UNIT 5

MACRO
SKILL
WRITING
Discussants
Lesson 1: Writing as a Macro Skill: Its Nature and Characteristics
1. John Lloyd Espada
2. Karen Queme
Lesson 2: Basic Principles and Approaches in Teaching Writing
3. Atheea Fe Calajate
4. Jonah May Ares
5. Remar Romelo
Lesson 3: Strategies and Techniques in Teaching Writing
6. Shane Rose Borcillo
7. Cherry Mae Capada
Lesson 4: Assessment of the Writing Skill
8. April Joy Recabar
9. Bernadeth Ann Ballarta
10.Ma. Kaila Patrocinio

INTRODUCTION
Writing is the act of forming letters, words, and sentences, to express thoughts and
ideas. It is a fundamental human skill that allows us to communicate, record
information, and create narratives. Writing is a complex skill that involves a variety
of cognitive processes, including planning, organizing, generating ideas, using
language effectively, and editing and revising.
Writing is important because it is used extensively in academic institutions
and in the workplace (Walsh,2010). Having the skill in writing makes one an
effective communicator in the school setting where there is a need to properly
communicate with their teachers and express their ideas. It is also an essential skill
in the workplace as a means of professional communication through writing:
proposals, memos, reports, applications, preliminary interviews and many more.
According to Klimova (2013), writing helps to express one’s personality, foster
communication, develop thinking skills make logical and persuasive arguments,
give a person a chance to later reflect on their ideas and re-evaluate them, provide
and receive feedback, and prepare for school and employment.Trombley (2018)
further argues that writing is difficult because it requires focus, practice, diligence,
courage, and humility. With these above mentioned factors, language teachers
should understand the complexity of writing. Writing is a complex skill since there is
a need for the writer to consider many elements in writing.
 CONTENT
Lesson 1: Writing as a Macro Skill: Its Nature and Characteristics
Definition of Writing
 Nunan (2003) states that writing is an intellectual activity finding the ideas
and thinking about the way to express and arrange them into a statement
and paragraph that is clear to be understood by the people. It indicates that
the writers are demanded to show the thought and organize them into a good
composition. In addition, writing presents the writer’s concept in
understanding an issue which is shown to the public. It requires the
integration of idea systematically written.

 Writing is considered as an active creation of text which involves, on one

hand, lower – order transcription skills such as handwriting, punctuation and
spelling, and on the other hand, higher – order self – regulated thinking
process such as planning, sequencing, and expressing the content (Berninger
et. Al, 2002).
 According to White and Arndt (1991, writing is a thinking process which
demands intellectual effort, and it involves generating ideas, planning goal
setting, monitoring, evaluating what is going to be written as well as what
been written, and using language for expressing exact meanings. It means
that writing consists of some stages that should be done by the writer in
conveying the message of the writing.

Importance of Writing Skills (Hamer 2004):

 Writing is often not time-bound. Writing gives students more time to think of
their ideas than in speaking activities giving them chance to check their
grammar patterns.
 Writing encourages the use of accurate language
 Writing is used to reinforce language that has been taught.
 Writing is frequently used in preparation for some other activities.
 Writing is an integral part of larger activities.

Characteristics of Writing

Writing is a response

*We write because we are reacting to someone or something. While writing can feel like an isolating,
individual act—just you and the computer or pad of paper—it is really a social act, a way in which we
respond to the people and world around us.

* We are not just writing—we are always writing to an audience(s) for some particular purpose. When
we write, we do so because we want, need, or have been required to create a fixed space for someone
to receive and react to our ideas.

Writing is linear
*In order to communicate effectively, we need to order our words and ideas on the page in ways that
make sense to a reader. We name this requirement in various ways: “grammar,” “logic,” or “flow.” While
we would all agree that organization is important, the process of lining up ideas is far from simple and is
not always recognized as “writing".

Writing is recursive

*Writing often involves using smaller units (words, phrases, sentences) to create larger units
(paragraphs, sections, chapters).

