Writing correction code

Code Use Example

1. WW: Wrong word As our plane flew over the maintains we saw snow.
2. VT: Verb tense: As our plane flew over the mountains we see snow.
3. GR: Grammar: As our plane to flew over the mountains we was seeing snow.
4. WO: Wrong order/Word order: As our plane over the mountain flew we saw snow.
5. SP : Spelling: As our plane flue over the mountains we saw snow.
6. P :Punctuation: As our plane flew over the mountains; we saw snow.
7. X :Extra word: As our plane flew over to the mountains we saw snow.
8. :Missing word: As our plane flew over the mountains saw snow.
9. R :Register: As our plane flew over the mountains we observed snow.
10.? :Not clear: As our plane flew over the mountains we saw snow.
11. :Silly mistake: As our plane flew over the mountains we seed snow.
12. RW :Try re-writing: Our vehicle flies, we snow find, over mountains you saw it.
13. PREP :Preposition: As our plane flew to the mountains we saw snow:
14. STYLE: As our whirly-bird cruised over the mountains we checked out some cool snow.
15. ILL :Illegible: . ~@ + .7 + |.@~@ ~ @.g
16. : Well Done: As the aircraft soared over the mountains, we caught a glimpse of the snow.
17. : Brilliant: As the majestic airliner gradually ascended beyond the mountains, we
managed to catch sight of the winters first snow.











If there's a book or paper you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet,
then you must write it.

~Toni Morrison























1. In todays universe, writing is your voice. Not to write is close to having laryngitis. The ability to write is critical. You
learn it same way you learn to play the guitarby practice. If you want to communicate when the spotlight falls your way,
you need to be writing solos now.

2. Writing can reach an unlimited audience. More people can access what you have to say when they can read it. Your
audience can read what you write on their own terms, in their own time frame.

3. Writing allows you to think before you speak. One beauty of writing is that you can edit before people hear what you
say. The uhs and ums, the wild digressions, and off-base thinking can stay a secret between you and your delete key.
You end up looking smarter, and your audience ends up thinking you are too. Thats power.

4. Writing lasts to become an asset. The words you craft today will still be available to you again and again. One
investment pays you back with many returns. You can repurpose your writing to fit new situations. You can make it last
to serve you and your business as long as you need it to.

5. Writing is free promotion. Offer quality, relevant content to an audience who needs it, and theyll be coming back to
see you again. Your name, your business, and your brand will gain a following from the writing that you did.

6. Writing increases the visibility of your brand. Writing great content means search engine ranking and link popularity.
Whether youre looking for a new job or promoting your business, high visibility is currency in the knowledge universe.
Employers and clients are using search engines to check out relationships. You do it. Dont you?

7. Writing lets people know you as an individual. You become the one and only you. If you never wrote a word on your
blog, how would anyone know who you are?

8. Writing forces you to think through ideas. When you leave your ideas in your head, its easy to think you know them
inside out. Often after writing something, we know it better than before we started.

9. Writing lets you define the big idea of your brand. Whatever subject you write about will soon become what you are
thought of as an expert on.

10. Writing is networking with content. Writing opens doors. People read and answer back. All people tend to see others
who think like they do as being smart. Some of those readers will become friends and business contacts.




