university of guayaquilrepositorio.ug.edu.ec/bitstream/redug/45707/1/bfilo-pll... · 2020. 6....
Post on 28-Aug-2020
1 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
AUTHORS: BLANCO GUERRERO JEANNYCK ZILEY
RIVERA VALIENTE MARÍA FERNANDA
ADVISOR: MSc. LUCILA SÁNCHEZ
GUAYAQUIL, 2018
UNIVERSITY OF GUAYAQUIL
FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, LETTERS AND SCIENCE OF EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS
EDUCATION SYSTEM: CLASSROOM-BASED (PRESENCIAL)
EDUCATIONAL PROJECT
PRIOR TO OBTAIN THE DEGREE IN SCIENCES OF
EDUCATION MENTION: ENGLISH
TOPIC:
THE INFLUENCE OF THE PREWRITING STRATEGIES
ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WRITTEN PRODUCTION.
PROPOSAL:
DESIGN A SYSTEM OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT
OF THE WRITTEN PRODUCTION.
ii
____________________________ ____________________________ MSc. Alfonso Sánchez MSc. Sebastián Cadena Alvarado CAREER DIRECTOR GENERAL SECRETARY
UNIVERSITY OF GUAYAQUIL
FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, LETTERS AND SCIENCE OF EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS
EDUCATION SYSTEM: CLASSROOM-BASED (PRESENCIAL)
____________________________ ____________________________ MSc. Silvia Moy-Sang Castro MSc. Wilson Flores
DEAN SUB-DEAN
iii
iv
Guayaquil, 6 de Febrero del 2018
MSC. SILVIA MOY-SANG CASTRO, ARQ.
DECANA DE LA FACULTAD DE FILOSOFÍA, LETRAS Y CIENCIAS DE
LA EDUCACIÓN
CIUDAD.-
Para los fines legales pertinentes, comunico a usted que los derechos
intelectuales del proyecto educativo con el tema:
La influencia de las estrategias de pre-escritura en el desarrollo de la
producción escrita. Diseño de un sistema de actividades para el
mejoramiento de la producción escrita.
English topic:
The influence of the prewriting strategies on the development of written
production. Design a system of activities for the improvement of the written
production.
Pertenecen a la Facultad de Filosofía, Letras y Ciencias de la Educación.
Atentamente
_________________________ _________________________
Blanco Guerrero Jeannyck Ziley Rivera Valiente María Fernanda
C.I 0951801125 C.I 0914210596
v
APPROVED
…………………………
Tribunal N° 1
………………………… …………………………
Tribunal N° 2 Tribunal N° 3
_________________________ _________________________
Blanco Guerrero Jeannyck Ziley Rivera Valiente María Fernanda
C.I 0951801125 C.I 0914210596
UNIVERSITY OF GUAYAQUIL
FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, LETTERS AND SCIENCE OF EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS
EDUCATION SYSTEM: CLASSROOM-BASED (PRESENCIAL)
TOPIC:
THE INFLUENCE OF THE PREWRITING STRATEGIES
ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WRITTEN PRODUCTION.
PROPOSAL:
DESIGN A SYSTEM OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT
OF THE WRITTEN PRODUCTION.
vi
EL TRIBUNAL EXAMINADOR OTORGA AL
PRESENTE TRABAJO
LA CALIFICACIÓN DE : __________________________
EQUIVALENTE A : __________________________
TRIBUNAL :
____________________
____________________
____________________
vii
Dedication
This thesis is dedicated to:
God, for giving me wisdom and strength day by day to become a
professional.
My Mother, she is by far the strongest woman I have ever known; words
can never express the deepest gratitude I have for her. She has been
there for me, supporting me since the very first moment I was born. I
admire and love her.
My grandfather Juan Jara for taking care of me, for having been like a
second father, for making me very happy.
Blanco Guerrero Jeannyck Ziley
viii
Dedication
This thesis is dedicated to:
My mother and my sister and who have supported me from the distance.
To my grandmother who from heaven gives me the strength and courage
to never give up and to pursuit my dreams. To all of them that encourage
me to achieve the goals that life has posed me.
Rivera Valiente María Fernanda
ix
Acknowledgements
I want to thank:
In first place, to God. For all of the countless gifts he has offered me
throughout my life
I would also like to sincerely thank my advisor Lucila Sanchez, for her
valuable guidance and advice.
Then for the most special person in my life, Oscar, thank you for your
endless love, support and encouragement.
My classmates, Bianca and Daniel, my research partner Marita and my
best friend Miguel, who have always encouraged me to go ahead and
chase my dreams
Blanco Guerrero Jeannyck Ziley
x
Acknowledgements
I want to give thanks:
To God, because he gave me the strength and patience to face all the
challenges that he put for me. “Blessed is the man who has his strength in
you, in whose heart are your ways”.
To Ziley, because she could understand me, not only as partner but as a
friend and because she was patience with me.
To my favorites bands, Kings of Leon, Stereophonics, Bon Jovi and Snow
Patrol; they were the source of inspiration when I did not feel motivated to
write.
Finally, but not least, to my advisor miss Lucila, for enlighten the path with
wisdom to do things right.
Rivera Valiente María Fernanda
xi
Table of contents
Front
page……………………………………………………………….…
I
Authorities…………………………………………………………………. Ii
Consultor’s report………………………………………………………… Iii
Copyright declaration…………………………………………………….. Iv
Approval
declaration………………………………………………………
V
Quantitative and qualitative grade declaration………………………… Vi
Dedication…………………………………………………………………. Vii
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………. Ix
Table of contents…………………………………………………………. Xi
Index of tables…………………………………………………………..… Xiv
Index of graphics…………………………………………………………. Xv
Ficha de registro de
tesis…………………………………………………
Vi
Thesis Registration
Form…………………………………………………
Vii
Abstract……………………………………………………………………. Xviii
Introduction………………………………………………………………... Xix
Chapter I
The Problem
1.1. Context of the research…………………………………………….. 1
1.2. Research Problem………………………………………………….. 2
1.2.1. Conflict situation………………………………………………….. 2
1.2.2. Scientific
fact……………………………………………………….
3
1.3. Causes……………………………………………………………….. 4
1.4. Problem formulation……………………………………………….... 4
1.5. Objectives…………...……………………………………………….. 4
1.5.1. General objective…………………………………………………. 4
xii
1.5.2. Specific objectives………………………………………………... 4
1.6. Research Questions………………………………………………… 5
1.7. Justification…………………………………………………………... 5
Chapter II
Theoretical framework
2.1. Background………………………………………………………….. 8
2.2. Theoretical foundations. …………………………………………… 10
2.2.1. Linguistic foundation……………………………………………… 10
2.2.2. Psychological Foundation……………………………………….. 14
2.2.3 Pedagogical foundation………………………………………….. 19
2.2.4. Sociological foundation…………………………………………... 25
2.2.5. Philosophical foundation…………………………………………. 26
2.2.6. Legal foundation………………………………………………….. 27
Chapter III
Methodology, process, analysis and discussion of results
3.1. Methodological
design……………………………………………….
30
3.2. Types of research…………………………………………………… 30
3.3. Population and
sample………………………………………………
32
3.4. Operationalization of variables…………………………………….. 33
3.5. Research Methods………………………………………………….. 34
3.6. Techniques and instruments of investigation…………………….. 35
3.7. Analysis and interpretation of results……………………………… 36
3.7.1. Observation analysis……………………………………………… 36
3.7.2. Interview analysis…………………………………………………. 37
3.7.3. Survey to the students analysis…………………………………. 38
3.8. Chi-square test of variable
correlation……………………………..
53
3.9. Triangulation of results……………………………………………… 55
xiii
3.10. Conclusions and
recommendations………………………………
55
Chapter IV
The proposal
4.1.
Title…………………………………………………………………….
57
4.2. Justification…………………………………………………………... 57
4.3. Objectives……………………………………………………………. 58
4.3.1. General objective………………………………………………… 58
4.3.2. Specific objectives………………………………………………… 58
4.4. Theoretical aspects…………………………………………………. 58
4.5. Feasibility…………………………………………………………….. 60
4.5.1. Technical…………………………………………………………… 60
4.5.2. Financial……………………………………………………………. 60
4.5.3. Legal………………………………………………………………... 60
4.5.4. Human……………………………………………………………… 60
4.5.5. Political……………………………………………………………... 61
4.6. Description…………………………………………………………… 61
4.7. Conclusions………………………………………………………….. 63
Bibliographical References……………………………………………… 64
Appendixes ……………………………………………………………….. 69
Appendix 1………………………………………………………………… 70
Appendix 2………………………………………………………………… 74
Appendix 3………………………………………………………………… 76
Appendix 4………………………………………………………………… 79
Appendix 5: System of prewriting activities (proposal)……………….. 85
xiv
Index of tables
Table 1 Types of strategies according to cognitive process………. 15
Table 2 Distribution of population and sample……………………… 32
Table 3 Operationalization of variables chart……………………….. 33
Table 4 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°1……… 38
Table 5 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°2……… 39
Table 6 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°3……… 40
Table 7 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°4……… 41
Table 8 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°5……… 42
Table 9 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°6……… 43
Table 10 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°7……… 44
Table 11 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°8……… 45
Table 12 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°9……… 46
Table 13 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°10…….. 47
Table 14 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°11…….. 48
Table 15 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°12…….. 49
Table 16 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°13…….. 50
Table 17 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°14…….. 51
Table 18 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°15…….. 52
Table 19 The influence of the prewriting strategies in the written production……..……..……..……..……..……..……..………
53
Table 20 Chi-square results…..……..……..……..……..……..……… 54
xv
Index of graphics
Graphic 1 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°1….…… 38
Graphic 2 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°2….…… 39
Graphic 3 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°3…….… 40
Graphic 4 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°4…….… 41
Graphic 5 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°5….…… 42
Graphic 6 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°6….…… 43
Graphic 7 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°7…….… 44
Graphic 8 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°8…….… 45
Graphic 9 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°9….…… 46
Graphic 10 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°10…….. 47
Graphic 11 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°11…….. 48
Graphic 12 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°12…….. 49
Graphic 13 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°13…….. 50
Graphic 14 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°14…….. 51
Graphic 15 Frequency and percentage in the survey: Item N°15…….. 52
Graphic 16 Influence of the prewriting strategies in written production 54
.
xvi
REPOSITARIO NACIONAL EN CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGÍA FICHA DE REGISTRO DE TESIS
TITULO Y SUBTITULO: La influencia de las estrategias de pre-escritura en el desarrollo de la producción escrita. Diseño de un sistema de actividades para el mejoramiento de la producción escrita. AUTOR/ES:
Blanco Guerrero Jeannyck Ziley Rivera Valiente María Fernanda
TUTOR:
Lucila Sánchez REVISORES:
INSTITUCIÓN: Universidad de Guayaquil
FACULTAD: Filosofía, Letras y Ciencias de la Educación
CARRERA: Lenguas y lingüística
FECHA DE PUBLICACIÓN: N. DE PAGS:
TÍTULO OBTENIDO: Licenciatura en Ciencias de la Educación, Mención en Lengua Inglesa y Lingüística
ÁREAS TEMÁTICAS: Lengua Inglesa
PALABRAS CLAVE: Estrategias, pre-escritura, producción escrita, Inglés como
idioma extranjero
RESUMEN: Este proyecto fue llevado a cabo con la finalidad de buscar los factores que causan un bajo nivel en la producción escrita de los estudiantes del 2° grado de BGU (bachillerado general unificado) curso “A” de la Unidad Educativa Fiscal “Dr. José Vicente Trujillo” de la ciudad de Guayaquil. El objetivo primordial de esta investigación es analizar la influencia de las estrategias de pre-escritura en el desarrollo de la producción escrita, ya que, el inadecuado uso de estas, en la clase de inglés, es una causa importante dentro del bajo rendimiento en los estudiantes. Para establecer las bases teóricas de este trabajo de investigación, se llevó a cabo una búsqueda bibliográfica enfocada en las dos variables: las estrategias de pre-escritura y la producción escrita. Diferentes métodos fueron usados para realizar esta investigación, análisis-síntesis, inductivo-deductivo, lógico-histórico- sistémico-estructural-funcional así como métodos estadísticos; además de técnicas empíricas como lo son, las observaciones, entrevistas y encuestas. Estas técnicas se convirtieron en instrumentos; los mismos que fueron aplicados a la población estudiada. El estudio a través de estos instrumentos sirvió para determinar que las estrategias de pre-escritura influyen de manera positiva en el desarrollo la producción escrita de los estudiantes. Es por esto que los autores de esta investigación recomiendan, a manera de material de apoyo y de complemento, la utilización de un folleto con un sistema de actividades de pre-escritura enfocados en el mejoramiento y fortalecimiento de la producción escrita. N. DE REGISTRO (en base de datos): N. DE CLASIFICACIÓN:
DIRECCIÓN URL (tesis en la web):
ADJUNTO URL (tesis en la web):
ADJUNTO PDF: SI NO
CONTACTO CON AUTORES/ES:
Teléfono: 0969333715
E-mail: zizimar@outlook.es
CONTACTO EN LA INSTITUCION:
Nombre: Secretaría de la Escuela de Lenguas y Lingüística
Teléfono: (04)2294888 Ext. 123
E-mail: lenguas.linguistica.filo@gmail.com
xvii
NATIONAL REPOSITORY IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY THESIS REGISTRATION FORM
TITLE: the influence of the prewriting strategies on the development of the written production. Design a system of activities for the improvement of the written production. AUTHORS:
Blanco Guerrero Jeannyck Ziley Rivera Valiente María Fernanda
ADVISOR:
MSc. Lucila Sánchez
REVISERS:
INSTITUTION: University of Guayaquil
FACULTY: Philosophy, Letters and Sciences of Education
CAREER: Languages and linguistic
PUBLICATION DATE: N. OF PAGES:
DEGREE OBTAINED: Licenciado(s) Degree in Sciences of Education, Mention English Language and Linguistics
THEME AREAS: English Language
KEYWORDS: Prewriting, strategies, written production, EFL, English as a foreign language.
