Relier Pairs A route for writing workVersion en ligne A typical route for the development of writing skills. It may involve some or all of the following steps: par María Guadalupe Diez Sánchez 1 Introduce & summarize the main writing task 2 Select and reject ideas 3 Prepare draft 4 Brainstorm ideas 5 Plan de text 6 Sort and order ideas 7 Prepare final text 8 Edit 9 Introduce the topic 10 Focus on useful models 11 Fast-write 12 Get feedback Whole class: use the board to collect as many ideas as possible. Small groups: speak and take notes. Use notes to start shaping the text. The layout & order of paragraphs. Are there any special rules for the genre? Students carefully go through their own text, checking if it says what they want it to, if it is clear, if its language is correct, etc. Make sure students know what they are expected to do, the genre (magazine article? letter? formal report? etc.), and the audience (who they are writing to and why). Preparing a draft version before the final one gives them the chance to get the reader reactions. Get students interested through an advert, article, picture, or discussing some key issues. A very good way to overcome 'blank page' terror and get ideas flowing is to 'fast-write'. Start to plan structure of text by arranging ideas. What is worth leaving out? Another student can read and make useful comments/suggestions on the content, the message, the organization, or the language. Based on feedback, students write a finished text. Help students to study sample(s) of similar written texts, focusing on content, message, organization, grammar, phrases, etc.