ISSUES IN

WRITING
TCH3213
TEACHING OF WRITING SKILLS
 CONTENTS
1. Aims of teaching writing in Malaysian schools
2. Problems of writing in secondary schools
3. Ways to overcome the problems
 Aims of Teaching Writing in Malaysian Schools
• The aim of learning English in Form 1, 2 & 3 are to continue providing pupils
with positive and successful experiences with English, along with an
integrated focus on grammar and varied and continued practice of the four
skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and Literature in Action.

• The Content Standards focus on pupils’ ability to communicate meaning, and

to use appropriate language, form and style when doing so. This reflects the
importance of both fluency and accuracy in writing at this stage of the pupils’
school career.
 FORM 1
By the end of Form 1, students are able to:
1. give detailed information about themselves and others.
2. describe future plans or events.
3. narrate factual and imagined events and experiences.
4. describe personality.
5. connect sentences into two coherent paragraphs or more using basic coordinating
conjunctions and reference pronouns.
6. use capitals, full stops, commas in lists, question marks, and speech marks
appropriately at discourse level.
7. spell most high frequency words accurately in independent writing.
8. produce a plan or draft of two paragraphs or more and modify this appropriately
in response to feedback.
 FORM 2
By the end of Form 2, students are able to:
1. explain simple content from what they have read.
2. make and respond to simple requests and suggestions.
3. summarize the main points of a simple story, text or plot.
4. express opinions and common feelings such as happiness, sadness, surprise, and
interest.
5. organize, and sequence ideas within short texts on familiar topics.
6. punctuate written work with moderate accuracy.
7. spell written work with moderate accuracy.
8. produce a plan or draft of two paragraphs or more and modify this appropriately
either in response to feedback or independently.
 FORM 3
By the end of Form 3, students are able to:
1. explain simple content from what they have read or heard.
2. explain simple processes.
3. summarize the main points and explain key details in of a story, text or plot.
4. express and respond to opinions and common feelings such as happiness, sadness, surprise,
and interest.
5. organize, sequence and develop ideas within short texts on familiar topics.
6. punctuate written work with moderate accuracy.
7. spell written work with moderate accuracy.
8. produce a plan or draft of two paragraphs or more and modify this appropriately
independently.
9. begin to use formal and informal registers appropriate to the target audience in familiar
situations.
 Problems of Writing in Secondary Schools
• Writing problems rarely occur in isolation, and improvements in writing go hand in hand with
the development of other non-writing-specific skills.

• Thus, a problem with the development in one of these areas is likely to interfere with a child's
progress as a writer:

1. Attention Problem

2. Spatial Ordering Problem

3. Sequential Ordering Problem

4. Memory Problem

5. Language Problem

6. Higher-Order Cognitive Problem

7. Graphomotor Problem
 1 Attention Problem
Children who struggle with attention may be inattentive and impulsive. An attention problem may
manifest itself as:

• difficulty getting started on writing assignments

• easy distractibility during writing tasks

• mental fatigue or tiredness while writing

• inconsistent legibility in writing

• uneven writing tempo

• many careless errors

• poorly planned papers and reports

 2 Spatial Ordering Problem
Children who struggle with spatial ordering have decreased awareness regarding
the spatial arrangement of letters, words, or sentences on a page. A spatial
ordering problem may manifest itself in a child's writing as:

• poor use of lines on the paper

• organizational problems

• uneven spacing between letters

• many misspelled words

 3 Sequential Ordering Problem
Children who struggle with sequential ordering have difficulty putting or
maintaining letters, processes, or ideas in order. A sequential ordering problem
may manifest itself in a child's writing as:

• poor letter formation

• transposed letters and spelling omissions

• poor narrative sequencing

• lack of transitions
 4 Memory Problem
Because so many writing processes need to be automatic, active working memory
is critical. Children may have difficulty recalling spelling, grammar, and
punctuation rules, accessing prior knowledge while writing, or organizing ideas. A
memory problem may manifest itself in a child's writing as:

• poor vocabulary

• many misspelled words

• frequent capitalization, punctuation, and grammar errors

 5 Language Problem
Good writing relies on a child's language abilities improving steadily over time. A
language problem may manifest itself in a child's writing as:

• poor vocabulary

• awkward phrasing and unconventional grammar

• inappropriate use of colloquial language

• difficulty with sentence structure and word order

• trouble reading back what is written

• difficulty with word sounds, spelling, and meanings

 6 Higher-Order Cognition Problem
Children who have difficulty with higher-order cognition are often unable to use
writing to present a sound argument or convey sophisticated or abstract ideas. A
higher-order cognition problem might manifest itself in a child's:

• trouble generating ideas or elaborating on them

• difficulty developing and organizing ideas

• lack of opinion or sense of audience

• difficulty with writing tasks that require creativity and/or critical thinking
 7 Graphomotor Problem
Children with graphomotor (relating to or affecting movements made in writing)
problems struggle to coordinate the small muscles of the fingers in order to move a pen
or pencil, especially as assignment length increases. A child with a graphomotor
problem might:

• write only very short passages

• write exceptionally slowly and with great effort

• use an awkward pencil grip

• lack fluidity in cursive writing

• find it hard to form letters

Overcoming
Writing
Problems: How
Can Teachers
Help?
● Writing problems can be overcome through a
combination of understanding exactly where your
student’s writing weaknesses lie, frequent writing
practice, and careful revision.
● Often, writing problems exist because students need
more feedback or are confused about the feedback
they are getting.
● Another issue is the busy school schedule, which
doesn’t allow enough time for practice and revision
 Give Positive Feedback
• Give positive feedback along with talking about what needs improvement
when reviewing their writing worksheet.

• Engage your student in the revision process by discussing the mechanics of

writing without disapproval of their ideas. Students should understand that
writing is a process and all writers revise their work. Remember, students need
encouragement as much as correction.

• Speak in private to avoid possible embarrassment .

 Consider a Placement Test
• This test can be an invaluable tool because knowing exactly where
your student’s writing weak points are is the first step to getting them
help.

• It may help you determine exactly which course will best remediate the
writing problems your specific student is experiencing.
 Encourage Practice and Revision
• Suggest writing activities that relate to your student’s interests, such as
writing for the school newspaper or a club website. The fact that their
writing will be published provides an extra incentive to revise.

• Students should also practice interpreting writing prompts and

completing timed essays in preparation for standardized tests.
 Ask for Opinion
• As much of secondary school writing focuses on producing persuasive
essays that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned
argument, ask students to start discussions at home on topical subjects
and encourage the parents to express and support their child’s opinions.

• If they have strong views about a particular issue, suggest writing

letters or emails to their state representatives or the local newspaper.
 Emphasize Reading:
Good Readers are Good Writers

• If your student doesn’t read published essays, newspaper editorials, or

other nonfiction, they won’t know what good essay writing sounds
like.

• All reading will boost writing and vocabulary skills.

 Do Not Rush

• Make sure your student has a quiet place to write and help them gauge
how long it will take to complete a writing assignment.

• Writing usually takes longer than we think. If the assignment is rushed,

students may feel they can’t write, when they really just needed more
time to revise.
 Get Extra Help
• Recognize when extra help is needed.

• Ask if your school has any extracurricular programs that target writing.

• Consider online writing tutor programs and test prep books.

• Most importantly, don’t ignore writing problems, working with

teachers and utilizing available resources can make a difference.
 THANKS!
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/writingdiffs.html
https://www.time4writing.com/writing-resources/writing-problems-high-
school/