ABSTRACT: This project was carried out with the purpose of searching for the factors that cause a low level of written production in the students of the 2nd grade of BGU (unified general baccalaureate) course "A" from the Public Educational Unit "Dr. José Vicente Trujillo” from the city of Guayaquil. The main objective of this research was to analyze the influence of prewriting strategies on the development of written production, since the inadequate use of these, in the English class, is an important cause in the low academic performance in the students. In order to establish the theoretical bases of this research work, was carried out a bibliographical search focused on the two variables: pre-writing strategies and written production. Different methods were used to perform this research, analysis-synthesis, inductive-deductive, logical-historical-systemic-structural-functional as well as statistical methods; Empirical techniques such as observation, interview and survey were used to gather information. These techniques became instruments; the same ones that were applied to the population studied. The study through these instruments helped to determine that pre-writing strategies have a positive influence on the development of student’s written production. This is why the authors of this research recommend, as a support material and complement, the use of a booklet with a system of prewriting activities focused on the improvement and strengthening of written production.
REGISTRATION NUMBER: CLASSIFICATION NUMBER:
URL ADDRESS:
ATTACHED PDF: YES NO
TO CONTACT THE AUTHORS:
Telephone: 0969333715
E-mail: zizimar@outlook.es
TO CONTACT THE INSTITUTION:
Name: Secretaría de la Escuela de Lenguas y Lingüística
Telephone: (04)2294888 Ext. 123
E-mail: lenguas.linguistica.filo@gmail.com
xviii
Abstract
This project was carried out with the purpose of searching for the factors
that cause a low level of written production in the students of the 2nd
grade of BGU (unified general baccalaureate) course "A" from the Public
Educational Unit "Dr. José Vicente Trujillo” from the city of Guayaquil.
The main objective of this research was to analyze the influence of
prewriting strategies on the development of written production, since the
inadequate use of these, in the English class, is an important cause in the
low academic performance in the students. In order to establish the
theoretical bases of this research work, was carried out a bibliographical
search focused on the two variables: pre-writing strategies and written
production. Different methods were used to perform this research,
analysis-synthesis, inductive-deductive, logical-historical-systemic-
structural-functional as well as statistical methods; Empirical techniques
such as observation, interview and survey were used to gather
information. These techniques became instruments; the same ones that
were applied to the population studied. The study through these
instruments helped to determine that pre-writing strategies have a positive
influence on the development of student’s written production. This is why
the authors of this research recommend, as a support material and
complement, the use of a booklet with a system of prewriting activities
focused on the improvement and strengthening of written production.
KEYWORDS: Prewriting, strategies, written production, EFL, English as a foreign language.
xix
Introduction
The authors of this research decided to analyze the influence of prewriting
strategies, because it was noticeable that there was an issue with the
written production performance in the students of the 2nd grade of BGU
course "A" from the Public Educational Unit "Dr. José Vicente Trujillo”.
One of the issues when doing this research was that written production is
not practiced and, therefore, prewriting strategies are not used properly. A
bibliographical search was carried out. The instruments and techniques,
supported the theories in order to reach conclusions and find a solution to
mitigate the problem found.
Chapter I contains the problem of the investigation, its context and
possible causes. In this part of the research, general and specific
objectives are established as well its justification.
Chapter II presents the background of the research and the different
theoretical bases on which this thesis is established: Linguistic, Didactic-
Pedagogical, Sociological, Psychological, Philosophical and Legal
foundations are included in this work.
Chapter III explains the methodological design, which includes the types of
investigation, techniques and instruments executed in this work in order to
obtain reliable data. The interpretation of the gathered data is displayed in
easy way to be understood. Conclusions and recommendations are also
provided at the end of this chapter.
Chapter IV is focused on the proposal, including the objectives, the
theoretical bases as well as the description of the proposal. In addition, a
list of conclusions is presented at the closure of this chapte
1
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM
1.1. Research Context
The current research was carried out in the Public Educational Unit
“Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo”.
The institution is located at Pío Jaramillo Av., Cdla. Pradera 2, in
the south of the city of Guayaquil of the Republic of Ecuador, it belongs to
the zone 8, District Ximena 09D01. It is considered a strategically
geographical position for students of limited economic resources. It has
470 students divided into: 220 in the morning shift and 250 in the
afternoon shift, with courses from 8th grade to 3rd BGU and A-D parallels.
The school was founded on May 27th, 1980, under the name of Dr.
Jose Vicente Trujillo in the downtown of the city, due to political problems
since 1990 it changed its location to the south of the city.
The establishment has the support of the Ecuadorian State whose
vision is: To aspire to an integrated center in the social reality of the city
and to be recognized as an important educational reference. To contribute
with an innovative and high-quality education to form students with a high
competitive level, this level will be reflected in the continuous evaluation.
In order to reach this vision a high commitment of the families and
teachers involved in the educational project it is required.
2
It also has the following mission:
The integral formation of students, in a space that fosters the
relationship between equals; developing attitudes of respect for people,
cultural diversity and the environment by promoting dialogue as a
primary instrument for overcoming conflicts.
Develop the skills and competences that allow them to safely continue
their further training, paying special attention to basic skills and abilities
as: reading comprehension, logical-mathematical reasoning, oral and
written expression, as well as communication in English.
Encourage work habits to favor the acquisition of basic instrumental
skills and study techniques in order to develop their autonomy and to
enable them to continue their further training.
Collaborate with families and their socio-cultural environment by
facilitating equal opportunities.
1.2. Research Problem
1.2.1. Conflict situation
Over the years, research has been carried out in which writing is
defined as the least mode of communication used, but knowing how to
communicate in written form goes beyond knowing how to represent
sounds in writing, it is the competence to express the thought with the goal
of creating a communicative space.
Writing has a primordial place in communication; sometimes it is
more feasible to use writing than oral expression, so this ability has a
3
specific importance within the teaching-learning process of the language
since it serves as an instrument for conveying message.
From direct observation was found that there is an insufficiency in
written production in the students of 2nd grade BGU of the Public
Educational Unit "Dr. José Vicente Trujillo" in the 2017-2018 academic
year.
According to the Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages (CEFRL), of 2nd BGU achieve the level B1 belong which
means they are independent users. Therefore they must be able to
understand and produce the main points of simple and coherent texts on
familiar or self-interest topics, as well as describing experiences, events,
desires and aspirations.
1.2.2. Scientific fact
A study performed by Education First (EF), an international
company specialized in the English teaching, in 2014 in which over 52.000
students were evaluated in grammar and listening, it was concluded that
Ecuador has one of the lowest levels in English, placing it in the 47th
position out of 60 countries, so as Peru, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, among
others.
This study also showed that young people are not interested in
learning English as a foreign language (EFL), even though, it is known that
mastering English opens the door to a whole world of possibilities.
After a study carried out by researchers, it was found that there is
deficiency in the written production of students from 2º grade of BGU,
4
parallel “A”, afternoon shift, from the Public Educational Unit "Dr. José
Vicente Trujillo" in the 2017-2018 Academic Year.
1.3. Causes
Inadequate prewriting strategies.
Difficulty creating coherent texts.
Lack of cohesion in written production.
Little practice of written production.
Unsuitable writing habits.
1.4. Problem formulation
How does the prewriting strategies influence on the development of
written production in students of the 2º year of BGU, course ¨A¨, from the
Public Educational Unit ¨Dr. José Vicente Trujillo¨, corresponding to Zone
8, District Ximena 1, Province Guayas, City Guayaquil, in the 2017 – 2018
Academic Year?
1.5. Objectives
1.5.1. General objective
To analyze the influence of prewriting strategies on the
development of written production, through the application of empirical
techniques and statistical methods in order to design a system of activities
for the improvement of the written production.
5
1.5.2. Specific objectives
To evaluate the prewriting strategies through a field, bibliographical and
statistical research.
To value the written production through a field, bibliographical and
statistical research.
To design a system of activities for the improvement of the prewriting
strategies in the written production, through the interpretation of the
obtained data and contrasting with the existing ones.
1.6. Research questions
What is the current situation from the 2nd
grade of BGU of the Public
Educational Unit "Dr. José Vicente Trujillo" in the development of
written production of the English language?
What are the theoretical foundations that support the development of
written production?
What are the causes that may be affecting the development of written
English language?
Will the design of a system of activities help students to improve the
written production?
What are the strategies of prewriting that should be used to improve
written production?
6
1.7. Justification
Nowadays, we find that the English as a foreign language, is one of
the main languages used for international communication due to economic
and cultural influence, and is becoming increasingly important in the
current world; hence the importance of the formation of the foreign
language in the educational system.
This is one of the main reasons why the students from University of
Guayaquil have decided to carry out this project about the influence of the
prewriting strategies. It must be emphasized that this work fulfills one of
the objectives of the Good Living National Plan: "To strengthen the
capacities and potentials of the citizenship"; since it is pretended to
establish a precedent that allows the evaluation of written production,
through the use or development of prewriting strategies, in the same way
to guide the students to get involve in improvement activities and be aware
of the progress of their learning.
It is also considered important to mention the English National
Curriculum Guidelines (ENCG). Because it indicates the learners’
language skills, specifically in writing expresses, and gives options of
activities to teachers to develop the creativity, memory and imagination of
the students according to the level; and teachers should respond not only
to the form (grammar) but also the content of students’ writing (by pointing
out whether or not meaning is clear, cohesive, etc.) (p.16)
Through the Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages(CEFR) will define the skills that students must acquire in each
of the linguistic competences: listening comprehension, reading
comprehension, oral interaction, oral expression, written expression, and
in this way the teacher will evaluate and measure the level of
understanding and production will therefore teach according to the level
provided by the CEFR, thus fulfilling one of the objectives it has: “That the
7
rich heritage of the different languages and cultures of Europe constitutes
a resource very valuable to be protected and developed, and that it
becomes necessary to an important educational effort in order that this
diversity ceases to be an obstacle for communication and to become a
source of enrichment and understanding mutual funds”.
This is the reason why it is proposed as an idea the creation of a
system of activities, so that written production can be improved while using
the appropriate strategy for writing.
According to Berzahy Terán the written production is important
because it serves to model our thinking, and it is a “key” to “learn and
refine” our ideas and every single knowledge, not only in our mother
tongue but in another foreign language.
In our society, learning the English language, represents for many
students important difficulties, especially in written production, from our
own experience as speakers of a language, we know that writing is a
difficult and complex activity, problems arise for psychological reasons,
linguistic and cognitive, since writing is an activity in which the interlocutor
is not present, and interaction and feedback are not possible.
Through different studies it has been shown that the constant
practice writing exercises as an essential tool, during a certain time,
facilitate the teacher to explain and stimulate students to develop writing
skills. In this context, the design of a system of activities not only functions
as a requirement for methodological teaching processes, but rather
becomes the instrument for improving written production.