*During the writing process, we often revisit earlier sections, making changes and refining our ideas
based on what we've written later.

Writing is both subjective and objective

* Writing is a process, an act of creation where we use language to express our thoughts, feelings, and
experiences. It's a dynamic activity, a verb, a way of being in the world. *A Source of Information:
Writing can be a source of knowledge, entertainment, inspiration, or even persuasion. It can shape our
understanding of the world and influence our perspectives.

Writing is both subjective and objective.

* Writing is a process, an act of creation where we use language to express our thoughts, feelings, and
experiences. It's a dynamic activity, a verb, a way of being in the world. *A Source of Information:
Writing can be a source of knowledge, entertainment, inspiration, or even persuasion. It can shape our
understanding of the world and influence our perspectives.

*"Writing is like a drug, too often employed by quacks who don't know what is true and what is false.
Like a drug, writing is both a poison and a medicine, but only a real doctor knows its nature and the
proper disposition of its power."

*"Writing is not a game played according to rules. Writing is a compulsive, and delectable thing. Writing
is its own reward." *"Writing is really a way of thinking--not just feeling but thinking about things that
are disparate, unresolved, mysterious, problematic or just sweet."

*"Writing is more than anything a compulsion, like some people wash their hands thirty times a day for
fear of awful consequences if they do not. It pays a whole lot better than this type of compulsion, but it
is no more heroic."

*"It is necessary to write, if the days are not to slip emptily by. How else, indeed, to clap the net over the
butterfly of the moment? for the moment passes, it is forgotten; the mood is gone; life itself is gone.
That is where the writer scores over his fellows; he catches the changes of his mind on the hop."

*"You most likely need a thesaurus, a rudimentary grammar book, and a grip on reality. This latter
means: there's no free lunch. Writing is work. It's also gambling. You don't get a pension plan. Other
people can help you a bit, but ¬essentially you're on your own. -Nobody is making you do this: you chose
it, so don't whine."
Lesson 2: Basic Principles and Approaches in Teaching Writing
Approaches in Teaching Writing

Stages of Writing Information Focused Knowledge

Approach (used by Transformation
novice writers) Approached (used by
experienced writers)
Planning Stage Novice writers tend to ask Experienced writers are
themselves: more concerned about
 What I know about the rhetorical situation
the topic? (i.e., purpose, audience,
 Where can I find and context) in writing
more information? their particular piece.
 How to make a
piece of
information
relevant to the
essay topic?
Organizing Stage Novice writers tend to Experienced writers tend
present information in a to consider how different
chronological order. organization of the
information helps them
fulfill their rhetorical goal.
In other words, in the
writing process, they take
into account proactively
the reader’s expectations
and reactions.
Writing and Revising Novice writers tend to re- Experienced writers,
Stage read the previous when deciding what to
sentence/clause before say next, refer to the
they decide how to macro rhetorical goal,
proceed. In general, they which is at a strategic
are likely to be level that anticipates the
preoccupied with the reader’s expectations and
micro-level issues of possible
writing. agreement/disagreement.

Pedagogical Principles of the Socio-cognitive Approach in Academic

Writing
Lesson 3: Strategies and Techniques in Teaching Writing
Teaching writing is a multifaceted process that requires educators to employ
various strategies and techniques to foster students' writing skills. As Jo Colleen
Wilcox aptly stated, “Teaching is the greatest act of optimism.” This report explores
the significance of activating prior knowledge and the various techniques used in
the prewriting stage of the writing process.
The writing process is typically divided into several stages, with the
prewriting stage being crucial for generating ideas and planning. During this phase,
students explore topics and organize their thoughts, setting the foundation for
effective writing.
Prewriting Stage- Prewriting is the "generating ideas" part of the writing
process when the student works to determine the topic and the position or point-of-
view for a target audience.

