Key Issues in Writing
17 The next issue in writing is genres differentiation. There are basically four
genres or university students proposed by Lock and Lockhart 1999 in Hyland 2002:62. They are:
1. Analysis. Its purpose is to elaborate reasons for a problem. The schematic structure is problem – reasons – conclusion.
2. Discussion. Its purpose is to give arguments for and against something. The schematic structure is issue – point of view – conclusion.
3. Argument. Its purpose is to persuade for a position. The schematic structure is thesis – arguments – conclusion
4. Report. Its purpose is to persuade for solution. The schematic structure is problem – reason – remedies – conclusion – recommendations.
The third issue is writing pedagogy. Writing requires more efforts from the students rather than the teachers becausethis is one of the productive skills.
Teachers support and encourage students with material needed. They also make sure that students are able to signal organization, conceptual relationships, topical
cohesion and reader involvement in expected ways. Elements of a writing pedagogy include the writer, the text, and the reader Hyland, 2002:78-93.
1. The writer element, involves issues of proficiency, first language background, and prior experience; cognitive and motivational factors; knowledge of topic
and the role of composing processes. The role of the writer brings out two important points: the need to regard
writing as cultural activity and to engage students in the writing process. Writing occurs in different contexts. Students have their own prescribed
18 criteria of a good writing based on their previous knowledge and cultural social
experience, which can be internalised in different wiritng patterns. These patterns might be transferred into new situation and audience inappropriately
that result in infelicities. This is important in L2 context where the options chosen by a writer are those not common to native English speakers. The
engagement of students in writing process should be carried out in a way that provide them with relevant topics, clear goal and strategies to make writing
tasks manageable. 2. The text elements, includes authenticity of purposes and writing tasks, number
and variety of writing assignments, genre modelling and exploration, rhetorical and lexico-grammatical consciousness raising
This second element involves familiarity with a range of text types. Writing should be done in accordance to the genres targeted and the context in which it
occurs. It means that the teaching should focus on the formal constraints of texts so that unfamiliar patterns as well as rhetorical conventions probably
needed by learners can be conveyed. 3. The reader element, involves orientation to specific target discourse
communities, need for real and multiple audiences, awareness of appropriate levels of involvement and interactional strategies, and the importance of
feedback and audience response The role of audience, as the last element of writing pedagogy, put emphasis on
building students’ awareness of who will read their writing. It also includes
19 interactional strategies, background understandings and rhetorical conventions
which are probably hoped to meet by these readers.