38
From the definitions above, it can concluded that writing is the way or the process to express or to repr
esent writer’s knowledge into textual medium by following the linguistic rules.
2. The Purpose of Writing
Speaking about the purpose of writing, in the book of “Reasoning and Writing Well”, Dietsch wrote that “The general purpose of writing may be
primaly to inform, to persuade, to express, or to entertain. The spesific purpose involves responding to a certain need for writing.”
59
According to Penny Ur, “The purpose of writing, in principle, is the expression of ideas, the conveying of messages to the reared. So, the ideas
themselves should arguably be seen as the most important aspect the writing.
60
The main reason of teaching writing is to help the students to learn. That main reason can be broken down to supporting reasons as below based
on technique in teaching writing:
a. Writing reinforces the grammatical structure, idioms, and vocabulary that we
have been teaching our students. b.
When the students write, they also have a chance to be advanturous with the language, to go beyond what they have just learned to say, to take risks.
c. When they write, they necessary very involved with the new language; the
effort to express ideas and the constant use of eye, hand, and brain is unique way to reinforce learning.
61
Based on the explanation above, the writer can make a conclusion that writing is an important medium in expressing someone’s feeling. Besides,
writing can also give information to others about something important.
59
Betty Mattix Dietsch, Reasoning and Writing Well: A Rhetoric, Research Guide, Reader, and Handbook , Ohio: McGraw-Hill, 2003, p. 10
60
Penny Ur, A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 1996, p. 163
61
Ann Raimes, Technique in Teaching Writing, London: Oxford American English, 1983, p. 95
39
3. The Kinds of Writing
There are a number of types of writing task that most of us will be familiar with, both as teachers and from our own language learning
experienced. Simplifying for the moment, they can be listed under three broad headings.
62
a. Free Writing
Free writing is writing without stopping. It means writing comes to the mind without worry that everything they write is correct or incorrect.
The purpose is to free up the mind so that it can make association and connection.
Apparently at the other end of the spectrum, a „free writing’ task
requires learners to „create’ an essay on a given topic, often as part of a language examination. Sometimes students are simply invited to write on
a personal topic-their hobbies, what they did on holiday, interesting experiences and the like. Other materials provide a reading passage as a
stimulus for a piece of writing on a parallel topic, usually with comprehension questions interspersed between the two activities.
b. Controlled Writing
If the focus of a language programme is on accuracy, then schemes for controlling learners’ writing output will obviously predominate. The
students will focus to practice on getting words down on they paper and they have to concentrate on one or two problems at the time. Controlled
writ ing focuses the student’s attention on specific features of the written
language. It is a good method of reinforcing grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. The range of activity types is considerable, and typical
approaches include: 1
Providing a model sentence and asking students to construct a parallel sentence with different lexical items.
62
Jo. McDonough and Christopher Shaw, Materials and Methods in ELT: A Teacher’s Guide,
Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1993, p. 178
40
2 Inserting a missing grammatical form.
3 Composing sentences from tabular information, with a model
provided. 4
Joining sentences to make a short paragraph, inserting supplied conjunctions but, and, however, because, although….
c. Guided Writing
It is an extension of controlled writing; it is less controlled than controlled writing. In using this kind of writing to teach writing, students
are given a first sentence, a last sentence, an outline to fill out, a series of question to respond to, or information to include in their piece of writing.
Students should be able to discuss, make notes, and share finding together before they begin to write. In guided writing, the students will
not make serious errors if they follow the instruction, which are given by their teachers.
C. Paragraph
