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- Students can't select proper words as their vocabulary is poor;
- The inappropriate or colloquial vocabulary is used;
- Students are unable to write in a paragraph form;
- Fear of making grammar errors makes the writing
process slow and unsuccessful,
- Students can't use their personal experiences as a basis of writing a sequence from
personal and concrete to impersonal and abstract [7].
So, to inspire students the techniques of applying photographs, guided writing, shared
writing, process and product approaches were used, think aloud methods, critical thinking, extra
writing techniques during implementing creative tasks such as: creating riddles, composing
essays, writing stories, composing drama, improvising scenes, etc.
The following activity set was composed in order to have some fun. This lesson was
conducted after we had passed the theme ―Animals in danger‖ with students. It was not an
ordinary dialogue making up, but a drama with a tableau on the background. Before this activity
was set, the students consolidated all new words, they knew a lot of information about animals in
danger, their sphere of inhabitance, what they like to eat. So, the students were got prepared for
this kind of activity.
Activity #1: ―A Talk to Animals‖ [8]
The aim: to write a drama (dialogue)
Objectives: to develop students‘ writing abilities, to consolidate students‘ new vocabulary,
to develop students‘ creative thinking, to develop students‘ speaking habits and to improve their
pronunciation.
Materials: pictures of animals, a poster with a new vocabulary, cards, worksheet.
Procedure
I Pre-writing stage:
1. Warm-up: For this activity the teacher prepares several cards (Name, Lives in, Colour,
Food). Then he gives the cards out saying to choose one animal picture and to fill them.
2. Mind map: The teacher sets a task to brainstorm the themes for conversations with those
animals the students has chosen.
He starts: ―Imagine that you have an ability to talk to animals. What would you talk
about?‖ The students will write them on the board one by one, while the teacher guides.
Possible themes were formulated:
- Problems of the animals‘ inhabitance;
- People‘s treatment of animals;
- Friendship;
- Preference of the animals for foods;
- Different troubles the students get in; etc.
3. The first draft: The students have to choose one of these themes for the first drafting. The
time is given. The students write their first draft.
4. Editing: The students exchange their works for peer-correction. After the works are
returned with grammatical improvements.
II While-writing stage: The teacher gives students worksheets for free imaginative writing,
while they extend their ideas from drafts.
III Post-writing stage:
1. Reading: The students read their works in front of the class, if there are mistakes they
must be corrected immediately. After all students have read their works the teacher and all of
them select the best works for further dramatization.
2. Acting out: As for this activity the tableau is needed, it can be given for a home
assignment. Students are given their roles. So they are divided into groups. Each group prepares
their own dialogues. They are given task to bring all necessary things for a decoration of the
background scene. At least the students must learn their roles in the drama by heart. The dramas
are shot with a camera.
3. Dramas are included into portfolios.