INTRODUCTION TO
WRITING
LESSON 1
WHAT IS WRITING?
"Writing" is the process of using symbols (letters of
the alphabet, punctuation and spaces) to
communicate thoughts and ideas in a readable
form.
PURPOSES OF WRITING
• To get things done
• To inform
• To persuade
• To maintain relationship
• To document occurrences, events, etc.
• To record feelings, experiences, observations, etc.
TYPES OF WRITING (1)
• Personal Writing
• Transactional Writing
• Creative Writing
TYPES OF WRITING (2)
• Narrative Writing
• Descriptive Writing
• Expository Writing
• Persuasive Writing
• Argumentative Writing
WHAT A WRITER NEEDS TO
KNOW
• Subject matter
• Purpose
• Interaction and a sense of audience
• Language
• Conventions
• Thinking skills
• Organisational skills
• Value system
• Mechanics
• Writing process
PLANNING YOUR WRITING
What is planning?
• Whenever you write anything you plan
it first in your head.
• Even when you are writing a text
message, you think about what you
would like to say and how you would
like the message to come across.
• Planning your writing is when
you think about it in advance.
Why is it important to plan your writing?
• There are many reasons why planning is
important. It can help you to…
• Record your ideas
• Come up with new ideas
• Organise your thoughts
• Check that you have all the information you
need
When planning your writing…
• You should think about the three Ws
• W - Why are you writing: the purpose
• W - What situation you are writing for: the context
• W - Who you are writing to: the audience
How to plan your writing
• There are a number of different ways to plan
your text.
• You may choose to use a…
• Bulleted list
• Spider diagram/mind map
• Flowchart
Remember: a text
can be any piece of
writing e.g. a letter,
an advert, a report,
an article etc.
Bulleted List
This is where you make a simple list of all
of the points you would like to include in
your piece of writing.
You might then want to number your
points to show the order that you’d
like them to appear in.
Spider diagram/mind map
• This is where you put the subject of your
text in the centre and the things you want
to talk about as branches coming off it.
This method is
particularly useful
for recording your
initial ideas. You
may then want to
use a bulleted list
or a flowchart as
the second stage of
planning to put
your ideas into
order.
Flowchart
• A flowchart is a
You don’t
diagram that shows a just have to
stick to using
sequence of events. rectangles or
squares.
• You can plan your Use
writing step by step different
shapes and
using this method. pictures if it
helps you to
develop your
ideas.
THINKING MAPS
Five Key Characteristics about
Thinking Maps as a Language for Learning
1. Consistent Graphics
A specific map for each cognitive skill
Consistency facilitates cognitive development for
an individual over their lifetime
2. Flexibility of Forms
Teachers and students have control over
constructing different configurations using each
graphic organizer
3. Developmental Use
Because the Maps are based on fundamental,
human, cognitive processes, these tools may be
used by pre-K students through adults for life-long
learning
Five Key Characteristics about
Thinking Maps as a Language for Learning
4. Integrated and Interdisciplinary Use
Thinking Maps enable students to transfer (apply)
thinking skills within and across disciplines
5. Reflectiveness, Metacognition, Assessment
Maps constructed by learners provide an in-the-
moment display of evolving understanding
Multiple Maps constructed by learners facilitate self-
assessment of retention of information and
conceptual understanding
The “frame” is a meta-tool, a conscious cue for
learners as they focus on how they have
constructed knowledge
CIRCLE MAP
for Defining in Context
Boundaries to the
Concepts you
Main Topic
know about it
brainstorming process
Reading Skills: Context clues; identifying bias
Adapted from “Thinking Maps® - Tools for Learning” © 1995
BUBBLE MAP
for describing, using adjectives
Adjective Adjective
2 3
Main
Adjective Concept Adjective
1 4
Adjective Adjective
6 5
Reading Skills: Vocabulary growth; identifying properties
Adapted from “Thinking Maps® - Tools for Learning” © 1995
DOUBLE BUBBLE MAP
for Comparing & Contrasting
Contrast Compare Contrast
Concept Compare Concept Contrast
Contrast 1 2
Contrast Contrast
Compare
Reading Skills: comparing critical properties & emphasis
Adapted from “Thinking Maps® - Tools for Learning” © 1995
TREE MAP
For Classifying and Grouping
The Fishes
Agnatha Chondrichthyes Osteichthyes
Ostracoderms Agnathians Elasmobranchs Chimeras Ray-finned Lobe-finned
EXTINCT Lampreys Sharks Short-nose Teleosts Coelocanths
Ratfish
Hagfish Rays Long-nose Gars, Bowfins Lung Fish
Ratfish
Reading Skills: Main Ideas & Details; Taxonomy
Adapted from “Thinking Maps® - Tools for Learning” © 1995
BRACE MAP
For Analyzing Objects and Parts
Suns
Solar Systems
Planets
Moons
Galaxies Comets
M types: Red Giants
Stars A type: White Dwarfs
G type: Yellow stars
Reading Skills: Spatial Descriptions & Anatomy
Adapted from “Thinking Maps® - Tools for Learning” © 1995
FLOW MAP
For Sequencing & Ordering
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
Step 1a Step 1b Step 2a Step 2b Step 3a Step 3b
Reading Skills: Descriptions of Order & Physiology
Adapted from “Thinking Maps® - Tools for Learning” © 1995
MULTI-FLOW MAP
For Causes and Effects
Cause 1 Effect 1
Problem
Cause 2 Effect 2
Reading Skills: Reason/Consequence & Prediction
Adapted from “Thinking Maps® - Tools for Learning” © 1995
BRIDGE MAP
For Seeing Analogies
electricity sunlight
as
machine chloroplast
Reading Skills: Vocabulary & Analogical development
Adapted from “Thinking Maps® - Tools for Learning” © 1995
Sticky Notes
• This is when you write your ideas on
sticky notes. This method is particularly
useful for recording your
initial ideas as you can move
the sticky notes around to
arrange the structure of your
writing.
It is also useful when working
as a group as you can each
write your individual ideas
then bring them together by
combining all of your sticky
notes on one sheet.
The writing process cards
