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English B2 Writing

Writing Theory and Background, Analysis and Practice

Robert Craig Thomas, MFA Goucher College, USA


robert@robertcthomas.com
last revised April 2017
Things to know about this presentation...
• The descriptions of English writing techniques, traditions, writing
organization and structures are quoted from various well-known
university writing programs in the United States and are, in my
experience (RCT) accurate...

The quotations in the presentation comparing EN, DE and other


languages come from the following sources:
• "Academic Writing and Culture: An Overview of Differences between
English, French and German" by Dirk Siepmann, Siegen University, Germany
• "Writing Across Culture" by David Limon, University of Ljubljana,
Department of Translation
• "Cultural Values in Discourse" by Michael Clyne, Melbourne University,
Research Unit for Multilingualism and Cross-Cultural Communication.
• "Cultural Thought Patterns in Inter-Cultural Education" by Robert B.
Kaplan, Linguistics Dept., Univ. Southern California
During this presentation -- discussion points...
• In this presentation I will present the standard theory and
practice for teaching writing in English...

Some questions:
• How much of the English writing theory in this presentation:
• do you know...
• do you regularly use...
• do you believe to be true...
• What are your experiences learning how to write English ...
• How do you expect to use your writing skills...
• What is the relationship between reading & extracting information
from texts and writing about them...
• How is English writing theory different from the writing practice
and theory in your native language...
Writing in English is like a game with balls & goals...
Writing in English is like the "game" you learned in your own
language... but in English the strategies and team-play are different....
All games that use a ball and a goal...
are not the same game!
In some games the ball is moved only with the hands, in some
games only with the feet, in some games with the hands and feet..
do you understand the rules of playing / writing in English?

Football... Although the concept is the same -- a group of people


work together to get a ball into the goal area -- each version of of
the game has very specific rules, strategies and skills that the
player must learn and understand in order to play well and score a
"goal"...

Similarly, writing in English requires learning specific writing


techniques, concepts and strategies... yes, English uses sentences
with nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc..
but how we "play the game" and reach
the "goal" IS different from other languages...
Superficially similar,
but in the end very different...
English has similarities with many languages, most especially German...

But English traditions and rules for writing well are different from German...
English writing traditions are also different from those in Russian, Turkish,
Spanish, Italian Persian, French, Arabic, etc etc etc..

Goal #1
Learn the game-play, rules,
strategies and goals
for writing well in English...
"Writers need to develop "automaticity", the ability to automatically
juggle the many physical and cognitive aspects of writing without
consciously thinking about them. The only way to develop this
automaticity in writing is to practice, practice, practice."

- University of North Carolina, writing department


"Writing instruction is just like
learning any other skill;
it takes practice, false
starts, mistakes, coaching,
and more practice... and
eventually one learns to write
with speed, endurance, and
agility."
- Edutopia.org
Traditional Writers' Workshop / Writers' Circle
The goal of a writing workshop is to improve one's writing by
listening to the work and suggestions of others in the group and to
discuss one's work with the other students and workshop leader.

Writing workshops are a place where writers can become more


confident in their own work. In the workshop feedback and
suggestions enable writers to learn from one another's mistakes
and successes and appreciate different opinions and views.
"An effective piece of writing establishes a single focus and
sustains that focus throughout the piece. A writer needs to
focus on a single topic or main idea in order to produce an
effective piece of writing."
- University of North Carolina, writing department
ORGANIZATION IS AS IMPORTANT AS CONTENT (or more so!)...

"The writer should establish a well-organized composition,


which exhibits a constancy of purpose... The text should
demonstrate a clear progression of related ideas and/or
events that is unified and complete."

"The concept of 'Support and Elaboration' includes the concepts


of relatedness and sufficiency. To be supportive of the subject
matter, details must be related to the focus of the text."
- University of North Carolina, writing department
The topic sentence establishes your "permissions"

"A good paragraph should contain sentences that are


relevant to the paragraph’s main subject and point.
The topic sentence sets up the main idea and the rest of
the sentences provide details to support or explain this
main idea. " - Purdue University, online writing lab
"Reader orientation... is of utmost importance to Anglo-Saxon
academic culture: a paragraph should normally open with a topic
sentence, which all other sentences in the paragraph must support."
- from "Academic Writing and Culture" by Dirk Siepmann, Siegen University
Important information at the end vs. at beginning of sentence

Example: "In German-language writing instruction it is the transmission of


knowledge that is given the greatest emphasis. "

Rewrite:
1. "German-language writing instruction emphasizes the transmission of
language."
2. "The transmission of knowledge is most important in German-language writing
instruction. " [passive voice]
Concept - "pyramid" - English vs German (discuss...)

English structure Other structure (German? discuss...)


1. Topic sentence - argument - call-to- 1. What is the problem (question)
action 2. exploration of problem essentials
-- Main Topic plus identified Sub-topics 3. examples of how problem manifests
2. ALL Sub-topic paragraphs/sentences 4. possible answers to problem
support and relate directly back to the 5. what to do / call-to-action
Topic Sentence
Sentence construction - stay on topic, be direct...
Example
Nevertheless she knows he will not leave her because she knows no other
woman would marry someone weak like him, which makes him sad and
desperate.

