Teaching writing through cluster / branching Technique in Secondary level ,
Introductions
: Writing is s
secondary and productive skill , Most of
the time , A teacher finds it difficult
and comprehensive , so teaching writing has become a subject of discussion,
this article is a brief report on how to
teach writing skill to secondary level students using branching technique at
prewriting stage.
Abstract
: this Article
aims at developing prewriting outline for developing writing skill of secondary
level students , this article focuses on branching or clustering technique, If
is taken from Invention Technique ,
Key
words : invention
technique , Branching or clustering technique; process and product approach ,
mechanism and components of writing productive works , Integration of skills .
Writing
: writing
is the main platform of various signs and symbols of any language used letters
in a meaningful way. It is a procedure and comprehensive task it is also a
language of elite / groups .Mostly speaking or the writing are the ways of
communicating ideas with each other .
Bhandari
B.M. ( 2012 ) says " writing is regarded as visual representation of
speech through some conventional symbols. it is a cluster
of activities .”
product vs process writing : Hence it focuses on the activities those are
followed while writing, of course , there are two approaches to writing as
process and product, where product approach
of course ;is an ability to
produce correct texts in a single writing and process writing goes with certain
procedures or stages as most of the schoolars claim that A good writing does not happen by an accident .
According to Bashyal G.P. ( 2011 ) "
Product Writing is a traditional approach that ofcoursethe grammatical and
syntactic accuracy but the process writing is followed by the stages like pre
writing, drafting, editing, redrafting and finally producing the finished version."
Mechanisms & Components of writing
Heanton ( 1975 ) as cited by
Ghimire H. (2014) there are
following components of writing :
i)
Mechanism
ii)
Coherence
iii)
Cohesion
iv)
Orthographic
v)
Para
orthographic aspects etc .
For a good writing, a
writer must follow the mechanisms of writing as capitalization, punctuation,
spelling, formats, citation, and more aspects . not only this, one should be
aware of semantic relationship of items ( coherence ) and grammatical and lexical relationship of items ( cohesion ) as well as
the orthography and para orthographic aspects of it. All of these are important
in a product and equally beneficial in process writing.
Types of writing ; One the other hand, there are different types
of writing, Ghimire H. ( 2014 ) in his unpublished thesis mentions that there are mainly free
writing, guided writing and controlled writing, where free writing focusses on
the production and arrangement of sentences and ideas in a appropriate way, and
controlled and guided writing are to cured on academic purposes and leaning in
a controlled way, there types include some basic, links, or information to be
developed .
Bhandari B.M. ( 2012 ) as quoted
by Rana, K .S . ( 2020 ) suggests different stages of writing as pre writing,
while writing and post writing stages where pre writing stage is the most
important stage for producing a qualitative and well organized writing. He also
focuses’ on the pre documentating the outlines to be developed letter.
Teaching Writing. writing is a productive skill. It is
secondary skill, one should have all three skills as listening, speaking and
reading to a better perfermence in writing. Teaching writing is an academic
activity, for Byrne ( 1993 ) " Teaching writing requires an integration of
skills and which is almost affected by methods and procedures used." So,
It is clear that teaching writing requires certain best procedures,
methodologies and teaching aids .
Invention Techniques : In
the words of Leki I . ( 2010 ) " Teaching writing is a solitary and
demanding tasks, one way to make the task easier is to use invention
techniques." Here, there are more than six invention techniques as free
writing listing. Wh-question, looping, cubing, outlining and clustering or
branching. This article will be focused on branching or clustering technique of
learning writing in secondary level.
Branching technique : There can be many ideas stored in students mind associate with one topic, so, It is better to generate ideas which are alredy stored in their mind. So, here, clustering or branching technique tries to categorize the ides according to their assiociations .
Leki , ( 2010 ) further Says " write a subject of your composition in the middle of the paper the try to associate other ideas related try to group the ideas in clusters or categories which all will help you completing your fore writing activity."
Generalization, creative way of developing sentences, meaning coherence and cohesion ,and following the Certain stages are some of the features to be over viewed and evaluated by the teachers.
Conclusion : If the above mentioned ways are followed as the teaching technique with certain teaching aids and materials, the strategy provides the better result. It can also be a way not only to teach the student to write in other situations and contents . If the technique is explained and practised co-operatively in side the classroom,It will be more fruitful.
References
Bashyal, G.P. ( 2011 ), ELT
handbook, Palpa, Jaya prakasan.
Byrne, B, ( 1993 ) Teaching
writing skills, landon longman.
Ghimire,H. (2014 ) Effectiveness
of invention techniques in developing writing, unpublished M.Ed. thesis,
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Leki I, ( 2010 ) Academic
Writing, combridge, combridge university press.
Rana,k.s.
( 2020 ) Effectiveness of teaching writing through process writing. An unpublished
B.Ed. research project work, Tribhuvan university, Kathmandu Nepal.
Appendices 1
An exemplifying teaching learning activity for the
above may be as below:
Time 1 hour
I.
Motivation, Revision and H.W. oral checking 5-10 min.
II.
Guessing game, topic introduction 5 min.
III.
Demonstration or sketching the outline ( chart ) 5-10 min.
IV.
Encourage ss. To explain the chart orally. 5 min.
V.
Steping to writing first draft. 10 min.
VI.
Correction and feedback 5 min.
VII.
Developing final draft. 15 min.
According
to the necessity, A teacher may integrate the lesson with reading and speaking.
For ex: H.W. I) Prepare a full hedged
writing. II) sketch any topic on a chart so that you can describe it in next
lesson.
Appendices 2
I)
Cluster your ideas on the basis of line, place or
other,
II)
Develop paragraphs keeping cohesion in mind .
III)
Mind the writing mechanism.
IV)
Prepare a chart on any topic your self and try to
describe on you own way .
V)
Welcome the correction, feedback and editing.