“How horrendous my students write! They forgot all the grammar rules taught in class. I am struggling with my writing skills class.” This is what instructors of English will usually say when they teach writing to students.

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Some teachers suggest giving more grammar and writing courses to the learners; while others suggest giving an entrance exam to admit only highly qualified learners. It is true that writing is difficult as it requires focused, active thinking throughout a continuous production process in which thoughts and ideas are transferred into written communication.

However, most people believe that writing is a natural gift rather than a learned skill and they do not have the talent of writing. As a result, these students fail to write and do not try their best to master the skill. In my opinion, writing can be mastered through practice, all it needs is special attention from both instructors and students.

Basic writing

Writing is a psychomotor skill, which means it involves both the mind and hands. The hand gets instructions from the mind and acts accordingly on paper, therefore, before the commencement of the act of writing, we need to train the brain where many learners feel difficulty. Hence, the aim should be first teaching them basic writing skills.

Basic writing actually means writing something on paper with correct spelling, vocabulary, correct usage of grammar, and punctuation. The concept of Basic writing was developed in the 1970s, and basic writing students are categorized under two headings:

  • Students coming from high school who have not developed a basic competency in formal written English before graduation and who are placed below average in a writing placement test.
  • Non-traditional students who are coming to college for the first time.

In some cases, non-native and ESL students are also considered basic writers. Many of us teach students who have come from high school, they are non-native and ESL students and they are weak in basic writing skills because of their unfamiliarity with the English language. ESL instructors can develop their basic writing skills in various ways.

Motivation

Motivating the learners is the determinant in learning and achieving results. To motivate students in the writing skills class, the teacher can give them the simplest task in the first class, which should not only be a common topic, but something related to students, asking them to pen down whatever comes to their mind without worrying much about the organization and structure of the writing.

Once the writing is completed ask them to check their writings for any grammar or spelling errors and at this stage allow them to use dictionaries and the internet for help. By doing so the teacher is not only motivating them but also developing learners’ autonomy by making them responsible for their work. After they finish the task, give positive and constructive feedback on their writing and at this stage avoid pointing out all their mistakes to them as there will be plenty of time to do so once your students get motivated and start writing without hesitation on a regular basis.

Moreover, even if you find a horrendous piece of writing, have patience and appreciate the efforts they made, then inform the students about mistakes and give them hope that they can do better than this the next time. By doing all this, the teacher is creating a positive learning environment in the class and removing all the affective filters by making students comfortable in the classroom.

The structure

Another important thing to remember while dealing with writing skills is not to introduce the whole structure of the writing at once, as it will confuse the students and they might perceive it as a difficult task.
Dividing it into sections makes things easier for both the teacher and the learner. It is always advisable to teach grammar and vocabulary related to the topic before the commencement of writing, but in this case the main aim is to motivate the learner.

The teacher can first let them come up with their writing and see where they are lacking, then teach them that particular grammar and vocabulary parts to make things easier.

Vocabulary

At the end of each writing, the teacher gives students a few vocabulary words that can be helpful in the next class as a home assignment, so that they have the vocabulary for the next writing task. The students learn the meaning and spelling of the new words and make meaningful sentences at the beginning of the new class to demonstrate their understanding of such words. Although it might sound tiring and time-consuming, making it a regular practice will definitely yield fruitful results and students will no longer be scared of writing.