Rewrite
She believes he will never leave her because he is sad and desperate and could
never find another woman who would marry him.
Concept: digressive-diverse vs linear-direct structures
(this can be true both in sentences and paragraphs)

English version: The primary determinant A is most influenced by B which


is related to the common occurance of C which is often caused by D, all of
which are influenced by the factors E, F, G, H, and I.

German: Because of D's inclusion of sub-factors F and G, and the strong


influence of B as well as the factors H and I on the occurance of C, we can
clearly see that A is the primary determinant.

Kaplan: Cultural Thought Patterns


English writing - style research by Michael Clyne...
"Essay-writing manuals used in English-speaking countries typically
advise:
• An essay must start with an introduction, which defines the terms
of the topic or question and the scope of the essay...
• An essay usually assumes that the reader (examiner) is ignorant of
the material being presented.
• In the body of the essay, the student is advised to develop the key
ideas and to only introduce facts or ideas that contribute to a linear
progression, which is known as "paragraph unity."
-- from "Writing, Testing and Culture" By Michael Clyne
Discuss...

English, main topic first: People should sort and recycle their trash in order to
help preserve the environment. Defined sub-topics: people/responsibility,
sort, recycle, environment... [note: some specific writing styles may differ from this]

German (and other languages) main topic at end: The environment is being
destroyed on many fronts. Trash, garbage, pollution... One important one to
help save the environment is to sort and recycle trash... In order to save our
environment, people must sort and recycle their trash.
Paragraph focuses on a single main topic

Original
The narrator says that Mr. Kelada is always interfering and acts like he knows
everything. The people on the ship give him the nickname Mr. Know-All. This
reinforces the reader’s negative way of thinking about Mr. Know-All.

Rewrite
#1 The narrator describes Mr. Kelada negatively and says that he is always
interfering and acts like he knows everything. Like the people on the ship, he
calls him by the nickname "Mr. Know-All."

#2 The reader gets a negative impression of Mr. Kelada from the narrator, who
says he is always interfering and acts like he knows everything. The people on
the ship even nickname him "Mr. Know-All."
Analysis: what is the main point of the paragraph?

Englisch, Mittelstuffe Bespiel


The Stadtwerke München has bought a 30% share in an offshore wind farm
off the coast of North Wales because the city council has committed itself to
switching from traditional sources of energy to renewable sources within
the next 15 years.

Rewrite
The Stadtwerke München has committed to switching from traditional to
renewable sources within the next 15 years. To this end it has bought a
30% share in an offshore wind farm off the coast of North Wales.

-- from Staatsinstitut für Schulqualität München website


Your language "thinking" and influences...

• Native language:
– syntax, grammar (what is "natural" for you)
– thought-argumentation-discussion structures
– version of reader- or writer-oriented writing
– use of and emphasis on traditional writing forms in education
• Cultural point-of-view of life, the world, family, education, etc
• Educational system in your country
– where does "English" fit into the educational system in your
country?
• Teaching philsophy & practice of your previous teachers
– of the English teachers in your country
– of your individual English teachers
Let's discuss your thoughts and ideas...
1. What have you experienced in learning to write English?
2. Is there really a structural and philosophical difference between
English and other languages?
3. What are the differences between the English you've learned and
"native speaker" English?
4. What do you feel is most relevant to writing well in English? least
relevant?
5. What does "constructive criticism" mean and how should it be used to
give and receive suggestions and notes regarding your writing?
The End
Your thoughts?
"Language determines culture, so the extinction or change of a language also means the
loss of an individual culture, cultural alienation, a loss of heritage. Cultural imperialism
goes along with dominance of language and culture. "
Additional discussion topics
"Hermanns (1985) notes that British students of language and literature are
required to write one or two essays of no less than 3000 words each week. The
finished products are read out aloud in one-to-one tutorials, with the tutor asking
questions and offering comments. "
-- "Academic Writing and Culture: An Overview of Differences between English, French and German" - by
Dirk Siepmann, Siegen University, Siegen, Germany
Paragraph Topic Sentence sets the "permissions" for text
Wrong - Multiple "main" topics:
1. The text “Learning Virtues” is about the Asian and the Western approaches
to learning. 2. The narrator tells a story of a Chinese woman Jin Li, who was
recruited to learn about Western culture along with many other Chinese
students after the Cultural Revolution.

Correct - One "main" topic:


1. The text "Learning Virtues" is about Jen Li, a Chinese woman who has
researched the learning approaches of Asian and Western culture. 2. She
started investigating the values of students in the East and West after moving
to the United States.
Quiz: could the writer include ...?
• "A dog is a good companion for someone who lives alone."
• "My neighbor has a boxer."
• "When walking a dog a person can meet many interesting people."
• "Dogs are sometimes used by therapists in treating traumatized patients."
Quiz... why?
Reader-oriented vs Author-oriented

"In English the responsibility for communication lies with the writer – if
communication fails, we assume that the writer is at fault, that the writing was
insufficiently clear or well-organized. The writer must focus on the reader and making
things understandable and clear for the reader.
Author-oriented writing is focused on showing the writer's style mastery and
rhetorical skills (Italian and French are given as examples). Reader-oriented writing is
reader friendly, simple and designed for easy comprehension (English).

