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 Edit 2 Plan de text 3 Prepare final text 4 Prepare draft 5 Brainstorm ideas 6 Fast-write 7 Focus on useful models 8 Introduce the topic 9 Select and reject ideas 10 Sort and order ideas 11 Get feedback 12 Introduce & summarize the main writing task Help students to study sample(s) of similar written texts, focusing on content, message, organization, grammar, phrases, etc. What is worth leaving out? Start to plan structure of text by arranging ideas. Use notes to start shaping the text. The layout & order of paragraphs. Are there any special rules for the genre? Whole class: use the board to collect as many ideas as possible. Small groups: speak and take notes. Get students interested through an advert, article, picture, or discussing some key issues. 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). A very good way to overcome 'blank page' terror and get ideas flowing is to 'fast-write'. 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. Preparing a draft version before the final one gives them the chance to get the reader reactions.