This project will have as a direct beneficiaries to the main actors of
educational process: the students from Public Educational Unit "Dr. José
8
Vicente Trujillo", where this research will take place, the English teachers,
that worried about their work and knowing the influence of the prewriting
strategies in the development of texts and its intervention in the academic
performance of students, can direct their efforts. In the same way the
indirect beneficiaries will be the parents and the community because they
are the principal axe that students will need to have a brighter future.
9
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1. Background
The worldwide statistics from the United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO, 2010) point the English
as the second language most practiced; thus, becoming an international
and academic language of commerce as a basic skill required for
students as it gives opportunities, and in addition, determines the ability
to employ to extends the horizons.
In recent years this issue has been considered as the main aim
among different educational authorities worldwide, since, according to an
annual report of the English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) published, at the
end of 2014, by the global education company, Education First, indicates
that, Argentina was the only country in the region to be placed on the list
of countries with "high proficiency" in English language, and only the
Dominican Republic reached the column of "moderate ability"; while
Ecuador has a low level of English.
In Ecuador, the government did not have as a priority the teaching
of English as a foreign language (EFL) in primary school, as indicated by
the Ecuadorian-British Bilateral Technical Cooperation Project for English
Curricular Reform (CRADLE), which has been valid since 1992, focused
specifically on secondary school. Prior to this Government, learning this
language from the first to the seventh year was optional, according to
Agreement 582, March 2000. For the academic year 2016-2017 the
educational curriculum was reformed; with this new regulation, the
teaching of English as a foreign language becomes mandatory since 2nd
EBG in the public educational units.
10
This project includes the textbooks for teaching and learning
English, as well as the strategic methodology to develop the four
communicative skills of language: listening, writing, speaking and
reading, through the use of Curriculum Guidelines, which is positive for
the improvement of the skills and abilities in students from the public
educational system.
Furthermore, for the English teaching strengthening are currently
carrying out activities aimed at different objectives, specifically: to design,
to implement and to monitor an English language curriculum framed in
international quality standards to promote effective and meaningful
classroom learning.
The educational scenario is even more difficult if we note the
variable of written production as the main deficit.
In this line, in the national context with the thesis titled “El portafolio
como herramienta didáctica y su influencia en el desarrollo de la destreza
de escritura del idioma inglés en los estudiantes de sexto y séptimo año
de educación básica del colegio Cebi de la ciudad de Ambato, Ecuador¨
(Freire , 2014) in which proposes the design of a portfolio as a didactic tool
for the development of writing; concludes also that it does not need a lot of
didactic material to improve this ability, and at the same time, the activities
carried out in classes are well preserved and organized.
The reviewed background is fundamental, as it displays positives
results based on the implementation of activities as a learning system and
guides to the present research to have a wide perspective of important
elements to design a system of activities with strategies of prewriting and
in this manner to develop the written production.
11
2.2. Theoretical foundations.
2.2.1. Linguistic foundation
Tello, (2006) indicates that in today’s world is indispensable
learning other language besides the mother tongue, even more to master
each of the skills that entail their learning; written production, has, at some
point, been stigmatized as one of the most difficult of four skills, since it
involves not only the grammatical aspect, but also the functional use of
language and the cultural phenomena linked to the practice, as remarked
in Byram & Morgan (1994), Cortazzi & Jin (1999), Fantini (1997), and
Kramsch (1998).
Also remarks Kramsch’s, (1998) point of view, in which it is pointed
that social interactions are “inherent” in people’s way of being and this are
“consequently susceptible to contextual factors” whether they were part of
a socio-cultural phenomenon or relative power (Tello, 2006, p.171).
According to National Curriculum Guidelines for EFL, (2015) writing
is considered as a tool for the development of the communications use for
transmitting information ideas and knowledge. In the communicative
process, the elements of communication are the ones that determine the
characteristic features of the different messages, its purpose is to
convince, to inform, to express a feeling, to command, a concrete
communicative situation. This is the maximum unit of communication.
(Consejería de Cultura, Educacion y Ordenacion Universitaria of Galicia,
2014).
Following those statements, the same author says that, texts can
be defined as a linguistic unit with a define purpose which is intended to
communicate speaker’s message, this could be understood as an
12
ensemble of statements of varying extension from an interjection to a
novel (p.1).
It is important to give the right value to texts, since for developing a
proper written production there are some aspects or qualities that texts
must have, such as meaning, objective, organization, coherence,
cohesion, and adequacy.
2.2.1.1. Textual characteristic.
To be a text its nature must be complete, it means that should have
a meaning by itself; has to possess a fundamental informative nucleus or
topic, this topic must have a sense, which is the meaning by the content
and respond to the general subject. (p.3)
2.2.1.2. Levels of textual organization
Text, being a unit of communication and not to fall into the
construction of unconnected statements must possess certain properties
that reflect their degree of organization, these are adequacy, coherence
and cohesion.
From the communicative point of view, texts should have an
adequacy which, according to the Consejería de Cultura, Educacion y
Ordenacion Universitaria of Galicia (2014) is the result of a series of
choices that the issuer must carry out taking into account the specific
characteristics of the elements involved in that communication: who is the
issuer, what is its intention, who is the receiver, what is the relationship
between both, which channel is going to be used. Given all this takes a
series of decisions on the text. (p.3)
13
The text has a communicative structure based on the
communication elements as well, which determines its linguistic function,
its form and its meaning.
Other of the fundamental aspects is coherence, inherent property in
every text that makes its perception as a communicative unit and not as a
succession of incoherent statements, (semantics) coherence is given by
the interrelations of all the information contained in a text. It is the ability to
demonstrate continuity in the sense of what is written. (p.4)
Finally, when a text is built it is necessary to blend all its units
through the different nexus that language offers, this is known as
cohesion, which is “the linguistic manifestation of coherence: a text is well
cohesive if there are linguistic mechanisms that reveal the coherent
relation of its parts” (p.5), in order to understand a text, the linguistic
elements that reveal the relations between its parts must be analyzed:
chapters, paragraphs and sentences.
2.2.3.1.1. Text typology
In the communicative process, texts are the messages, and
following what have been said before, the elements in communication,
(transmitter, receiver, channel, code and referent) are the determinants
traits in all written messages. There is, therefore, a great variety as far as
textual classification is concerned, attending to different points of view,
which are often interspersed to textual linguistic. (Simón, 2006, p.148)
Bernandéz, as cited in Simon (2006), affirms that Werlich’s textual
typological model is the first attempt to classify text, “on the basis of two
fundamental criteria: the information and / or data of the extra-linguistic
14
context and the sentence structures that form the so-called textual basis.”
(p.153)
Grosse states that text can be classified according to the
intentionality given by the text, so the following is argued:
Textual function represents the intention of the sender, manifested
linguistically in the text and addressed to the receiver. This
predominant function would inform the receiver about the
understanding model desired by the sender. In this sense, all the
texts in which a function stands out form a textual class, referred to
here as text types. (Simón, 2006, p.155)
This proposal opened new perspectives in the field of textual
linguistics by selecting strictly functional criteria for the texts typologization.
It constitutes, therefore, the most representative typology of the
classifications that rest on the textual function.
From the point of view of Consejería de Cultura, Educación y
Ordenación Universitaria of Galicia (2014), a text can be organized by the
following aspects:
By the intention of transmitter, which corresponds to the language
function, these could be: informative, expressive, factual, metalinguistic
or poetic (p.1).
By the language variety; constitutes a variety of language or the
linguistic code that each one of the sets of peculiar features that
characterize the use that the speakers make of the common code or
standard language based on various factors (p.2).
15
2.2.2. Psychological foundation
Throughout the years several (studies or researches) have used
psychology as a referent to explain human behavior in teaching learning
process. It is said that, in this discipline learning theories have been
developed (the ones that explain teaching learning process) and also
instructional theories (the ones that indicate how teaching and learning
process is carried out) However, one of the most used theories for
learning a foreign language is constructivism. Constructivism is actively
constructed with previous knowledge bases (Díaz, 2003).
Yilmaz, (2011) defines this learning as a "process through which
new information is related to some aspect already existing in the cognitive
structure of an individual and that is relevant to the material that is
intended to be learned." Therefore it must be established that preliminary
knowledge helps teachers and students in two directions: to know the
knowledge that students already have, and to use the same knowledge as
a base for new knowledge. Thus the researchers of this study suggest that
teachers should use appropriate strategies to develop writing skills in
students, especially in the pre-writing stages.
According to Armstrong, Wilson & Forlini, (2001) prewriting refers to
all of the work you do before you actually sit down to write. It includes
generating ideas, collecting information, and organizing your material, that
helps a writer think about a topic, determine a purpose an audience and
prepare to write. (p.4)
16
From this definition, to make a text should consider the types of
strategies such as: brainstorming, clustering, free-writing, and the
journalist questions, which are used to create new concepts. Then it will
be shown a table that presents the different types of pre writing strategies
and how they complement the cognitive processes to achieve the creation
of new knowledge.
This implies the assimilation of new information for a specific
structure of the prior knowledge existing in the individual (cognitive
structure). Méndez, (2000) defines these as psychological entities that
make up the cognitive structure as inclusive concepts (p.92).
2.2.2.1. Types of strategies according to cognitive process
Table Nº 1: Types of strategies according to cognitive process
Types of strategies Cognitive process
Brainstorming Activation of prior (preliminary)
knowledge
Clustering Generates the expectations of the
topic.
Free writing
Enhances the connection between
previous knowledge and the
information to be learned.
The journalist questions Active, directs and maintains the
attention. Source: Estrategias docente para un aprendizaje significativo.
Researchers: Blanco, Rivera. (2017)
2.2.2.1.1 Brainstorming
This strategy can be worked individually or in pairs by students.
First the teacher elicits ideas that the students have about a specific topic,
then, ask learners to share the ideas aloud. The teacher writes the ideas
down on the board and then invites students to discuss. To the extent that
students listen to their classmates’ ideas, they remember additional
17
information or acquire new knowledge (Armstrong, Wilson & Forlini, 2001
p.7). Brainstorming should be used when students have prior knowledge
about the topic to be studied.
According to According to Condemarin, (2000) there are several
steps to work brainstorming as prewriting strategy:
To provide students with cards to record their information.
To ask them to write all the words, ideas or phrases they have in their
mind about the topic.
To discuss previous information, highlighting ideas that are directly
related to the selected topic.
To write ideas generated by the students about the main ideas of the
subject to conclude the activity helping the students to clarify their
purposes at the beginning of the writing.
2.2.2.1.2 Clustering
This strategy has a great value and potential within the scope of
teaching. Muñoz, Vega, & Hinojosa, (2016) define it as “The development
of classification capacity, categorization, and decision...to integrate a lot of
complex data… see greater understanding of the content and stimulate
reflection”. It is important to highlight the definition of these authors, who
conceive the maps as an organization chart or structure graph where the
points are reflected or central ideas of a theme, establishing relationships
between them and that uses, for this, the combination of shapes, colors
and drawings.
18
All these definitions show the importance of the visual component in
the process of understanding, organizing and memorization of information
or, rather, of the conversion of this into knowledge. Therefore, mental
maps can constitute a facilitator element in the methodologies of
cooperative learning to develop the ideas of the contents worked (p.137).
Once considered the relevance of mind maps as a learning
strategy, it is necessary to describe their characteristics, the elaboration
process, as well as their relationship in the cognitive process. In this
regard:
Rectangles are used to describe the most relevant concepts of a text.
Lines symbolize the relationships between concepts.
Words written on lines connect concepts that express relationships
between them.
Arrows are used carefully, only when they are necessary to give
direction to certain relationships. The accentuated use of arrows in the
conceptual maps leaves them very similar to flow diagrams and, thus,
the distorts.
Finally, the acquisition of the mind maps domain as strategy of
learning is of great value to work on the contents of texts in class. From a
personal and unique point of view, they contribute in writing to reflect ideas
from an academic perspective.
2.2.2.1.3 Free-writing.
English language as a discipline of general education, must develop
in students an integral personality that involves the ability to think, reason,
19
deduce and act creative in the use of the foreign language. For this,
students need to develop linguistic and communicative skills integrated in
written form.
Free writing is an additional prewriting strategy. It is applied before
making an argument or before a written respond. Students usually do not
apply this strategy outside the classroom, for that reason it is important for
teachers to work with writing activities, considering the needs of each
student and balancing the class time and make writing activities
meaningful for the students. Therefore, learners will recognize that written
expression is as important as oral expression.