Clyne's (1987) study of academic papers indicates that writing by English speakers
favours a linear development, whereas writing in German is more marked by
digression, recapitulation and repetition.
English-speaking writers strive for readability by using a clear linear organization,
while German writers emphasize content over form and expect the reader to make
the connection. "
- David Limon, "Writing Across Culture"
University of Ljubljana, Department of Translation, Ljubljana, Slovenia
from "Writing, Testing and Culture" by Michael Clyne
(This and subsequent slides are open to questions & discussion...)

In German-language instruction manuals it is the transmission of


knowledge that is given the greatest emphasis. The essay can
assume the sharing of thematic knowledge (Hoppe, 1976).

While in English-speaking countries it is important to stick only


to ‘relevant’ points -- avoiding mention of anything else, the
emphasis in Central Europe is on demonstrating knowledge...

Topics in German-language countries tend to be broader, e.g.


‘Brecht’s Plays’ rather than the discussion of a quotation about
them. Thus, digressions are employed frequently. All this may
entail repetition of the main points in German essays, whereas
in English ones, redundancy is undesirable
"He [Kaplan] observed that the thought patterns which readers of English appear
to expect are ‘dominantly linear’. While paragraph development may be
discursive, it is never digressive. Of equal importance is a strong focus on the
assigned topic; digression and repetition are regarded as major vices."
- from "Academic Writing and Culture" by Dirk Siepmann, Siegen University
"Clyne sees German participial clauses and left-branching constructions
as contributing to digressiveness. Although Clyne acknowledges the
importance of such features, he does not believe that they are decisive.
He points to the fact that the tendency towards digressiveness also
exists in texts by French speakers, Italians and Russians. That these
languages are structured very differently to German suggests that it might
be cultural determinants rather than linguistic typologies that underlie
degree of linearity in discourse."
- from Scientific Writing: A Universal or a Culture-Specific
Type of Discourse?" by Pedro Martín-Martín, Universidad de La Laguna

"Early on, Kaplan (1966) suggested that teaching reading and writing to
foreign students constitutes a different process from that of teaching
native speakers given the cultural differences inherent in rhetorical
patterns of the various languages with which learners interact. "
- from "Contrasting Rhetorical Patterns: Discovering Effects of First and Second Language
Writing Conventions" by Volkan İNCEÇAY, Yeditepe University
• "Paragraph unity" holds that every idea and fact
in the paragraph should contribute to the
development of a single topic, no matter how
interesting or significant a ‘digression’ might be. "
• -- from "Writing, Testing and Culture" By Michael Clyne
Topic Sentence sets focus for entire paragraph
Original
She wrote a book in which she describes the difference between Chinese learning
and western learning. In western learning there is great emphasis on questioning
authority, critical inquiry and sharing ideas in classroom, discussion. In Chinese
learning...
Rewrite
In her book, Jen Li describes the differences between Chinese and Western teaching
philosophies. Westerners emphasize questioning authority, critical inquiry and and
sharing ideas. The Chinese, however, emphasize...
Topic sentences – created from "Info List"
Info List for "Comparison of German, English & French..."
• Discusses German, English & French writing styles & traditions
• Saxonic = US and UK styles: data analysis
• Gallic = French: stylistic devices
• Teutonic = German: focused on theory development

Poor
The first writing style discussed in the article is German, which is called
"Teutonic" and focuses on theory development. Unlike the Teutonic style of
writing, the Saxonic focuses...

Rewrite
In the article the author discusses German, English and French writing styles
and traditions. The German writing style, which is called "Teutonic" focuses on
theory development. The English or "Saxonic," however, focuses on...
Paragraph coherency analysis...
"It was January 2009, I had just returned from my holidays in Spain, where I had visited
my big sister for 2 weeks, and I was waiting for my father who had told me on the phone
that he would pick me up at the airport in “Düsseldorf”. The holidays, which were the
last chance for me to relax and get away from it all before the Abitur examinations, were
beautiful! Tenerife, which lies in the Atlantic Ocean near the Maroccan Coast, is a really
exciting place to visit. On the one side there are numerous volcanos with mighty
eruptions and on the other side wonderful beaches with an incredible view of the wide
ocean. Also the architecture of the buildings, which are quite different from
Germany’s, fascinated me." -- student text, 2016
Analysis: define the topic
Englisch, Mittelstuffe Beispiel
Private households consume only 2 billion kilowatts of the total 7.5 billion
kilowatts the city uses per year. Three quarters are needed by corporate clients
like industries, businesses, the underground, hybrid cars.

Rewrite
The city uses 7.5 billion kilowatts per year, of which private households
consume only 2 billion. The remaining three-quarters are used by corporate
clients like industries, businesses, the underground and hybrid cars.
- from Staatsinstitut für Schulqualität München website

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