Mastering Genres with Inside Writing
Nigel A. Caplan (nacaplan@udel.edu)
Assistant Professor
TESOL 2015
Toronto
Agenda
• Understanding Genre
• The Teaching/Learning Cycle in Inside Writing
– Deconstruction (Analyze models)
– Joint Construction (Collaborative writing)
– Independent Writing
• Inside Writing Resources
Understanding Genre
What do you write?
3
Understanding Genre
Writing is transitive
We don’t just write
We write something to someone for some purpose
We write in genres
4
Understanding Genre
So, what is a genre?
• easily recognized by members of a community
5
Understanding Genre
So, what is a genre?
• easily recognized by members of a community
• a social purpose
6
Understanding Genre
So, what is a genre?
• easily recognized by members of a community
• a social purpose
• recurring way of using language
(Hyland, 2007)
7
Understanding Genre
Teaching genres
Teachers need to create opportunities for students to write
different types of texts and help them focus on how those
texts are most effectively constructed so that students can
extend their repertoires and make register choices that
realize new and more challenging genres.
(Schleppegrell, 2004)
8
Understanding Genre
Not all essays have five paragraphs
Rhetorical Mode Genres in Inside Writing
Description Company profile
Observation report
Information pamphlet
Architecture review
Narrative Personal narrative
Research paper (methods section)
Movie synopsis
Argument Fundraising letter
Business proposal
Argument essay (thesis-driven)
Discussion
Challenge
9
Understanding Genre
But you do teach the 5-paragraph essay, right?
10
Understanding Genre
But you do teach the 5-paragraph essay, right?
Yes, we teach lots of essays!
11
Understanding Genre
But you do teach the 5-paragraph essay, right?
Yes, we teach lots of essays!
But they don’t all have five paragraphs!
12
Understanding Genre
But you do teach the 5-paragraph essay, right?
• Argument essay
• Persuasive essay
• Challenge essay
• Discussion essay
13
Understanding Genre
But you do teach the 5-paragraph essay, right?
And the elements of essays:
14
Understanding Genre
But you do teach the 5-paragraph essay, right?
And the elements of essays:
• Thesis statements
• Introductions, conclusions
• Paragraph development, cohesion, and unity
15
The Teaching-Learning Cycle
(Martin, 2009;
Rothery, 1996)
16
The Teaching-Learning Cycle
Inside Writing
• Deconstruction
(Analyze Writing)
• Joint Construction
(Collaborative Writing)
• Independent Writing
17
The Teaching-Learning Cycle
Inside Writing
• Deconstruction
(Analyze Writing)
• Joint Construction
(Collaborative Writing)
• Independent Writing
+ Writing Skills
+ Grammar
+ Target Vocabulary (AWL)
18 Genre-Based Writing Instruction – Nigel Caplan – October 24, 2014
The Teaching-Learning Cycle
(Martin, 2009;
Rothery, 1996)
19
Deconstruction
Analyzing Models: Genre
• What type of text is it?
• Who writes it? When? For whom? Why? Where is it used?
• What are the typical stages of the genre?
• Do writers always follow all the stages?
20
Deconstruction
Analyzing Models: Organization
• How are paragraphs structured?
• How are ideas logically connected?
• How are conjunctions and other cohesive devices used?
21
Deconstruction
Analyzing Models: Language
• How are clauses combined?
• What types of nouns are used?
• What types of verbs are used?
• How much hedging is used?
(da Silva Joyce & Feez, 2012)
22
Jenny Bixby & Nigel Caplan, Inside Writing 2.
© Oxford University Press, 2014
Deconstruction: Product Review
Stage
Title
Context
Description
Evaluations
Supporting Reasons
Recommendation
and stars
24
Deconstruction: Product Review
Stage Purpose
Title Attract attention
Context Establish ethos
Description Inform readers
Evaluations Express opinions
Supporting Reasons Persuade readers
Recommendation Call to action
and stars
25
Deconstruction: Product Review
Stage Purpose Language
Title Attract attention Not a sentence
Context Establish ethos Present perfect verbs
Use of “I”
Description Inform readers Adjectives
Present tense verbs
Coordinating conjunctions
Evaluations Express opinions Evaluative language
Relative (adjective) clauses
Supporting Reasons Persuade readers Subordinating conjunctions
Recommendation Call to action Adverbs
and stars Modal verbs
26
Deconstruction: Vocabulary Focus
27
Deconstruction: Vocabulary Focus
28
Deconstruction: Grammar
29
Deconstruction: Grammar
30
The Teaching-Learning Cycle
(Martin, 2009;
Rothery, 1996)
31
Joint Construction (Collaborative Writing)
• Opportunities for scaffolding
• Talk about the L2 in the L2 promotes acquisition of the L2
• Talk about the genre can lead to mastery
• Texts written collaboratively are better
• It’s fun
(Donato, 2004; Dreyfus, Macnaught, & Humphrey, 2011; Rose & Martin, 2012; Storch, 2013)
32
Collaborative Writing Tasks
1. Write a short text in pairs/groups
2. Rewrite a bad paragraph
3. Put jumbled sentences in order
4. Write a text from notes
5. Information gap
6. Whole-class Joint Construction
(Feez, 1988)
33
Let’s Write … Together!
34
What happens during Joint Construction?
• Reviewing the genre stages
• Eliciting words, phrases, and sentences
• Recasting sentences
• Expanding on sentences
• Explaining language choices
• Developing strategies
(Caplan, MacArthur, & Phillippakos, 2014; Dreyfus et al., 2011)
35
The Teaching-Learning Cycle
(Martin, 2009;
Rothery, 1996)
36
Independent Writing
Writing Processes
• Brainstorm ideas
• Plan using the genre stages
• Integrate grammar and vocabulary
• Draft
• Peer review
• Revise
• Self-edit
• Review
37
Independent Writing
Academic writing can be creative, too!
• Company profile
• Fundraising letter
• Blogs and discussion boards
• Short-answer test questions (OK, less fun)
• Movie treatment
• Business proposal
• Editorial
• Public service announcement
• Case analysis
• News stories
38
www.oup.com/elt/teacher/insidewriting
39
“About the Genre”
Descriptions and
Worksheet
40
Sample Units
41
My essay about
genre-based
pedagogy
42
Inside Writing Competition
… and the winner is …
Thao Tran
Bac Lieu University, Vietnam
Cupcake House
Small Cake – Big Joy
Cupcake House is an energetic and dynamic company which specializes in
foodservice retailer serving approximately 7 million customers. Founded
in 2010 it has gone from strength to strength with an increase in bottom
line profits of $1.2 m over the past 12 months and a growth of 32%
within the past 4 years. Our long-term vision is to bring delicious, healthy,
and fast foreign cuisine to Vietnamese people.
Cupcake House is a foodservice retailer with over 3 locations serving
approximately 7 million customers each day. More than 80% of Cupcake
House’s bakeries in Ho Chi Minh City are owned and operated by
independent local business men and women. Our goal is to become
customers' favorite place and offer the best quality products and services
to convey the message that cupcakes are not only best-served for dessert,
but also the way for people to express their feelings to the ones they love.
Due to the demands of enjoying variety of food along with the
excitement of experiencing new things in Ho Chi Minh City, Cupcake
House was born to fully satisfy customers’ needs.
Any questions?
Mastering Genres with Inside Writing
Nigel A. Caplan
nacaplan@udel.edu
www.oup.com/elt/teacher/insidewriting
http://nigelteacher.wordpress.com