In this sense, the free writing guides students to write their ideas
and thoughts without concerns about grammar, spelling and other aspects
of the language. To work with free writing, it is suggested to give a time in
the class and let the students to write on a topic of their interest, without
interruptions. The main characteristic of free writing is that few mistakes
are corrected by the teacher, which allows the student not to feel
pressured when writing freely. The focus of this type of writing is in the
process, not in the product.
2.2.2.1.4 The journalist questions
Dewey, (1971) was the first who proposed the inquiry into the
teaching of languages, and warned that its use would allow the teacher to
apply in the classroom the pedagogical procedures for written activities;
such as: discover surprising situations, explain the questions that arise
and express assumptions test them, evaluate them and proceed with the
conclusion. The student has an active and committed role with his learning
and the teacher monitors the process.
20
The questions should have the following characteristics:
The theme must be presented with several approaches
Students must know the subject in advance and must analyze it in all
its aspects.
The students must ask questions in logical order and answers must be
correctly argued.
It must come to a conclusion.
2.2.3 Pedagogical foundation
Unfortunately, 758 million people in the world do not know how to
read or write (UNESCO, 2016), in the same manner, there is another
numerous amount like the previous one that, even though they can read
and write, they implement this process with difficulty and deficiency.
Cassany, (1999) supposes that:
Writing is a socio-historical inheritance that, the human being
acquires and develops in society, and in the same way, written
composition is defined as a highly complex task, which has as
consequence that "it cannot be spoken as spontaneous writing " as
well (p.112).
To describe the writing process, it must be established that this
consist in three stages. According to Roca de Larios, Murphy & Manchón,
(2007) if the three stages of writing process; the prewriting (ideas), writing
21
(production) and revision (elaboration of the text) are followed, a
reasonable written task would be produced. The application and execution
of this model was a central topic for researchers since it implies the
improvement of the writing capacity through certain strategies.
On the other hand, in later investigations, positions contrary to the
one proposed by previous authors appeared. Flower & Hayes, (1981)
indicates that:
The writing process is open; which means that it does not have a
fixed end point. Text can be always considered. It is the author who
sets the threshold on which he is satisfied. The revision is a
consideration in this threshold.
Therefore, the writing text is not entirely linear but rather the text
maintains a constant treatment, and the writer has the freedom and
comfort to rethink the ideas, in which it is rewritten, corrected and revised.
Analyzing the two ideas outlined above, it is recognized the existence of
differences between the ways that the writing process is developed, but
both lead to improve the ability of the individual.
According to Armstrong, Wilson & Forlini, (2001)
Prewriting refers to all of the work you do before you actually sit
down to write. It includes generating ideas, collecting information,
and organizing your material. You may find it helpful to devote
much of your time to prewriting. Doing so may make it a lot easier
to sit down and assemble a piece of writing (p.14).
22
To the advance of this, it should be included a series of operations;
however, it is important to clarify that they do not happen in the strict or
fixed order in which they are described below.
2.2.3.1. Steps of pre writing
2.2.3.1.1. Drafting
Some writers find it most effective to write an entire first draft in one
sitting. They write in a single burst, without making revisions as they go
along. Other writers break up the production of a first draft into stages,
pausing every now and then to read over what they’ve written and make
revisions.
According with an academic essay by Bryson, (2014) about writing
the first draft. To write a first draft, some characteristics should be taken
into account: anticipated impulse, clear organization, coherence and
cohesion, and finally grammar usage.
Forward momentum, the main objective is to produce a complete
draft, not perfect. Editing little while you write is fine, the important thing is
to write the ideas now and perfect them later. If you consider that a
sentence or argument is not right, point it out and then raise it again later.
Clear organization, to make a first draft, the logical order of the
paragraphs and sentences, the writer should in an outline to avoid
organizational problems when writing the first draft. However, the
organization does not have to be perfect, it should be simply logical. When
you start your second draft you can decide to organize it better.
23
Coherence and cohesion, Express your ideas clearly and
coherently, for example, creating smooth transitions and direct sentences,
with a clear expression but without forgetting that sentences can be edited
in your second draft.
Grammar, The writing of the first draft must be understandable,
using the correct grammatical structure although for some writers, forming
sentences requires a lot of time and consideration.
2.2.3.1.2. Revising
Revising is perhaps the most important part of the process of
writing. However, there are many different manners of revising. You might,
for example, want to approach the revision process in stages, focusing on
individual aspects of your writing one at a time.
Here are some things that the teacher and students should keep in
mind about how to review, according to Harwick, (2011).
The first step is to verify that the content has a logical sequence.
During the prewriting phase, it is normal and important to combine the
order of your ideas and see which sequence makes the most sense,
before continuing you should review the main idea or theme, to maintain
the previous thought about the order of the ideas.
The second step is to consider that changes should not be made in
a central idea since it can affect the other ideas; therefore it is always
important to follow the ideas to the end logically way and remember that if
one thing changes, all the content or idea could change.
24
In the book “writing and grammar” of Armstrong, Wilson & Forlini,
(2001) give us key points to review the first draft:
Circling Contradictory Information: If you notice words,
sentences or phrases that distract from your main idea, circle those
elements. When you have reviewed each paragraph, evaluate the circled
information and consider these revision options:
If the circled items are important to your essay, write a new
paragraph to address the information or eliminate items you cannot link to
your paragraph’s main idea.
Identify Sentence Beginnings: List the first word of each sentence
in your draft, to improve your draft, insert phrases or clauses that break
the pattern.
Generating a synonym back: When you write about a specific
topic, you may find that you use the same words to name it each time, you
need to identify the general topic and create a list of key words or
synonym bank to write so that the same words are not repeated.
2.2.3.1.3. Editing
The process of reviewing and restructuring can be repeated on
several occasions, until obtain satisfaction with the work’s content. The
following step is editing, it consists in checking out the fluency of speech,
the meaning, and the sentence structure, managed as complete ideas that
tacks article’s parts and paragraph’s writing. It is highly important to check
over the orthography, punctuation, and grammar.
Finally, revise the relation between references and quotes and their
consistency, review the headings to see if they correspond to the content
25
and meet the specifications of the topic, edit tables and figures. Repeat
these processes as many times as necessary.
2.2.3.2 Elements
Actors: The audience or the public to which you want to convey
ideas or written information
Acts: The character or affectie quality of the text which aspires to
produce a claim, a plea, a protest, a condemnation, a reconciliation, an
expression of submission, ostentation, openness, pride, firmness or a
neutral or objective position , etc.
Scenes: The specific medium in which you try to present what is
going to be written.
Purposes: Is the aim that is intended to be satisfied; the need,
concern or dissatisfaction, in other words, what the author aspires to reach
with the piece of writing.
2.2.3.4. Resources
It is essential to have more current resources in the act of
performing a written production, such as:
Dictionaries
Magazines
Books
26
There are important tools for anyone who is learning a new language; with
a dictionary you search for the meaning of a word, translation of a word in
any language and how to pronounce those words; find out other
grammatical information about a word and also you can find synonyms
and antonyms.
When you use magazines, you can obtain examples of the use of a word
in natural language or colloquial expressions. Finally, books are relevant,
because you can read different types of genres: academic, bibliographic,
legends, histories and autobiography, and improve your vocabulary.
2.2.4. Sociological foundation
The practice of the written production becomes more important,
because is considered as one of the most difficult skills to be developed
and less taken into account. The concept of writing has changed over time
and it has not escaped from social changes. Writing is affected by the
development of new technologies, new cultural paradigms and advances
in the scientific field. Teaching and learning, on the other hand, have
transformed the perceptions of the writing competence and the needs to
be faced. Reading and writing are one of the main tools of learning since
the progressive acquisition of the read and written code implies the
development of cognitive abilities: reflection, criticism, and awareness of
students own thoughts and those of others. Hence the importance that
these two competences have in teaching (Rodríguez , 2015).
Being literate not only involves learning to read and to write
correctly, it also involves social and cultural factors as well as the personal
practice that students must follow in order to achieve individual
development and interactions with other individuals since "it is not possible
to fully understand or approach literacy in isolation" (Chala & Chapetón,
2012). Hence its importance, since the context in which the educational
27
process takes place must be taken into account for its own development
(p.24)
The importance in the development of the written skill lies in the
fact that it should be taken from the context of the writer as well as in the
place and time; Gee (as cited in Chala & Chapeton, 2012) argues that
“text or a simple sentence acquire its meaning only within the social
configuration it forms at a specific moment” (p.24). Following the same
line, it is said, that social interaction in a working group "contributes to the
construction of meaning and, thus to learning" (Chala, and Chapetón,
2012 p.25) as well as the construction of an identity, since interaction
supports not only writing development but also gives a bonus in the way
the individual is seen in their surrounding environment.
2.2.5. Philosophical foundation
According to Penny Ur (2012), (as cited in EFL National Curriculum
Guidelines) the purpose of writing is the expression of ideas, but it is
necessary to emphasize that, in order to convey an idea, apart from
developing the student's cognitive and linguistic aspects, learners should
be “aware” of their own culture (Paige, Jorstad, Siaya, Klein & Colby,
1999; Bennett, 1993; Kramsch, 1993, p.24).
Barletta (2009), cited a study of intercultural communicative
approach developed by Byram (2002) in which he mentions that there are
five competences to be developed to reach one of the aims of education,
which is learn –how– to be or “savoir être” aimed to developing of values
or norms of behavior in our context such as in the interculturality as well
(p.144). From interculturality, it is understood that contextual processes
are essential for the development of processes of collective reflection and
capture of a common axiological terrain, which allows the equitable and
sustainable progress of global knowledge societies. Therefore, the
28
sociocultural processes of written composition can be a perfect pretext for
reflection and shared axiological construction (p.145).
It is worth mentioning that, from this point of view, it is sought the
enhancement of the relationship of our being with the other, in an integral,
harmonious and respectful manner not only with the beliefs and concepts
but with their cultural context. Thus, the area for the development of the
educational process will be suitable for the potentialization of the written
skill.
2.2.6. Legal foundation
The Constitution from the Republic of Ecuador
Education is a training designed to develop the intellectual, moral
and affective capacity of people in accordance with the culture and norms
of social harmony of the society to which they belong. This is why there
are laws that protect and promote education.
This research is supported by the Constitution of the Republic of
Ecuador (2008) Section One. Education. Article 343. The education
national system will have as its development of individual and collective
capacities and potential of the learning, and the generation and use of
knowledge, techniques, arts and culture. The system will center to the
subject that learns, and will function in a flexible and dynamic way,
Inclusive, effective and efficient.
The constitution declares that the education is directed to the
society in general with the right and responsibility of each participant in the
educational system.
29
Article 26, Section Five, states: Education is a right of people
throughout their lives and an inescapable and obligatory duty of the State.
As well as to guarantee equality and social inclusion and the
indispensable condition for a good way of life, where people have the right
and responsibility to participate in education.
The Good Living National Plan
The learning of other languages is important at national and
international level; therefore the Republic of Ecuador has considered as
primary the learning of a foreign language among its policies. The Good
Living National Plan, (2013) states in its Fourth Objective, to promote the
learning of a foreign language under international parameters from the
early childhood education through college.
This document also contemplates laws that encourage the use of
different methodologies, as in the same objective, spread and promotes
the different methodologies and intercultural epistemologies of knowledge
and research of the people and nationalities in the educational systems
and in the areas of research, science and innovation, as a space that
strengthens the knowledge.
Ecuadorian Intercultural Education Organic Law
This project contributes to the necessity of applying different
strategies for English learning process, through the application of
prewriting strategies to enhance writing production.
The LOEI (2011) fosters the learning of language. The article 247,
Chapter II Propose policies to ensure the cultural and linguistic relevance
of the services of the Intercultural Bilingual Education System at all levels
30
and modalities In order to apply these laws The Ministry of Education
makes available to the different institutions the English Curriculum
Guidelines
English National Curricular Guide
The English Curriculum Guidelines, (2012) given by the Ministry of
Education, has an obligatory nature that requires every single educational
institution to meet the aspects established, under international parameters,
the importance of the English language as a tool which equips individuals
to understand people and cultures.