Techniques in Prewriting
1. Brainstorming
Purpose: To generate a wide array of ideas.
Method: Students can work independently or in groups to produce as many ideas as
possible from a given starting point.
This can include concept maps to visualize connections.
2. Discussion
Purpose: To clarify thoughts and opinions.
Method: Students engage in discussions about the assignment, debating various
ideas. This helps them understand different perspectives, which is especially
valuable for persuasive writing.
3. Creative Thinking
Purpose: To encourage unconventional ideas.
Method: Students are prompted to think about familiar subjects in new ways, such
as imagining scenarios like "What if dogs could fly?"
4. Clustering
Purpose: To visually organize ideas.
Method: Students create diagrams that show relationships between ideas, using
charts or idea trees to map connections.
5. Cubing
Purpose: To explore a topic from multiple angles.
Method: Students consider a subject from six perspectives: -Describe it: What is it
about? -Compare it: How is it similar or different to other topics? -Associate it: What
does it remind you of?

Writing Stage- students develop their notes and outlines into sentences and
paragraphs. They organize the ideas generated in the prewriting stage into a
meaningful, more conventionally organized discussion applying certain rules (e.g.,
rhetorical, linguistic, and mechanical) in writing.
Techniques for Composing and Drafting Paragraphs
 Highly structured- the writer works from very complete prewriting notes,
changing little of the context or organization.
 Loosely structured- the writer works from rough noted, experimenting with
ideas and organization during drafting.
 Bridges- the writer begins with two or three main points or situations to be
covered and during drafting, concentrates on using supporting details to build
logical bridges between the points.
 Quick draft- the writer works quickly, not stopping to refine ideas or rework
materials until the revising stages.
 Slow draft- the writer works meticulously, carefully crafting one sentence or
paragraph at a time.

Techniques for Revising and Proofreading

 Conference- when you do oral evaluation, concentrate on both the students’
strengths and weaknesses.
 Peer evaluation- in pairs or small groups, have students critique each
other’s writing through peer evaluation. Student writers become aware of
how their writing affects others.
 Group questioning- after one student in a group reads a piece of writing out
loud, the other students ask questions to pinpoint information.
 Editorial groups- three students are each assigned one role – author, editor,
or proofreader, and work together on an assignment.
 Oral reading- students read their work out loud or into a tape recorder.
 Performance- for pieces in which the writer has explained a process,
another student tries to follow the written directions and points out unclear or
confusing passages.
 Clinics- in workshops, you may give instruction to students with similar
writing problems.
 Post Writing- the final stage of the process is publishing and sharing which
is under thr post writing stage. This new audience can be family members,
friends, classmates, or the general public, anyone who will provide some kind
of feedback.
 Suggested Techniques
 Booklets- compositions by an individual writer by a class or other groups
may be collected and reproduced as a booklet.
 Bulletin boards- writers can be illustrated with appropriate drawings,
photographs, or artwork.
 Newspaper and magazines- students may create a newspapers or
magazine of their own to publish student writing.
 Readings and performance- stories and other narratives can be adapted to
the form of a play and acted out.
 Letters and exchanges- letters and other writings may also be exchanged
with students in another class, school or age group.

Lesson 4: Assessment of the Writing Skills: Designing Writing Assessment

Tasks
Students’ successful performance on assessment tasks greatly depends on
how well teachers and test developers design those tasks. The primary
consideration when planning writing assessment tasks is determining the
purpose (or discourse mode) for which students are asked to write.
The purpose refers to the intention of the writing and there are at least four
purposes in writing: a. tell what happens (narrative) b. describe people,
places, things, moments, and theories (descriptive) c. inform or share
knowledge (expository) d. convince or persuade (persuasive/argumentative)
In order to accomplish the purpose of a writing task, students can use a
variety of genres or types of writing. The genre refers to the expected form or
communicative function of the written product; for example, a letter, an
essay, a laboratory report (Weigle, 2002).