Thoughts on Writing
Writing used to be the Cinderella skill but the tide is changing.
People need writing more today than they did in the past because talking is now writing.
Even though Ss look for conversation they are more likely to need writing than speaking.
The net has changed the role of writing. Its no longer just about teaching Ss how to write informal and formal
letters.
There are more genres of writing today which is partly due to technology.
Many jobs require Ss to communicate by the written word.
Ss expect to write in class. They may complain but they like it.
A teachers attitude to writing is very important. Too often the teacher introduces writing with an apology Ok
writing today.
Writing should be taken seriously.
An audience is crucial using technology in the form of blogs and wikis gives Ss an audience.
How to teach writing? a process or product approach?
In order to learn to write Ss need to write. Little and often in class is a good way to start.
Use classroom time to prepare with a process writing approach and get Ss to finish writing as homework.
Some teachers feel uncomfortable teaching writing in class but the teacher has an important role to play in writing
as a facilitator and monitor.
Play background music in class when Ss write.
Provide models of writing styles.
Use a lot of process writing when familiarizing Ss with genre and then gradually move to product.
Collaborative writing activities help ideas flow more easily and put less pressure on the Ss.
Ss dont need to write long compositions it can sometimes be micro-writing activities.
Get Ss to write short pieces it helps them focus on the language.
Low word limits often stimulate creativity.
Teaching writing often goes hand in hand with teaching vocabulary and genre.
Graphic organizers can be a helpful tool to organize Ss writing.
Sometimes process writing in class can last too long and Ss can lose their motivation.
Speed writing activities are a good way to introduce a new topic and focus on written fluency rather than accuracy.
Creative writing activities just for fun are a good way of getting Ss into the habit of writing.
Ideally in a process writing lesson there should be no marking or coding as the focus is on the process rather than
the product.
Its important that teachers teach Ss to be clear and concise when writing.
Text messaging in class could be an unintimidating way to teach writing in class. Good with teenagers as its
important to communicate at their level.
Give lots of guidance.
Get Ss writing on OHPs or long rolls of paper.
There are differences between speaking and writing that must be attended to.
Audience, purpose and communicative element are must haves in teaching writing.
Product writing is mainly for assessment.
The process approach to writing is yet another opportunity for teaching and learning.
Models are good for teaching writing to exam classes.
Provide sample texts for children. They may copy but they are often lost without them.
Reading is the input for writing speaking and listening may be the springboard.
The more Ss read the more theyll be able to write.
Encouraging Ss to write diaries is a good way to get them writing but they may run out of steam.
Give Ss regular topics to write about and do peer reading and feedback.
Use online tools such as Google Docs to produce collaborative writing.
Create and use a class blog or wiki.
Thoughts on Correction
Whatever correction technique we use we must try and get Ss to reflect on their work
Its important that we make it very clear what were looking for in Ss written work.
Its equally important that we focus on what theyve done well.
Comments work well as a correction technique.
Feedback from the teacher is paramount.
Grades can demoralize or make Ss overconfident.
Its important to have some free writing activities that are not corrected.
Its important to be aware that some Ss might be traumatized by the use of a red pen or a lot of ink.
Remember to praise Ss when theyre doing writing tasks because they may be very vulnerable but be careful of too
much praise as it weakens the power of praise.
Marking is one of the most time consuming (and rewarding) activities for NNES.
Dont me a meanie always pouncing on mistakes!
How do you mark writing?
Using a public marking scheme, although research says that Ss find them confusing. Counteract this with close
teacher support and monitoring.
If you use codes consistency is vital but difficult to maintain across different classes/teachers.
Through Peer correction.
Using selective correction focusing on 1-3 things at a time.
By picking out three good things and by rephrasing three things the S was trying to say.
By seeing marking as feedback not just error correction.
Using Jing an online tool which allows you to give Ss video feedback on their written work. Chatters thought that
this was a great way to give feedback and liked the fact that it integrated listening skills and provided the Ss with a
video that they could review before further writing activities.
Through 1st draft using peer review, 2nd with a correction technique and t 3rd with a Jing screencast.
By collecting written work and producing a sample paragraph with the most common mistakes and asking Ss to
correct them in groups.
Through wikis in moodle.
By giving Ss the error correction code and allowing them to correct each others writing.
By using a system that focuses on SIT strengths, improvements and targets.
Using Typewith.me as a collaborative error correction with multiple computers.
Using reformulation as a technique -
Correcting with numbered notes.
Tasks and assignments our Students Enjoy
Dictogloss
Collaborative story writing.
Running, shouting and whispering dictations.
Creative writing Shape poems
Writing messages on Post-its using 140 characters or less.
Writing descriptions of other Ss in the class and then guessing who.
Using songs to generate writing Shes leaving home
Using minutes from a meeting and getting Ss to correct them for BE classes.
Writing a letter to the head teacher about something like recycling.
Word cloud speed writing.
Post-it compliments get Ss to write compliments about their classmates.
Treasure hunts with fab clues.
Writing about images.
Writing stories based on different pieces of music.
Writing as role plays with Ss playing the different roles.
Online Tools and Resources
An example of a marking scheme
http://www.scribd.com/doc/48520620/An-English-Teacher-s-Marking-Scheme
A great source for genres
http://www.writingfun.com/
Writing for an authentic audience
http://rliberni.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/getting-your-voice-heard-authentic-writing-for-english-language-
students/
Writing Resources page
http://www.cybraryman.com/writing.html
Writing to learn
http://cerij.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/writing-to-learn/
Times Education article about feedback with Jing
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=207117
Examples of video feedback with Jing
http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/luFeedback/index.html
Writing Diaries
http://rliberni.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/sharing-diaries-writing-from-the-heart/
Scrap the marking code
http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/tefl/scrap-the-marking-code/
Write Ways
http://jasonrenshaw.typepad.com/jason_renshaws_web_log/writing-activities/
Writing prompts
http://www.cybraryman.com/writingprompts.html
Shape poems
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/shape/
Specific writing aims
http://www.education.gov.uk/publications//eOrderingDownload/5865-DfES-AimingHigh%201469.pdf
Correcting with numbered notes
http://cerij.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/youve-got-mail/
Correcting with reformulation
http://cerij.wordpress.com/2010/09/26/the-story-continues/
Graphic organizers
http://technology4kids.pbworks.com/w/page/33346396/graphicorganizers
Writing lessons based on music http://evasimkesyan.edublogs.org/2010/12/03/warmers-fillers-and-improvisations-
in-efl-classrooms/
A post about a writing lesson
http://david-dodgson.blogspot.com/2010/10/writing-lesson-cont-tailor-made-error.html
Thats all folks!

