly, it enhances their ability to connect course concepts to life experiences; and further develops their communication skills. Conclusion At this point, it can be said that the effectiveness of journals as a teaching method can be viewed in two specific perspectives. For one, its emphasis on the free and dynamic expression of ideas that are based on personal experiences makes the writing exercise a rewarding and personal activity for the students. Although rhetorical patterns and syntax are important facets of a powerful writing material, such concepts must be viewed from the context of idea expression and analysis. Secondly, the different activities that could be done with journal bolster the basic understanding of writing as an essential component of cognitive skills, just like reading, listening and speaking. Therefore, by integrating various activities into the mode of instruction, writing is seen in the context of improving the overall communication skills of the student Bibliography Bello, Tom. (1997) Improving ESL Learners’ Writing Skills. Retrieved 6 November 2012 from http://www.marshalladulteducation.org/pdf/briefs2/Improving_ESL_Learners_Writing_Skills.pdf. Celic, Christina. (2009). English Language Learners Day by Day, K – 6. Retrieved 11 November 2012 from http://www.heinemann.com/shared/onlineresources/E02682/Celic_websample.pdf. Colorado, Colorin. (2007). Improving Writing Skills: ELLs and the Joy of Writing. Retrieved 8 November from http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/14539/. Deqi, Zeng. (2005). The Process-Oriented Approach to ESL/EFL Writing Instruction and Research. Retrieved 11 November 2012 from http://www.celea.org.cn/teic/63/63-66.pdf. Giridharan, Beena & Robson, Alison. (n.d.). Identifying Gaps in Academic Writing of ESL Students. Retrieved 6 November 2012 from http://www.curtin.edu.my/TL2011/download/papers/refereed/Identifying%20gaps%20in%20academic%20writing%20of%20ESL%20students.pdf. Mahendran, Rudyard. (2012). Enhancing ESL Writing Skills. Retrieved 6 November 2012 from http://www.languageinindia.com/march2012/mahendranwritingskills.pdf. New South Wales Department of Education and Training. (2004). English as a Second Language Guidelines for Schools. Retrieved 11 November 2012 from https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/student_serv/equity/comm_rela/d04_23_ESL_Guidelines.pdf. Smith, Catherine, Vellenga, Heidi, et. al. (2006). Meeting the Demand for TESL/TEFL Teachers: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Increasing Program Accessibility and Effectiveness. Retrieved 11 November 2012 from http://forumonpublicpolicy.com/archivespring07/smith.rev.pdf. Tangpermpoon, Thanatkun (2001). INTEGRATED APPROACHES TO IMPROVE STUDENTS WRITING SKILLS FOR ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS. Retrieved 6 November from http://www.journal.au.edu/abac_journal/2008/may08/01(1-9)_article01.pdf. Uduma, Eke. (2011). Journal Keeping in an ESL Classroom: An Innovative Approach in Language Learning. Retrieved 6 November 2012 from http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&ved=0CEEQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iiste.org%2FJournals%2Findex.php%2FJEP%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F527%2F413&ei=RiuZUITnLsaIrAfT7YHQBA&usg=AFQjCNEcihDgHOPyVwkQHr67erf1CdHfxQ Read More