“The need to align the English curriculum to standards like the
Common European Framework of Reference. That the Communicative
Approach is currently the most recognized, accepted norm in the field of
language teaching and learning worldwide because it comprises a
theoretically well-informed set of principle about the nature of a particular
language” (p.5)
Each one of these aspects, named in this chapter, endorses the
variables of this research, and they are important, as they are the source
of study prior to the application of the proposal and the achievement of the
objectives established.
31
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY, PROCESS, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF
RESULTS
3.1. Methodological design
This research was carried out based on methods and techniques as
well as statistical procedures. This project analyzes the influence of the
prewriting strategies on the development of written production of students
from 2º year of BGU, course “A”, from the Public Educational Unit "Dr.
José Vicente Trujillo" 2017-2018 Academic Year.
3.2. Types of research
3.2.1 Qualitative - Quantitative:
According to Reichardt & Cook, (1986) cited by Krause, (1995)
research using insight and inference from a search of subjectivities; "from
inside" and assuming a dynamic reality, oriented to discovery, exploratory,
expansionary, descriptive and inductive, can be used and valued in
qualitative inquiry.
This is why this project applied qualitative methods, because, it
contemplated the analysis of thoughts, qualities, attributes, characteristics
and peculiarities related to the phenomenon studied.
The quantitative methods it is also applied in searching the, paying
little attention to the subjective states of individuals and more oriented to
32
the verification and confirmation assuming a countable reality.
Excerpt from the Reichardt & Cook, (1986).
Thus, through this method, it is possible to do the counting and
classification of characteristics in the construction of statistical models and
figures to explain what was observed throughout the project.
3.2.2. Descriptive
Grajales, (2000) states that a descriptive research works on
realities of fact and its fundamental characteristic is that of correct
interpretation, this may include the following types of studies: surveys,
cases, explanatories, causal, developmental, predictive, set and
correlation.
The description was used to be able to identify the processes that
allow explaining the events, based on facts and data collection, in order to
analyze and systematize all the information generated and to achieve the
objectives that are problematized.
3.2.3 Explanatory
It intends to establish the causes of the events, events or
phenomena that are studied (Hernandez, Fernández & Baptista, 2010).
It was considered the causal relations and explanatory processes to
determine what are the causes of deficiency in the development of written
production of the students. As a result it was concretized that there are
inadequate prewriting strategies, difficulty for creating coherent text,
shortage of cohesion in written production, little practice of written
production, unsuitable writing habits.
33
3.2.1. Purposeful
The end of the present study was to propose solutions to a specific
situation based on a process of inquiry that involves exploring, describing,
explaining and displaying alternatives for overcome the issue presented,
but not necessarily executing the proposal of a system of activities for the
improvement of written production.
3.3. Population and sample
3.3.1. Population
The population of this research consists of 25 students who belong
to 2º year of BGU, course “A”, from the "Dr. José Vicente Trujillo" Public
Educational Unit 2017-2018 Academic Year and their English teacher. In
total, 26 people. The distribution of the population is detailed in the
following table.
Table Nº 2: Distribution of the population
Population Sample
Students
25 25
Teachers
1 1
Total
26
26
Source: Data gathered at “Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational” Unit.
Researchers: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
3.3.2. Sample
It was not necessary to obtain a sample by a probabilistic or non-
probabilistic selection due to the fact that the population is not above of
100 people.
34
3.4. Operationalization of variables
Table Nº 3: Operationalization of variables
Variables Dimensions Indicators
Types of strategies
Brainstorming
Clustering
Free writing
The journalist questions
Prewriting Steps of prewriting Drafting
Revising
Editing
Resources
Dictionaries
Magazines
Books
Prewriting elements
Actors
Acts
Scenes
Purposes
Concept Definition
Characteristics
Written Production
Types of texts By the intention of
transmitter
By the language variety
Levels of text organization
Coherence
Cohesion
Adequacy
Stages of writing
Prepare-select a topic
Draft
Select the audience
Revise
Edit Source: Methodology, process, analysis and discussion of results
Researchers: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
3.5. Research methods
The methods applied on this research are:
35
3.5.1. Analysis – Synthesis
This method is used to divide a whole in the parts and thus allowing
a deeply study of each element, the connection that each of the elements
have between each other and with the object of study. This method was
used in this research at the moment of making a correlation between the
variables, to find the issue and the facts, the causes and each particularity
that were involved in this.
3.5.2. Inductive-Deductive
The inductive method was used since the researchers direct the
investigation through the observation of the particular in general facts, a
deficiency in written production. By the other hand, the deductive method
tries to explain the phenomenon from particular facts to reach a global
picture of the subject of study, the need to implement strategies to make
writing tasks.
3.5.3. Logical-Historical
According to Moran, (2011) the Logical-Historical research is the
"Analysis and investigation of the historical processes of the framework
from society" (p.71). After have made the historical assessment, where it
was determined that in the Educational Unit "Dr. José Vicente Trujillo".
There have been no previous researches on the influence of pre-writing
strategies on the development of written production. However, it was
found that some researches have been carried out with the same
variables in a national and international context. It was then determined to
assess the background, to obtain a clear reference and thus, to advance
in the investigation of this problem with a different proposal.
36
3.5.4. Systemic-Structural-Functional
It is applied based on the elaboration of the proposal: Design of a
system of activities for the improvement of written production, since the
students have an inadequate use of the strategies of prewriting, difficulty
to create texts with coherence and cohesion, which aims to evaluate,
value and improve written production using the data obtained.
3.6. Techniques and instruments of investigation
As it was stated before, the authors of this research did not apply
empirical methods, but they did apply empirical techniques, "It is the use of
the senses and instruments specialized to know directly or indirectly, when
studying a fact of a problem raised"
This project use observations, interviews, and surveys.
3.6.1. Observation guide
Moran, (2011) declared that observation is the correct application of
the senses, knowing and understanding certain phenomena of a problem.
(p.24)
It was important to evaluate the problem situation in English
learning process with this technique. The observation that researcher did,
was a field-observation because it was done in a real social context in the
¨Dr. José Vicente Trujillo¨ Public Educational Unit. The observation was
done by using an instrument of investigation and the researchers
evaluated an English class to analyze the influence of prewriting strategies
on the development of written production.
37
3.6.2. Interview.
The purpose of interviewing the English teacher was to have a
direct contact with her, to ask about her students’ insufficiencies, and
strategies to teach English and to develop the written production in order
to have first-handed information about the problems and difficulties that
students bring to English class.
3.6.3. Survey
It was composed a survey of fifteen items; the statements were
based on the variables, and also were focused on the proposal. The
survey was designed by using Likert scale of quality.
3.7. Analysis and interpretation of results
3.7.1. Observation analysis
This observation was carried out in order to analyze and give a
detailed diagnose to the research problem.
As long as we could observe during the class, the teacher did not
use the English text book provided by the Ministry of Education, but even
when they do not have this support material the teacher tries to follow the
order of content in the texts units.
The students understood the instructions given by the teacher. She
encouraged students to do a writing activity, which consisted in telling
what they would be doing during their quimester’s vacations. In spite the
teacher’s efforts the learners seemed not been interested. It is also worth
to mention that the educator did not use any prewriting strategy to guide
students through this production.
38
For this assignment, students did not use any resource, no
dictionary, no magazines and no images to clear the path to do the task.
But on the contrary, some students were eager doing this class work,
whether they had or not implements to do it, some of them made little
compositions a as a narrative text, with only few lines of writing.
3.7.2. Interview analysis
The answers given by the teacher, showed that one of the main
problems is not having a proper support material to do class work and this
deficiency, eventually, brings difficulties to carry out written tasks. Due to
these issues, students are left behind in the level they must have, the
learning process is developed in lessons that are repetitive and in many
cases boring.
Because of the issues mentioned above and the fact that writing, is,
the skill the less performed in class difficult the teacher agrees to
implement a system of activities to enhance the student’s level in written
production.
3.7.3. Survey to the students analysis
Table 4: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 1
I know the prewriting stages that guide written production.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 1
Strongly agree 5 20%
Agree 1 4%
Neither agree or disagree 2 8%
Disagree 6 24%
Strongly disagree 11 44%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
39
Graphic 1: Survey item Nº 1
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comment:
According to the result that the survey displayed, it indicates that
the most of students do not know the stages that guide the development of
a written production, thus, showing that there is a problem when planning
what they are going to write.
Table 5: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 2
It is difficult for me to do writing exercises in class.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 2
Strongly agree 10 40%
Agree 6 24%
Neither agree or disagree 5 20%
Disagree 2 8%
Strongly disagree 2 8%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
20%
4%
8%
24%
44%
Item Nº 1: I know the prewriting stages that guide written production.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
40
Graphic 2: Survey item Nº 2
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comment:
The result demonstrated that, for most of the students, exists a
higher degree of difficulty when doing tasks or activities that involve writing
during the English class which indicates that this skill is not strengthened
enough in this.
Table 6: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 3
It is easy for me to convey ideas or thoughts in writing.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 3
Strongly agree 1 4%
Agree 2 8%
Neither agree or disagree 3 12%
Disagree 6 24%
Strongly disagree 13 52%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
40%
24%
20%
8%
8%
Item Nº 2: It is difficult for me to do writing exercises in class.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
41
Graphic 3: Survey item Nº 3
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comment:
Most of the surveyed students answer that, for them it is difficult to
convey ideas or thoughts in writing, this means that almost half of them do
not feel capable to express by writing what they are thinking. This is an
important fact since this is writing’s aim.
Table 7: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 4
I feel motivated to do writing activities in the English class.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 4
Strongly agree 3 12%
Agree 4 16%
Neither agree or disagree 1 4%
Disagree 6 24%
Strongly disagree 11 44%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
4%
8%
12%
24%
52%
Item Nº 3: It is easy for me to convey ideas or thoughs in writing.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
42
Graphic 4: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 4
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comment:
The result showed that most of the students do not feel motivated to
do written activities in the English class. It is a point to take into account
since, it indicates that it is not given the necessary value to this major skill
to be developed in English as a foreign language and to be unable to do
writing in certain cases could be frustrating for students.
Table 8: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 5
My English teacher applies a variety of written activities for the development of written production.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 5
Strongly agree 9 36%
Agree 6 24%
Neither agree or disagree 5 20%
Disagree 3 12%
Strongly disagree 2 8%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
12%
16%
4%
24%
44%
Item Nº 4: I feel motivated to do writing activities in the English class.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
43
Graphic 5: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 5
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comment:
The result from this item, evidenced that the teacher makes a
variety of activities for the development of written competence, but
counterpoising it with the previous point, the students, do not feel
motivated and consequently fail in this task.
Table 9: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 6
I know the different writing strategies.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 6
Strongly agree 0 0%
Agree 1 4%
Neither agree or disagree 6 24%
Disagree 5 20%
Strongly disagree 13 52%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
36%
24%
20%
12%
8%
Item Nº 5: My English teacher applies various written activities for the development of writen production.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
44
Graphic 6: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 6
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comment:
As we can appreciate in this item, most of the students do not know
writing strategies, at this point it is important to remark its significance
since these are the ones that will help us to shape and develop a good
writing, trough ideas.
Table 10: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 7
I apply prewriting strategies prior to the development of an essay.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 7
Strongly agree 1 4%
Agree 4 16%
Neither agree or disagree 5 20%
Disagree 4 16%
Strongly disagree 11 44%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
0%
4%
24%
20%
52%
Item Nº 6: I know different writing strategies.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
45
Graphic 7: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 7
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo public educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comment:
The results from this item reflected that, prior to development of an
essay, the students do not apply prewriting strategies which implies that
the process to arrive to the main point which is written production is not
being properly carried out.
Table 11: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 8
I consider the application of prewriting strategies to improve my
written production useful.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 8
Strongly agree 11 44%
Agree 6 24%
Neither agree or disagree 3 12%
Disagree 2 8%
Strongly disagree 3 12%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
4%
16%
20%
16%
44%
Item Nº 7: I apply prewriting strategies prior to the development of an essay.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
46
Graphic 8: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 8
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comments
The result from this item showed, that mostly, the students are
conscious that the application of prewriting strategies, while writing, is
useful to improve written production since on the final paper there won't be
any missing point.
Table 12: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 9
Prewriting strategies help me to communicate my ideas in a coherent
and structured way.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 9
Strongly agree 12 48%
Agree 6 24%
Neither agree or disagree 3 12%
Disagree 2 8%
Strongly disagree 2 8%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
44%
24%
12%
8%
12%
Item Nº 8: I consider the application of prewriting strategies to improve my written production useful.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
47
Graphic 9: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 9
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comments:
The results obtained by this item, evidenced that students are
strongly agree that prewriting strategies helps to transmit their ideas with
coherence, this means that the message will be issued with clearness.
