LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 13 : 3 March 2013
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Teaching writing: An Analysis of the Writing Tasks Used
at East West University in Bangladesh

Zohur Ahmed, M.Phil. (TESL)
Dr. T. Karunakaran

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of the writing tasks used at East West University in Bangladesh. At the outset, what is presented here is a general introduction to what writing means, components of writing, and the different stages that writing involves. Pointing out to the needs of teaching academic writing to university graduates, the common writing tasks required at university level are listed. After a thorough analysis of the writing tasks used at East West University, techniques devised by Raimes are suggested (1983) for task modification. Finally, a conclusion is drawn emphasizing teacher’s role and task appropriation in writing instruction.

What is Writing?

Writing, broadly put, is a cultural invention which has at least two dimensions: at one level, writing is simply a system of storing knowledge information for future references and retrieval. On the second dimension, writing appears to be a thinking process or a tool for thinking. If one focuses on the first dimension, then writing is a technology, a human invention that enables us to record our thoughts setting us apart from other animals. It is a technology using which an individual or a group of humans pass on knowledge to another individual or a group living at different realms of time and space. Simply put, at one level, writing is a powerful technology of storing, sharing, and retrieving knowledge information codified in linguistic codes.

On the other hand, if one considers the second dimension, then writing is a thought processes during which words are put together to convey one’s ideas and emotions. Thoughts unless uttered or written down, do not have a physical and real existence and thus do not make a coherent and holistic sense even to the thinker himself. In order to appeal to one’s understanding, thoughts need to make their impression on our senses by creating an image of the real world through the use of graphics and letters. Once shapeless thoughts are extracted from our mind, these can be observed and reacted upon, that is, either the thoughts are accepted as they are or they may be taken to be built upon, to be pondered ponder over, or to be judged for their effects in achieving a communicational goal.

Again writing is done not merely by putting graphic symbols onto paper. The symbols have to be put together using accepted conventions of a linguistic community. According to Byrne (1979) “writing is clearly much more than production of graphical symbols” (Byrne, 1979, p.1). When arranged according to certain conventions, these graphical symbols form words which in turn make sentences (following grammar rules). Byrne adds that “writing involves encoding of message of some kind through which the writer translates his/her thoughts into language” (ibid: p.1). It is this strong connection between writing and thinking that makes writing a very important component of language learning programs.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Zohur Ahmed
Senior Lecturer
Department of English
East West University
Dhaka-1212
Bangladesh
zohurs@gmail.com

Dr. T. Karunakaran
Senior Lecturer in ELT
University of Jaffna
Sri Lanka
karuenglish@yahoo.com

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