Writing prompts are also essential in designing writing assessment

tasks…..so, how do we prepare writing prompts?
A writing task is specified by the prompt which defines the task for student
writing assignments. It refers specifically to the written instructions to the
student.
A prompt can include both contextual and input data. Contextual data relates
to information about “setting, participants, purpose, and other features of the
situation”.
Input data, on the other hand, refers to the “visual and/or aural material to be
processed in a communicative task”.
 It is important to note that the amount of specification in a prompt may affect
students’ written performance. Too many details may detract students’
attention from the main focus of the writing task; too little specifications may
leave students wondering what they need to do.
The wording of the prompt may include the purpose (or ‘discourse mode’) of
the writing. It may also specify the genre, which refers to the expected form
and communicative function of the written product, such as a letter, an
essay, a report, etc.
The prompt may also make reference to the pattern of exposition which
refers to the specific instructions to the students, for example, making
comparisons, drawing conclusions, contrasting, etc.
And finally, the prompt may mention the audience (the teacher, the
classmates, general public), the tone (formal/informal), the length (100word,
one page, etc), and time allotment (30 minutes, one hour).
A prompt should, at least, include the audience, the purpose and some
indication of the length, but that the ultimate choice of specification depends
on the definition of the construct.
To summarize, a prompt should:
Be connected to the writing standards for a specific course.
Include the genre or the purpose of the writing
Include the audience, either implicitly or explicitly
Include the organizational plan or pattern of exposition which specifies how
students are to develop the writing. It refers to the process or the steps students
have to follow when developing a writing piece. It may include the number of
paragraphs, number of words, and sequence.

Strategies for Effective Writing Assessment

Assessments may be conducted for many purposes, but the ultimate goal is
always to improve instruction for each student. Whatever method of assessment
you use, consider the following strategies for making your assessment as effective
as possible.
1. Make sure students know the criteria for good writing.
We can expect students to produce good writing only if they understand what
good writing is. In an assessment situation, it is only fair for students to know
how their work will be judged. Knowing the criteria for good writing will also
help students evaluate and revise their own writing before it is submitted for
teacher evaluation. When you give students the criteria, discuss what is
expected of them.
2. Let students help develop the criteria.
Be explicit about your goals for them as writers and why those goals are
important to their learning. Additionally, talk with students about methods of
assessment. Some teachers have students help collaboratively design rubrics
for the grading of writing. Whatever methods of assessment you choose, be
sure to let students in on how they will be evaluated.
3. Explain to students how their writing will be scored.
Students should know how you will be scoring their work and how to interpret
the scores. For example, a student who receives a 3 on a composition should
know what the score means and on what criteria it was based.
4. Evaluate the writing process, not just the final product.

Writing is a process of steps, from the idea to the finished manuscript.

Students will improve their writing as they increase their ability to complete
each step in the process. An assessment of student writing that includes
review and discussion of each step will help students understand what works
in their writing and why it works. Suggest options or open-ended alternatives
the student can choose for their revision path. Help students learn to assess
their own writing and the advice they get about it.
5. Provide opportunities for feedback.
Whenever possible, give students feedback about their writing to help them
understand their strengths and weaknesses and identify what parts or
aspects of their writing need to be improved. Providing frequent feedback can
also be valuable in helping to identify patterns of growth, providing direction
for a student’s individual development, and helping students improve their
abilities to assess their own work and respond to the writing of others.
6. Encourage self- and peer assessment.
Students can develop a clear sense of their abilities by evaluating their own
writing. Peer assessment can also be a valuable tool throughout the writing
process. Students can discuss their ideas with their partners, and partners
can act as the audience during each stage of the writing. Students can also
work in groups of three or four to hold writing conferences. Find a way to tune
into these conferences without becoming an instant authority in the
conversation.
7. Incorporate assessment into the instructional process.
Instead of viewing assessment as a final judgment, work to make
assessment, teaching, and learning all part of a continuous cycle. Encourage
 students to revise, expand, and rewrite at all points in the cycle and for
reasons other than receiving a score or a grade.