Table 13: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 10
I use various prewriting strategies during English class.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 10
Strongly agree 2 8%
Agree 3 12%
Neither agree or disagree 3 12%
Disagree 7 28%
Strongly disagree 10 40%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
48%
24%
12%
8%
8%
Item Nº 9: Prewriting strategies help me to communicate my ideas in a coherent and structured way.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
48
Graphic 10: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 10
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comments
The results in this survey showed that students do not use
prewriting strategies in English class, prewriting should be taken as a
routine that fits the students’ needs and leads them to a well-made writing.
Table 14: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 11
I believe that a system of activities helps to improve written
production.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 11
Strongly agree 9 36%
Agree 8 32%
Neither agree or disagree 5 20%
Disagree 2 8%
Strongly disagree 1 4%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
8%
12%
12%
28%
40%
Item Nº 10: I use various prewriting strategies during English class.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
49
Graphic 11: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 11
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comments
The results obtained through this item demonstrated that students
believe that a system of activities will be helpful to improve written skill,
this carve the path through which the problems in written production will be
undermined.
Table 15: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 12
I consider important to include exercises such as brainstorming, graphic organizers and mind maps as a prewriting strategy in the activity system of activity
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 12
Strongly agree 10 40%
Agree 9 36%
Neither agree or disagree 3 12%
Disagree 1 4%
Strongly disagree 2 8%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
36%
32%
20%
8% 4%
Item Nº 11: I believe that a system of activities helps to improve written production.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
50
Graphic 12: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 12
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comments:
Most students are fully agree that is important to include elements
such as brainstorming, graphic organizers, mind maps in the system of
activities as exercises to the development of writing skill, since these are
tools to organize ideas and put into paper.
Table 16: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 13
I use free-writing as a strategy to improve written production.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 13
Strongly agree 3 12%
Agree 2 8%
Neither agree or disagree 3 12%
Disagree 9 36%
Strongly disagree 8 32%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
40%
36%
12%
4% 8%
Item Nº 12: I consider important to include exercises such as brainstorming, graphic organizers and mind maps as a
prewriting strategy in the activity system of activity
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
51
Graphic 13: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 13
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comments:
The result from this item proved that students do not use free-
writing which from the point of view of its usefulness, it is encouraged to
do non-stop writing since, through this, it is possible to select the main
idea about a specific topic or subject to be written.
Table 17: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 14I
use support resources such as: dictionaries and magazines when I
am doing writing exercises in the English class.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº 14
Strongly agree 1 4%
Agree 2 8%
Neither agree or disagree 1 4%
Disagree 6 24%
Strongly disagree 15 60%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
12%
8%
12%
36%
32%
Item Nº 13: I use free-writing as a strategy to improve written production.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
52
Graphic 14: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 14
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comments:
The result of this item showed that, almost the majority of students
do not use magazines and dictionaries as supporting resources. Its
usefulness is very important as materials of support and research when
comes to the writing process.
Table 18: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 15
The description of images or situations helps to develop the written
production.
Code Category Students Percentage
Item Nº15
Strongly agree 9 36%
Agree 7 28%
Neither agree or disagree 5 20%
Disagree 2 8%
Strongly disagree 2 8%
Total 25 100% Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
4% 8% 4%
24% 60%
Item Nº 14: I use support resources such as: dictionaries and magazines when I am doing writing exercises in the English
class.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
53
Graphic 15: Frequency and percentage in the Survey: Item Nº 15
Source: Survey to students of 2
nd year BGU at Dr. Jose Vicente Trujillo Public Educational Unit
Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Comments
This result showed that for students it is easier to use a strategy
that includes the description of images or situations in order to develop in
written production. These activities facilitate the visual perception of the
message in order to trigger the writer previous knowledge to give sense to
his writing.
3.8. Chi-square test of variable correlation
The chi-square it is considered a non-parametric test that measures
the discrepancy between an observed and a theoretical distribution. It is
also used to test the independence of two variables- independent and
depended- from each other, by presenting the data in contingency tables.
36%
28%
20%
8%
8%
Item Nº 15: The description of images or situations helps to develop the written production.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree or disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
54
This data was obtained through de IBM SPSS statistics software, to
confirm that the two variables, Written Production/Prewriting Strategies,
are related.
Table 19: the influence of the prewriting strategies in the written production
Case Processing Summary
Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
Prewriting
Strategies*
Written
Production
25 100,0% 0 0,0% 25 100,0%
Crossed Table Written Production*Prewriting Strategies
Prewriting Strategies
Total Strongly
disagree Disagree
Neither agree or
disagree Agree
Strongly
Agree
Written
Production
Strongly disagree 2 0 0 0 0 2
Disagree 1 2 0 0 0 3
Neither agree or
disagree
0 0 3 2 0 5
Agree 0 0 0 4 2 6
Strongly Agree 0 0 0 0 9 9
Total 3 2 3 6 11 25
Source: Results taken from the IBM SPSS software Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
55
Table 20: Chi-square results
Chi-square Test
Value df
Asymptotic
significance
(2-sided
Pearson Chi-square 62,525a 16 ,000
Likelihood Ratio 52,546 16 ,000
Linear-by-Linear Association 21,691 1 ,000
N of valid cases 25 a. 25 cells (100,0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 16
Source: Results taken from the IBM SPSS software Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Graphic 17: Influence of the prewriting strategies in written
production
Source: Results taken from the IBM SPSS software Authors: Blanco, Rivera (2017)
Bar Chart Prewriting
Strategies
Co
un
t
Written Production
56
3.9. Triangulation of results
The results obtained through the use of the different instruments
and techniques, applied to learners and the educator, in this research
demonstrated that, writing activities are less practiced in class and
students have no interest when performing written production.
Also, it was possible to confirm that there was not an appropriate
development of prewriting strategies, teacher and learners minimize the
importance of written skill either for a lack of English text book, time or, a
paucity of knowledge to apply these strategies.
3.10. Conclusions and recommendations
Conclusions
After having collected and compared the data obtained through the
different instruments applied, we reached to the following conclusions:
The writing level that learners should have, according to the CEFR, is
not the expected one.
There is a lack of interest to writing, they do not make other type of
written text than stories about their experiences.
The teacher only applies one prewriting strategy to the improvement of
written production.
There are not appropriate materials to be used for each of the written
tasks in the English class.
It is highly important to design a system of activities to reinforce written
production.
57
Recommendations
The researchers have come to give the following recommendations
in order to the give a solution to the difficulties displayed above:
In order to reach the desired writing level in English, it is important
to find proper activities and content to give a dynamic English class.
Students should be motivated by the teacher to make written tasks,
they should explore the kind of written text that learners feel
comfortable with but giving the same importance to the others.
The teacher should use other prewriting strategies than brain
storming, so students can get used to vary from one to another as
they need.
It is important the use of supporting material different from the
students text book, since it will make a pleasant and more
productive class.
The proposal of this research is based on a system of activities,
thus the implementation of this tool would be helpful to the
students.
58
CHAPTER IV
THE PROPOSAL
4.1. Title
Design a system of activities for the improvement the written
production.
4.2. Justification
The authors of this project have made a diagnosis by applying
empirical techniques as class observations, surveys, and an interview with
English´s teacher, that has served to identify the inadequate prewriting
strategies as a cause of deficiency in the written production in students
from 2º year of BGU, course “A”, from the Public Educational Unit "Dr.
José Vicente Trujillo" 2017-2018 Academic Year.
It was found that English classes can be repetitive. Reading and
oral skills appear to be more important when learning a foreign language,
leaving writing aside. Providing different strategies of prewriting to the
students would facilitate their writing skill and as a consequence, to
improve the written production and the effectiveness of these strategies
has been proved by many pedagogical tendencies.
The proposal of this project is a system of activities that will be
direct to the students, who will have some exercises to develop the
knowledge and practice the written production through the prewriting
strategies with specific topics, according to the level of study. As well as
not only students will be benefited, also the educational community,
parents, society in general and at last the teachers will be the indirect
59
beneficiaries, because they will have a tool to teach, explain and motivate
their students to develop the written production.
4.3. Objectives
4.3.1. General objective
To improve the written production of the students of the 2º year of
BGU, course “A”, from the Public Educational Unit "Dr. José Vicente
Trujillo" 2017-2018 Academic Year, through a system of activities based
on different prewriting strategies.
4.3.2. Specific objectives
Identify and relate prior knowledge to the content proposed.
Organize ideas according to specific categories.
Describe and put into words the ideas with the creativity of each
person.
Recognize the essential elements to develop a text.
Evaluate the writing skill through the use of the strategies in the
development of the written production.
4.4. Theoretical aspects
It is important to point out, from the linguistics aspect, the study
from Consejería de Cultura, Educacion y Ordenacion Universitaria of
Galicia (2014) levels of textual organization since the proposal is designed
in this basis, the textual function represents the intention of the transmitter,
manifested linguistically in the text and addressed to the receiver. This
predominant function would inform the receiver about the understanding
model desired by the sender.
60
This proposal also uses Méndez, (2000) meaningful learning
theory, which remarks the importance between the relationship teacher-
student, to discover which strategy is the most essential to aim for a
proper development of the written skill especially in prewriting stage.
From the pedagogical aspects have been considered the writing
stages models described by Flower & Hayes, (1981). Since the present
proposal is conceived to help students to improve their writing capacities,
it is important to distinguish a plan to write essential ideas highlighting the
prewriting stages’ value.
Since, it is a requisite from the National Curriculum Guidelines to
educate students with a 21st century profile, philosophical aspects of this
proposal are to breed tolerance and interculturality through the use of
language. Also, one of the main aspects of this proposal is to reinforce the
values since its aim is that students must be carry through the way of the
self-respect and in turn with their environment.
Because it is not only important to know how to write, this proposal
considers from the Chala & Chapeton’s (2012) sociological point of view.
Which makes reference to the development of the written skill by the
context of the writer since it should be meaningful for learners to construct
an identity through writing.
This proposal has its basis in the of the Good Living National Plan,
objective four since one of the main aspects of this proposal is to ensure
access to educational resources necessary for good performance and to
design and implement tools and instruments that allow the cognitive-
holistic development of the student population.
61
4.5. Feasibility
4.5.1. Technical
It is not required any technical support for the application of the
proposal. So even if the educational institution does not possess
technological or technical resources, the proposal is still feasible.
4.5.2. Financial
The proposal’s cost are minimal, the researchers will afford and
provide the institution with the proper booklet print edition and the copies
for the students as well.
4.5.3. Legal
From the legal point of view, this research is based on The
Constitution from the Republic of Ecuador, specifically in the article 27
which remarks that today's education is framed in good living, that
everyone is properly related to their peers and other members of their
community, and that learners develop all their skills which are directly
involved in their education.
4.5.4. Human
It is feasible since, the authors of this project are able and involve in
the daily development of this proposal. The teacher will integrate this
guide in their daily classes and will implement it to facilitate the knowledge
and teaching in the learners, will use tools and resources easy for the
execution of this.
62
4.5.5. Political
This proposal is politically feasible because uses The Constitution
from the Republic of Ecuador, the Good Living National Plan, Ley
Orgánica de Educación Intercultural and The English National Curricular
Guide, since in each of these documents, it is pointed its importance to
guarantee the individual and group development of students.
4.6. Description
Introduction
This proposal was designed with the aim of developing written
production. It may be a complementary tool to learn and also to reinforce
the English vocabulary and grammar in the writing texts, level B1.1 This
proposal was named ¨This is my book¨ write better to learn better. Where
the students can write the ideas before making a written production,
proposing examples with real situations and fun and dynamic exercises.
This system of activities starts with an introduction to welcome
students and establish the goal to be achieved through the use of this tool.
It is divided in four units: brainstorming, clustering, journalists questions
and free writing; these are the names of the prewriting strategies that will
be used to improve written production. Each strategy will be integrated by
three lessons, developed according to the topics selected from the
different units of the official textbook provided by the Ministry of Education.
Finally after each unit an evaluation will be taken to verify the
achievement of the objectives set. The contents learned by the students
will be assessed through differences activities by applying specific rubrics
as follow:
63
In the unit of brainstorming and clustering evaluation, will be
applied a thematic test, which will consists on asking the student to
develop a topic proposed. The students will have to follow certain
guidelines about the exercise. Its main purpose is to measure the degree
of information that the student has about the subject.