1. Always check grammar, spelling and punctuation before handing in your written assignment.
3. Stick to the topic and deal with all the points as required in the instructions.
4. Divide the task into suitable paragraphs.
5. Stick to the number of words.
6. Leave a double space so that your teacher can write corrections if necessary.
This is a common tool to optimise learning opportunities from mistakes learners make in written homework and to
encourage the editing stages of process writing. You show the learners where the mistakes are and what kind they
are, and then they try to correct them as a second stage to the initial writing task. The codes shown here are just an
example and are not meant to all be used at every level. You need to find out which ones work for you and your
learners.


Procedure

Set your writing homework.
Ask learners to double-space or leave a clear margin.
Collect the work and correct it using the correction code.
Underline the mistakes you want learners to notice and add the codes, either underneath or in the margin.
Return the work and ask learners to take it home and correct it, then submit it again.
The first time you do this, explain to your learners what you are doing and why (in L1 if necessary). Talk through the
worksheet. You can ask the learners to correct the mistakes on it using the code.
And / or the first time you do this, do the correcting work in the class.



Some observations
Learners find this very motivating but there are some things to think about:

Dont overdo it. One correction per line of an extended text is enough.
Be consistent with the system you use.
Choose your code based on your learners level and awareness of mistakes.
Be supportive. Explain why you are doing this and be available to help.
Be punctual returning homework.
Get a rhythm of correction going.
Encourage your learners to re-submit their work as many times as they want.
You can correct at different levels each time, e.g. start with word and sentence structure, then look at style, register
and lay-out.
Remember correcting your own mistakes is not easy.







This is a common tool to optimise learning opportunities from mistakes learners make in written homework and to
encourage the editing stages of process writing. You show the learners where the mistakes are and what kind they
are, and then they try to correct them as a second stage to the initial writing task. The codes shown here are just an
example and are not meant to all be used at every level. You need to find out which ones work for you and your
learners.


Procedure

Set your writing homework.
Ask learners to double-space or leave a clear margin.
Collect the work and correct it using the correction code.
Underline the mistakes you want learners to notice and add the codes, either underneath or in the margin.
Return the work and ask learners to take it home and correct it, then submit it again.
The first time you do this, explain to your learners what you are doing and why (in L1 if necessary). Talk through the
worksheet. You can ask the learners to correct the mistakes on it using the code.
And / or the first time you do this, do the correcting work in the class.



Some observations
Learners find this very motivating but there are some things to think about:

Dont overdo it. One correction per line of an extended text is enough.
Be consistent with the system you use.
Choose your code based on your learners level and awareness of mistakes.
Be supportive. Explain why you are doing this and be available to help.
Be punctual returning homework.
Get a rhythm of correction going.
Encourage your learners to re-submit their work as many times as they want.
You can correct at different levels each time, e.g. start with word and sentence structure, then look at style, register
and lay-out.
Remember correcting your own mistakes is not easy.