Different Types of Scoring Techniques

A. Formal Evaluation Technique
1. Holistic Scoring- a method of evaluating students work that focuses on the
overall quality of writing. It uses a rubric that outlines the overall qualities. It
usually based on a scale like 0-4, 0-5, or 0-6.
2. Primary Trait Scoring- is a method of assessment that focuses on a specific
trait or characteristic of a piece of writing also known as focused holistic
scoring.
Ex. Organization
3. Analytic Scoring- is based on in-depth of aspects of writing such as
focus/organization, elaboration/support/style, and grammar, usage and
mechanics. It usually based on a scale of 0-100 with each aspect receiving a
portion of a total points.
Ex. Focus/Organization- 35 points
Elaboration/ Support/ Style- 35 points
Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics- 30 points
B. Informal Evaluation Technique- informal evaluation of writing through
observation, description, and record. It is less structed and more flexible.
Ex. Direct Observation- observing students as they work on task
Checklist- to record specific behaviors or skills
Reflection Journals- students reflect on their learning experiences and
progress.
C. Portfolio Evaluation Technique- it provides a way to combine both formal
and informal methods in evaluating students writing.
Ex. Holistic Scoring- evaluating a portfolio as a whole
Primary Trait Scoring- evaluate portfolio based on a specific trait such as
organization, clarity or ideas.

CONCLUSION
The prewriting stage is essential in the writing process, as it allows students
to generate and organize their ideas effectively. By employing techniques such as
brainstorming, discussion, creative thinking, clustering, and cubing, educators can
create a dynamic learning environment that encourages students to express their
thoughts clearly and creatively.
Formal evaluation techniques provide a structured and systematic approach to
assessing the effectiveness of programs, projects, or initiatives. These techniques
involve collecting and analyzing data to measure outcomes and identify areas for
improvement.
PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS
The pedagogical implication is that all aspects of writing knowledge must
be explicitly taught in writing instruction in order to improve students' writing
quality. However, there must be a priority of aspect as the core of the material to be
taught, with the other aspects and sub-aspects serving as complementary
materials.
Benefits of Writing Skill:
1. Enhances clarity in business communication, ensuring that ideas and
proposals are effectively presented.
2. Improves professional image by showcasing well-structured and
organized business documents.
3. Facilitates collaboration and teamwork by promoting clear and concise
communication among colleagues.
4. Boosts career prospects, as strong writing skills are highly valued in the
workplace.
5. Increases credibility and authority in academic research and publications.
6. Fosters effective communication in personal and professional settings,
reducing misunderstandings.
7. Enables individuals to convey complex ideas and information in an
accessible manner.
8. Supports career growth and development by demonstrating expertise
through well-written content.
9. Enhances grammar proficiency, leading to fewer errors and increased
readability of written work.
10.Builds strong relationships through clear and meaningful written
communication.
11.Improves the ability to persuade and influence others in professional
settings.
12.Reflects positively on a company’s image when employees exhibit
excellent writing skills.
13.Facilitates the creation of high-quality technical documents, increasing
user satisfaction and comprehension.
14.Helps avoid costly mistakes and misunderstandings due to grammatical
errors or unclear writing.
15.Demonstrates mastery of an essential skill required in various
professional settings.
16.Improves written communication skills, leading to better collaboration
and productivity.
 17.Enhances overall writing style and effectiveness, making the work more
engaging for readers.
18.Identifies good writers as valuable assets, distinguishing them from those
with poor writing skills.
19.Supports students’ academic success by improving their ability to convey
information and ideas.
20.Increases the impact of the writing process by refining and perfecting
written work.
21.Promotes efficiency and effectiveness in workplace communication.
22.Encourages lifelong learning and personal growth through writing courses
and workshops.
23.Enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills in academic and
professional settings.
24.Develops the ability to adapt writing styles for various audiences and
purposes, increasing versatility and marketability.
25.Cultivates creative expression through storytelling, poetry, and other
forms of creative writing, enriching personal experiences and fostering
connections with others.
How to teach writing skill in classroom:

REFERENCES

Assessing Student Writing | Writing Center | Nebraska. (n.d.). https://www.unl.edu/writing/assessing-

student-writing

www.thoughtco.com/prewriting-stage-of-the-writing-process-8492

eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1399062
Why Are Writing Skills Important: A Comprehensive Overview – Brilliantio