TEXTS MAKING SENSE/MAKING SENSE OF TEXTS: The issue of coherence in writing

Presented by: Ivan Aguilar

Task 1:Read the text. What makes it difficult to read? The slow and reflective nature of the process of writing in itself enables the writer to devote time and attention to formal aspects during the process of production. The writer needs to pay some attention to formal aspects: neat writing, correct spelling, punctuation, acceptable grammar, selection of vocabulary. The purpose of writing is the expression of ideas, the conveying of a message to the reader; the ideas themselves should arguably be seen as the most important aspect of writing. Much higher standards of language are normally demanded in writing than in speech: more careful constructions, more precise and varied vocabulary, more correctness of expression in general. Setting questions to answer is not the only way to get learners to engage with meaning of a reading passage.

Our learning goals…

What is coherence? Why is it important? Identified problems when teaching

coherence Giving feedback on coherence Putting things all together: How to

include the teaching of coherence My own class: an action research

procedure

My home town vs. my college town My hometown and my college town have several things in common. First, my hometown, Gridlock, is a small town. It has a population of only about 10,000 people. Located in a rural area, Gridlock is surrounded by many acres of farmland which are devoted mainly to growing corn and soybeans. Gridlock also contains a college campus, Neutron College, which is famous for its Agricultural Economics program as well as for its annual Corn-Watching Festival. As for my college town, Subnormal, it too is small, having a population of about 11,000 local residents, which swells to 15,000 people when students from the nearby college are attending classes. Like Gridlock, Subnormal lies in the center of farmland which is used to raise hogs and cattle. Finally, Subnormal is similar to Gridlock in that it also boasts a beautiful college campus, called Quark College. This college is well known for its Agricultural Engineering department and also for its yearly Hog-Calling Contest.

Unity

“Unity is a very important characteristic of good paragraph writing. Paragraph unity means that one paragraph is about ONLY ONE main topic. That is, all the sentences -- the topic, supporting sentences, the detail sentences, and (sometimes) the concluding sentence -- are all telling the reader about ONE main topic. If your paragraph contains a sentence or some sentences that are NOT related to the main topic, then we say that the paragraph "lacks unity," or that the sentence is "off-topic."

TOPIC SENTENCE My hometown and college town are similar.

SUBTOPIC #1: GRIDLOCK

DETAILS ABOUT GRIDLOCK:

Gridlock is a small town.

o It has about 10,000 people.

Gridlock is in a rural area.

o It is surrounded by many acres of farmland.

o This farmland is devoted to growing corn.

o The land is also used to grow soybeans.

Gridlock is home to Neutron College.

o This college is famous for its Agricultural Economics program.

o It is also famous for its annual Corn-Watching Festival.

SUBTOPIC#2: SUBNORMAL

DETAILS ABOUT SUBNORMAL:

Subnormal is a small town.

o Subnormal has about 4000 college students.

o It has about 11,000 local residents.

Subnormal is in a rural area.

o Subnormal is in the center of land used for raising hogs.

o This land is also used to raise cattle.

Subnormal contains Quark College.

o This campus is famous for its Agricultural Engineering department.

o It is also famous for its yearly Hog-Calling Contest.

Macrostructure

Macrostructure.Generally refers to the overall structure of the text. It is an outline of the main categories or functions of the text. It helps readers understand how the sentences in a text are related to each other, and how they all contribute to the coherence of the text.

Macrostructure in a letter of complaint

Clause relationsPair of sentence Relation Possible

cohesive device

Pair 1: A. You have chosen a destinationB. Make a list of equipment you need

Pair 2: A. The computer is an important learning tool.B. It helps children to master math and language

Pair 3: A: Human can malfunction.B. Robots can malfunction.

Pair 4: A. Millions of people go on diets.B. Very few people succeed in losing weight

Time After

Reason Because

Similarity

Both, as well as

Contrast

However

Cohesion

“Cohesion is the grammatical and lexical relationship within a text or sentence. Cohesion can be defined as the links that hold a text together and give it meaning. It is related to the broader concept of coherence.”(Wikipedia)“When we write texts we have a number of linguistic techniques at our disposal to make sure that our prose ‘sticks together’”(HTW,Harmmer)

Outline

Coherence

“…for a text to have coherence, it needs to have some kind of internal logic which the reader can follow with or without the use of prominent cohesive devices. When the text is coherent the reader can understand at least:”

1. The writer’s purpose.2. The writer’s line of thought.

(HTW, Harmmer: 24)

TYPES OF FEEDBACK ON

WRITTEN WORK

RESPONDING

CORRECTING

RESPONDING

CONTENT

ORGANIZATION

Topic

Opinions

Praise

Cohesion-Lexical cohesion-Grammatical cohesion

Coherence-Writer’s purpose-Line of thought

Helping students make sense of texts

Summarizing the procedure: +Analyze macrostructure +Outline your writing + Plan clause relations +Plan lexis and devices to achieve

cohesion +Write considering a purpose and a

line of thought. +Give feedback on form, content and

organization.