In free writing and journalist question unit, an essay evaluation will
be applied. The student will be questioned for explanations about a topic
or problem from his point of view. The student will not only expose his
theoretical knowledge, but he will organize ideas, explain consequences,
and select the most appropriate solution.
The teacher will be provided by a rubric which aims is to evaluate
the pre writing performance of students from 2 year of BGU, course “A”,
from the Public Educational Unit “Dr. José Vicente Trujillo” 2017-2018
Academic Year, and including parameters as: ideas, vocabulary, and
creativity related to students pre writing skills.
The following table provides details of rubric to evaluate the pre writing
64
performance of students:
The following scope and sequence table provides details of each Unit
Unit Strategy Topic Evaluation
0 Introduction -
1 Brainstorming -School world -Earth resources -Outdoors activities
Thematic Test
2 Clustering -Character and personality -Old times and the modern world
Thematic Test
3 Journalist Question
-Healthy habits -Real teem problematic situation -The teenage brain
Essay Test
4 Free writing -Landscapes -News writing and reporting -Feelings and emotions.
Essay Test
4.7. Conclusions
The authors of the proposal conclude that:
Through the development of activities using prewriting strategies,
students could improve their English language writing skills.
Students from private and/or public educational institutions can be
benefit of this proposal.
This proposal is feasible, taking into account the financial, technical
and human aspects implicated in its application.
65
Bibliographical References
Barletta, N. (2009). Intercultural Competence: Another Challenge. Profile
Issues in Teachers' Professional Development(11), 143-158.
Retrieved from
http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=169214144010
Bryson, S. (2014, november 25th). scribbr. Retrieved En from scribbr:
https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/the-writing-process-
writing-a-first-draft/
Cassany, D. (1999). Construir la escritura (reprint ed., Vol. 42). (Paidos,
Ed.) Barcelona, España: Grupo Planeta (GBS).
Chala , P., & Chapetón, C. (2012, July-December ). EFL argumentative
essay writing as a situated-social practice: A review of concepts.
Revista Folios, 23-36. Retrieved from
http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=345932039002
Condemarin, M. (2000). ESTRATEGIAS DE ENSEÑANZA PARA
ACTIVAR LOS ESQUEMAS COGNITIVOS DE LOS
ESTUDIANTES. LECTURA Y VIDA, 21(2), 26-35.
Consejería de Cultura, E. y. (2014). El texto. Galicia, Spain. Retrieved
from
http://www.edu.xunta.gal/centros/iesnumero1ribeira/?q=system/files
/El%20texto%202%C2%BA%20Bac.pdf
Consejería de Cultura, E. y. (2014). Tipos de Texto . (X. Galicia, Ed.)
Galicia, Spain. Retrieved from
http://www.edu.xunta.gal/centros/iesnumero1ribeira/?q=system/files
/Tipos%20de%20texto%201%C2%BA%20Bac.pdf
66
Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador. (2008, January 13th). Political
Database of the Americas. Retrieved January 16th, 2018, from
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY:
http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Ecuador/english08.html
Dewey, J. (1971). Democracia y Educación (sexta ed.). Losada , Buenos
Aires : EDICIONES MORATA, S.L.
Díaz, B. F. (2003, October, 20th). Situated Cognition and Strategies for
Meaningful Learning. Redie, 5(2), 11.
Flower, L., & Hayes, J. (1981, December). A Cognitive Process Theory of
Writing. JSTOR, 32(4), 365-387.
Freire , M. D. (2014). El portafolio como herramienta didáctica y su
influencia en el desarrollo de la destreza de escritura del idioma
inglés en los estudiantes de sexto y séptimo año de educación
básica del colegio Cebi de la ciudad de Ambato, Ecuador. Ambato:
Universidad Técnica de Ambato.
Grajales G, T. (2000, March 27th). TIPOS DE INVESTIGACION. Retrieved
January 17th, 2018, from TIPOS DE INVESTIGACION:
http://tgrajales.net/investipos.pdf
Harwick, M. (2011, November 15th ). hamilton. Retrieved January 16,
2018, from hamilton University :
https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/centers/writing/writing-
resources/revision-strategies
Hernandez Sampieri, R., Fernández Collado, C., & Baptista Lucio, P.
(2010). Metodología de la investigación (Quinta ed.). Mexico. D.F,
67
Mexico: McGRAW-HILL / INTERAMERICANA EDITORES, S.A. DE
C.V.
Joyce Armstrong Carroll, Edward E. Wilson, Gary Forlini. (2001). Writing
and grammar: communication in action (Vol. 7). Boston,
Massachusetts: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Krause, M. (1995). La Investigación Cualitativa: Un campo de
posibilidades y desafíos . Temas de Educación(7), 19-39.
Ley Orgánica de Educación Intercultural. (2011, March 31st ). Organo del
Gobierno del Ecuador . Retrieved january 16th, 2018, from
https://oig.cepal.org/sites/default/files/2011_leyeducacionintercultur
al_ecu.pdf
Méndez, Z. (2000). Aprendizaje y Cognición. Costa Rica: Universidad
Estatal a Distancia.
Moran, F. (2011). Metodología de la investigación. Guayaquil, Ecuador:
Ediciones Minerva.
Muñoz , J. M., Vega , E. M., & Hinojosa, E. F. (2016, July- September ).
Opiniones de estudiantes universitarios acerca de la utilización de
mapas mentales en dinámicas de aprendizaje cooperativo. Perfiles
Educativo, XXXV(153), 136-151. Retrieved from Red de Revistas
Científicas de América Latina y el Caribe, España y Portugal:
http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=13246712009
REICHARDT, C. S., & COOK, T. D. (1986). Métodos cualitativos y
cuantitativos en investigación (Primera ed.). (G. Solana, Trans.)
Madrid, Spain : Ediciones Morata, S. L.
68
Roca de Larios, J., Murphy, L., & Manchón , R. (2007). Componentes
básicos y evolutivos del proceso de formulación en la escritura de
textos en lengua materna y lengua extranjera. Resla, 20, 159-184.
Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/28201846_Componentes
_basicos_y_evolutivos_del_proceso_de_formulacion_en_la_escritu
ra_de_textos_en_lengua_materna_y_lengua_extranjera
Rodríguez , R. (2015). Comunicación para el desarrollo sostenible:
habilidades en lectura y escritura. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias
Agrícolas, I, 395-399. Retrieved from
http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=263139243052
Senplades. (2013, June 24th ). Plan Nacional del Buen Vivir . (Senplades,
Producer) Retrieved Octubre 3, 2017, from Plan Nacional del Buen
Vivir: http://www.buenvivir.gob.ec
Simón, J. R. (2006, June 1st). Propuesta para la determinación de los tipos
de textos. Sapiens. Revista Universitaria de Investigación, VII(1),
163-179. Retrieved from
http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=41070110
Tello , Y. (2006, September ). Developing Pragmatic Competence in a
Foreign Language. Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal(8), 169-
182. Retrieved from
http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=305726654001
Terán, B. (2015). The key to learn in English (Vol. 1). Oxford: Innovative
Language Learning.
The English Curriculum Guidelines. (2012, Agosto 24th). NATIONAL
CURRICULUM GUIDELINES. Retrieved Enero 16, 2018, from
69
ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE:
https://educacion.gob.ec/wp-
content/uploads/downloads/2014/09/01-National-Curriculum-
Guidelines-EFL-Agosto-2014.pdf
The Good Living National Plan. (2013, June 24th). National Secretariat of
Planning and Development. Retrieved January 16th, 2018, from
http://www.planificacion.gob.ec/wp-
content/uploads/downloads/2013/12/Buen-Vivir-ingles-web-final-
completo.pdf
UNESCO. (2010, October 23th). UNESCO. Retrieved Octubre 4, 2017,
from UNESCO: https://es.unesco.org/
UNESCO. (2016). Education for people and planet (second ed.). Paris,
France: the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization.
Yilmaz, K. (2011, August 1st). The cognitive Perspective on learning: Its
theoretical Underpinnnings and Implications for Classroom
Practices. Routledge, 5, 10.
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
Survey applied to the students of 2nd grade BGU
course ¨A¨ of the Public Educational Unit "Dr. José
Vicente Trujillo"
78
79
Interview to the English teacher of 2nd grade BGU course
¨A¨ of the Public Educational Unit "Dr. José Vicente
Trujillo"
80
Instruments of the investigation
Observation guide
Interview questionnaire
Survey questionnaire
81
OBSERVATION GUIDE
Teacher’s name___________________________________________
Number of students in class: Males: _____ Females: _____
Course: _____________ Date: ____________________
Start time: ___________ End time: ________________
Objective: To observe the English teaching learning process in order to analyze
the influence of the prewriting strategies on the development of written
production.
Behavior Criteria
Yes
No
Observations
1. The teacher uses different types of text during the class.
2. Students clearly understand what the teachers explain instructions for writing activities.
3. The teacher varies its strategies according to the written skill.
4. Teacher motivates students to write in English during the class.
5. The teacher uses prewriting strategies in class.
6. Students use other resources as: dictionaries, magazines as supporting writing material.
7. Students practice different types of written production in class.
8. The teacher uses appropriate resources to improve the student’s written production.
9. The teacher uses other resources different from the English textbook.
10. Students correctly discriminate the words in writing exercises, in order to convey messages.
82
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE TO THE TEACHER
Teacher’s name_____________________________________________
Date: _____________________
Objective: To determine the influence of the prewriting strategies on the
development of written production.
Questions:
1. What do you think are the main difficulties for students when
developing written production?
2. Do you think your students started this academic year with the correct
English level stipulated by the curriculum guidelines? If you say no,
Why?
3. What kind of pre writing strategies do you apply in class?
4. How do you think your students learn better?
5. Do you think that a system of activities will improve your students
writing production, what kind of activities would you include?
6. How often do you work with written production in the week?
7. What kind of extra resources do you apply to fostering your students in
written production?
8. Which of the following pre writing strategies do you consider de most
effective and why? Brainstorming, clustering, free writing, the journalist
questions.
83
Interview transcription
Question: What do you think are the main difficulties for students
when developing written production?
Answer: Well, the main difficulty is maybe the material, sometimes we
have some material here that the government gave us, the book, but
this this time we don’t have a book. I have to bring the material, it’s a
little complicated, a little expensive for me to take photocopies, I think
here, in the institution, the difficulty is the material.
Q: Do you think your students started this academic year with the
correct English level stipulated by the curriculum guidelines? If
you say no, why?
A: Okay, they have to get the level B1, in the book B1.1, but they are
working, they’re still working in this, level it’ a little hard, because we
don’t speak English in Ecuador, it’s very complicated, they only started
for the moment, next quimester maybe they don’t remember anything,
we must repeat again, we must give the class again. Next year will be
worst because they have vacation and they don’t review anything, so
it’s a little complicated, we have to review, review and review again.
Q: What kind of pre writing strategies do you apply in class?
A: Well, mind maps, brainstorming, vocabulary and some strategies from
the book, I don’t remember at this moment, but we are starting
something from the text.
84
Q: How do you think your students learn better?
A: They learn better when I play with them, maybe in groups. When I
select the students, the best help the other, one leader per group, but
sometimes I think with the question and answer with oral exposition is
the way.
Q: Do you think that a system of activities will improve your students
written production, what kind of activities would you include?
A: Honestly, written production is the hardest of the skill for the students,
maybe they can speak, maybe they can listen all the time, maybe they
can do the grammar, but the writing no, because I can’t send a lot of
homework, I can send the minimum of homework. We do it in class but
they are delayed, they have many difficulties in class, I say they want to
do it and they need to do it, and yes I am agree this will be a great idea
to the improve writing.
Q: How often do you work with written production in the week?
A: At least twice a week.
Q: What kind of extra resources do you apply to fostering your
students in written production?
A: Magazine from the internet.
Q: Which of the following pre writing strategies do you consider de
most effective and why? Brainstorming, clustering, free writing,
the journalist questions.
A: I think brainstorming, because it activates the background.
85
Survey directed to the students in 2º year of BGU, course “A”, from the Public
Educational Unit "Dr. José Vicente Trujillo" 2017-2018 Academic Year.
Objective: To determine the current situation related to the influence of the
prewriting strategies on the development of written production.
