Supplementing Materials More Techniques and Activities to Improve Writing Skills

Topic 2: Supplementing Materials

More Techniques and Activities to Improve Writing Skills

Here are more techniques and activities to help your students develop writing skills. 

Chain Stories One student begins and writes the first line of a story. The student passes the story to another person. That person writes the next line, and so on. You can fold the paper so students can only see the last line. After the students finish, you (or a student) can read the story. The stories are often very creative and funny.

Dictation Dictation integrates the skills of listening, writing, and reading. There are many ways to do dictation. The teacher can dictate a text to students. Or students can dictate to each other. You can also do a dictogloss. You dictate a text at natural speed, and students take notes and try to re-create it so it is close to the original text. They do not write it word-for-word. 

Class Magazine or Newspaper Students write about things that interest them. They write different types of articles. They can write about news, events, films, new music or concerts, or restaurants, for example. It is a project that happens over a period of time. Students "publish" their paper or magazine at the end of the project. 

Journal or Diary Students can keep a written journal or diary. They can write weekly or every several days. They can describe events in their life, or they can share their feelings and plans. They can be paper-based or electronic. Journals and diaries are a way to communicate with students. It is not appropriate to grade or correct their writing in this context.

Online Writing Community Students can form online communities where they email each other and write about topics of their choice. 

E-pal There are many websites to connect students learning English from other countries. Students can email each other or blog. Another way to find e-pals is to link up with a school in another country and have students exchange emails.