Please, mark with an X the option that best fits your answer for each item
UNIVERSITY OF GUAYAQUIL FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, LETTERS AND SCIENCES
OF EDUCATION SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS
(1) Strongly
agree
(2) Agree
(3) Neither agree or disagree
(4) Disagree (5)
Strongly disagree.
1 2 3 4 5
1. I know the prewriting stages that guide written production.
2. It is difficult for me to do writing exercises in class.
3. It is easy for me to convey ideas or thoughts in writing.
4. I feel motivated to do writing activities in the English class.
5. My English teacher applies a variety of written activities for the development of written production.
6. I know the different writing strategies.
7. I apply prewriting strategies prior to the development of an essay.
8. I consider the application of prewriting strategies to improve my written production useful.
9. Prewriting strategies help me to communicate my ideas in a coherent and structured way.
10. I use various prewriting strategies during English class.
11. I believe that a system of activities helps to improve written production
12. I consider important to include exercises such as brainstorming, graphic organizers and mind maps as a prewriting strategy in the activity system of activity
13. I use free-writing as a strategy to improve written production.
14. I use support resources such as: dictionaries and magazines when I am doing writing exercises in the English class.
15. The description of images or situations helps to develop the written production.
86
System of activities with prewriting exercises
87
WRITE BETTER
TO
LEARN BETTER
This book will
teach you
how to write
better
SYSTEM
OF
ACTIVITIES
2
INDEX
INTRODUCTION
Unit 1: Brainstorming
1. School world
2. Earth Resources
3. Outdoors activities
Unit 2 : Clustering
1. Character and personality
2. Old times and the modern world
3. Old traditions and customs
Unit 3: Journalist Questions
1. Healthy Habits
2. Real teem problematic situation
3. The teenage brain
Unit 4: Free writing
1. Landscapes
2. News writing and reporting
3. Feelings and emotions
3
INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, we find that the English as a foreign language, is one of the
main languages used for international communication due to economic
and cultural influence, and is becoming increasingly important in the
current world; hence the importance of the formation of the foreign
language in the educational system.
Through different studies it has been shown that the constant practice
writing exercises as an essential tool, during a certain time, facilitate the
teacher to explain and stimulate students to develop writing skills. In this
context, the design of a system of activities not only functions as a
requirement for methodological teaching processes, but rather becomes
the instrument for improving written production.
This is the reason why it is proposed as an idea the creation of a system
of activities, it is divided in four units: brainstorming, clustering, journalists
questions and free writing; these are the names of the prewriting
strategies that will be used to improve written production. Each strategy
will be integrated by three lessons, developed according to the topics
selected from the different units of the official textbook provided by the
Ministry of Education.
4
UNIT
SCHOOL WORLD EARTH RESOURCES
OUTDOORS ACTIVITIES
5
SCHOOL WORLD
BRAINSTORMING 1. - Write all the information that you know about this topic
SCHOOL
2. - What is your favorite subject? Make a creative draw about it.
Tell me why is your favorite subject?
1.-
2.-
3.-
6
SCHOOL WORLD
3. - Select one School issue, think about five possible solutions and write
them.
4. - Look at the pictures and tell: How do those activities benefit your
personal and student life? Write your ideas.
Family factors - Bullying - Student Health - Technology - Drugs
7
SCHOOL WORLD
5. – Look at the picture, write words that describe each one of them.
v
8
EARTH RESOURCES
BRAINSTORMING 1. - Write all information that you know about this topic
EARTH RESOURCES
2. - What is the Earth for you? Make a creative draw about it.
Tell me what is the Earth for you?
1.-
2.-
3.-
9
EARTH RESOURCES
3. - Select one School issue, think about five possible solutions and write
them.
4. - Look at the pictures and tell. What elements should be taken out in
each garbage can?
Pollution – Global warming – Overpopulation – Climate change - Deforestation
10
EARTH RESOURCES
5. – Look at the picture, write words that describe each one of them
11
OUTDOORS ACTIVITIES
BRAINSTORMING 1. - Write all information that you know about this topic
OUTDOORS ACTIVITIES
2. - What is your favorite sport? Make a creative draw about it.
Tell me why is your favorite sport?
1.-
2.-
3.-
12
OUTDOORS ACTIVITIES
3. - Select one outdoor activities issue, think about five possible
solutions and write them.
4. - Look at the pictures and tell. What activities could you do in these
places?
To get sick – you lose your luggage – your wallet is stolen – your hotel is a disappointment
13
OUTDOORS ACTIVITIES
5. – Look at the picture, write words that describe each one of them
14
OUTDOORS ACTIVITIES
0 UNIT
Character and personality
Old times and the modern world
Clustering
15
CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY
CLUSTERING 1. - Match each Zodiac Sign with the correct meaning and characteristics.
Choose the adjectives that better describe each one of the Zodiac sign and erite them next to the lines provided.
Pisces - Virgo – Leo – Libra
Zodiac sign:
Zodiac sign:
Zodiac sign:
16
CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY
2. - Make a conceptual map about the personal information and features of
you
Zodiac sign
Name:
Age
Profession
Abilities Virtues
Limitations Favorite color
17
CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY
3. - Make a draw a mind map about your favorite famous.
Example
18
CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY
4. - Characteristics and personality: Make a comparative Venn diagram
about differences and similarities between your best friend and you.
Them, write five sentences composing you friend and you.
Them, write five sentences composing you friend and you.
1.-
2.-
3.-
4.-
5.-
Differences Differences Similarities
Name: __________________ (My Friend)
Name: __________________ (I)
19
OLD TIMES AND THE MODERN WORLD
CLUSTERING 1. – Write examples about media was used in the past and media used in
the present
2. - Draw an electronic device used either in the past or today, them make
a mind map around it descriptions.
Past
Now
Example
20
OLD TIMES AND THE MODERN WORLD
3. - Complete the chronological organizing map with important facts
happened in your life from childhood to the present.
4. - Make a comparative chart about leisure activities that in the past did
and those that children do now.
Them, write five sentences composing you friend and you.
1.-
2.-
3.-
4.-
5.-
In the past In the present
21
OLD TIMES AND THE MODERN WORLD
CLUSTERING 1. – Write examples about customs and traditions about your country
2. - Draw your holiday favorite. Them, make a mind map around it
descriptions.
Customs
Traditions
Example
22
OLD TIMES AND THE MODERN WORLD
3. - Complete the chronological organizing map with important traditions
that are celebrated in your country
4. - Make a comparative chart about the traditions and customs between
your country and other.
Them, write five sentences composing you friend and you.
1.-
2.-
3.-
4.-
5.-
23
UNIT
HEALTHY HABITS
REAL TEEM PROBLEMATIC SITUATION
THE TEENAGE BRAIN
24
HEALTHY HABITS
JOURNALIST QUESTIONS 1. – Make the following test, write, in a few lines, your opinion about the
Health Habits. Create new questions to ask your partner.
Tell me, what is your opinion about health habits?
Create new five questions to ask your partner about health habits.
1.-
2.-
3.-
4.-
5.-
25
HEALTHY HABITS
2. – Healthy Habits: Make two scientific questions per each sentence.
IMAGES SENTENCES QUESTIONS
I always wash my hands before eating or after going to the toilet.
Eat less of fruit and vegetables
Wear a hat while playing outside
Get plenty of exercise
26
HEALTHY HABITS
3. - Choose a health problem and answer 5 journalist questions
Actors: Who did the action?
Acts: What was done?
Scenes: When or Where was it done?
Purposes: Why was it done?
4. – Imagine you have an interview with your doctor and make five
questions about your health problem.
(Your health problem)
Questions:
1.-
2.-
3.-
4.-
5.-
Metabolic syndrome - depression and anxiety disorders - Stroke or heart attack
27
REAL TEEM PROBLEMATIC SITUATION
JOURNALIST QUESTIONS 1. – Look the topics. Write your opinion about the one that describes
you the best. Create questions to ask your partner.
Tell me, what is your opinion about (Solving a love problem)?
Create new five questions to ask to your partner about your best
description
1.-
2.-
3.-
4.-
5.-
Giving life
an extra
squeeze
28
REAL TEEM PROBLEMATIC SITUATION
2. – Problematic Situation: Make two scientific questions per each
sentence.
IMAGES SENTENCES QUESTIONS
They’re not dancing, they’re
taking a Pilates class.
My parents give me some money every week.
My parents always put their garbage in the trash can and they always clean up.
The decompositions of plastic grocery bag takes 10-20 years.
29
REAL TEEM PROBLEMATIC SITUATION
3. - Choose a problematic situation and answer five journalist questions
Actors: Who did the action?
Acts: What was done?
Scenes: When or Where was it done?
Purposes: Why was it done?
4. – Imagine you have an interview with a journalist and ask five questions
about a problem in your city.
(Problem)
Questions:
1.-
2.-
3.-
4.-
5.-
Poverty – unemployment crime – labor and child abuse - insecurity –
Lack of access to basic services
30
THE TEENAGE BRAIN
JOURNALIST QUESTIONS
1. – Make a test, write your opinion about feelings, then create new
questions to ask your partner.
Source
31
THE TEENAGE BRAIN
Tell me, what is your opinion about the different feelings in people?
Create new five questions to ask your partner about feelings
1.-
2.-
3.-
4.-
5.
32
THE TEENAGE BRAIN
2. – Feelings: Make two scientific questions per each sentence.
IMAGES SENTENCES QUESTIONS
Can’t think clearly and not
sure what’s happening.
Upset by what is happening and uncertain about the future.
You are not happy because something bad has happened to you or someone you know.
I’m feeling surprised but not in good way.
33
THE TEENAGE BRAIN
3. - Choose a problematic feeling and answer five journalist questions
Actors: Who did the action?
Acts: What was done?
Scenes: When or Where was it done?
Purposes: Why was it done?
4. – Imagine you have an interview with a teenager, ask him five questions
about his feelings.
(Feelings)
Questions:
1.-
2.-
3.-
4.-
5.-
Confused – Stressed – Mad – Sad – Shocked – Ok – Feelings keep changing
34
UNIT
LANDSCAPES NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS
35
LANDSCAPES
FREE WRITING 1. – Look at the pictures. Using numbers from one to five, put the events
in the right sequence, then write a story using them.
Write a story.
36
LANDSCAPES
2. – Look at the picture and choose one of the problems displayed.
Complete the table and make a paragraph with a possible solution.
The problem
How do you feel about the problem
Sentences with contrast word or phrase
Your Solution
37
LANDSCAPES
3. – Think about a place that you would like to travel then write a guide for
travelers.
Use these ideas to help you:
Choose a specific place like a city, town or a beach. Don´t choose a country because this area is too big.
Choose a place that is popular with tourist. You need a place with enough activities and places to go out.
What kind of accommodation is there? Look up information on the internet using terms like “camping in Orlando” (Do not use the same example)
Find one typical dish in the area to describe.
38
LANDSCAPES
4. – Write an e-mail to a friend and tell him/her about the places you would
like to travel.
39
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
FREE WRITING 1. – Look at the pictures. Using numbers from one to five, put the events
in the right sequence, then write a story using them.
Write a story.
40
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
2. – Look at the pictures. Choose one of them in order to complete the
table then make a paragraph with a possible solution.
The problem
How do you feel about the problem
Sentences with contrast word or phrase
Your Solution
41
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
3. – Think about daily news in your country and write a newspaper article.
Use these ideas to help you:
Choose a topic from problem in your community.
Try to give as many details as possible.
Give enough information to answer questions about. (Who, how, What, Why, When, Where.)
Choose an image with a correct caption.
42
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
4. – An important magazine in your city is making a contest. You should
send an e-mail and write about an actual and a positive event that recently
happened in your community.
43
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS 1. – Look at the pictures. Using numbers from one to five, put the
events in the right sequence, then write a story using them.
Write a story.
44
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
2. – Look at the pictures then choose one of the problems. Complete
the table and make a paragraph with a possible solution.
The problem
How do you feel about the problem
Sentences with contrast word or phrase
Your Solution
45
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
3. –You have a blog to help people with their issues. Someone have
written you to solve an emotional problem. You are giving some
advices to help him/her. (You should write and play the role of the
one who needs help and the blogger who gives the solution).
Use these ideas to help you:
Choose a topic from the problem of your friend or yourself.
Try to give as many details as possible. Give enough information to answer questions about. (Who, how,
What, Why, When, Where.) Choose the best advices
46
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
4. – Write an e-mail to your best friend about how you feel about your
relationship.
47
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
top related