UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL

Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

WRITING ACTIVITY GUIDE

General Objective:
To express effectively and, in a written form, ideas about contextualized/real situations,
taking care the proper use of grammar and vocabulary learned through the course.
Specific objectives:
To comprehend and apply the main three stages of writing; pre-writing, writing, after
writing.
To write a short text in which you show the proper use of grammar and vocabulary
learned through the units and previous levels.
To stimulate the writing skill as a creative and organized process.
Topics:
GRAMMAR
Comparatives and
superlatives
Simple past tense

VOCABULARY
Adjectives
Verbs in past tense
Giving and asking for

There was/there were

directions

Asking for directions

Descriptions of a place

Modal verbs

Giving advise

LINKING WORDS
And, then, besides, also,
additionally, too,
furthermore, moreover,
apart from, in addition to

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL
Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

Learning strategy:
To write a text in which the e-student shows the handle of the grammar and vocabulary
acquired during the English courses and through accompany of the e- tutor and estudents. During the development of the writing activity, the e- student acquires the skills
according to writing, following a series of steps (see Annex 1) to complete the final
product, in which the skills expected to be acquired are: style, creativity, coherence,
cohesion, grammar, vocabulary and punctuation.
Score:
100 points
Expected results in the forum (30 points):
A. FORUM AT PRACTICE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Individually complete the pre writing activities. To share the solution of the prewriting activities, you must upload them in a Word document in the Forum or add
them directly in the Forum. (score: 10/100)
B. FORUM AT COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Group intervention: The entire group will decide on sub topics that you would like to
include in the design of the brochure, as evidence of this process, every member of
the group must participate at least 3 times. Additionally you must decide on the
specific place you are going to talk about (a museum, amusement park, a special
city/town, etc; the one fulfills your interests. This can be either by your personal
decision or by a group decision). (score: 10/100)
Individual intervention: You will share the drafts of your personal brochure with the
purpose of receiving some feedback from your tutor, this must be prior to the
construction of the final version. Remember that you must share your drafts by
participating in the Forum in a period no later than 3 days before the final

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL
Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

duedate (based on University regulations and academic policies, see

academic resolution 006808). (score: 10/100)
Final product (70 points):
You were asked to design and construct a brochure about my last vacations (see Annex
2 Features of informative texts and brochures). In your final version of your brochure
you must take into account if this comply the following requirements:

You develop a mnimum of 4 differents aspects/tem taken from the general

discussion in the Forum (group intervention in the collaborative learning
environment). Take into account that, in all cases, the last item for everyone is the
location of the place and how to come to that place.

In the development of each one of the 4 aspects/tems, you must include a

mnimum of 4 complete phrases that at all could be joined as a logical paragraph
(around 50 to 80 words each one).

To construct each one of the 4 paragraphs, you will use past tense as a gramatical
requirement (remember, you must talk about your last vacations). To get a visible
evidence of the use of this gramatical tense you will highlight all verbs and
expressions related to that tense.

How to consolidate the final versin of your brochure:

Consolidate and submit your brochure to the corresponding place.

Use the dictionary when necessary during the writing process. I recommend you to
use this online dictionary that will help you with meanings of words according to
their context, spelling, sinonyms, etc. www.wordreference.com

Proof read your writing drafts and share them in the Forum, you will receive
unvaluable feedback from your peers and tutor

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL
Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

On-line Translators are useful tools, however, they are not able to do your job! Be
responsible at using them.

Be creative! Imagination and good sense of humor are important items when
writing.

Finally, If you need some help in how to write your sentences, ideas or paragraphs,
these web sites can help you.
http://www.writinga-z.com/
http://eslbee.com/
http://www.grammarly.com/?q=proofreading&CID=2617611&PID=5146016

ANNEX 1
WHAT AND HOW TO WRITE (The Writing Process)

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL
Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

1.
Prewriting
Before you begin writing, you must decide what to write about. There are a number of
prewriting exercises that will help you decide on a topic. The topic is the subject you
are going to write about. You just need to start a free writing to have an idea.

Example:
My topic is How is my daily life
outlining Vocabulary or ideas: Daily routines, City, age...
2.
Drafting
The drafting is about the process to put the ideas into sentences and paragraph forms.
It is necessary to use the pre writing notes or lists to guide your writing.

Example:
My Life
My name is Carlos Santa, I am 25 years old, I live in Bogot. I wake up early in the
morning, then I go to work. ...

3.
Revising
This is the moment to in which you check your own work. To do this this is necessary
to read and reread to notice the coherence of the text.

4.
Presenting
After you have revised the text you need to present, or share, your writing with
others (peer - correction/ feedback). In this case, you will use the Writing Forum.

ANNEX 2

SOME FEATURES OF INFORMATIVE TEXTS

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL
Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

When you are writing an informative text you need to think about who you are writing
for. For example, are you writing for a child, a friend or a work colleague? This will
make a difference to how you organize the writing and the language you use.
Informative texts usually:

avoid repetition

contain facts

give information in a clear way introducing it and then developing it.

SOME FEATURES OF BROCHURES

Visual pictures, graphs, charts, maps, etc

Interesting and varied font (size, type, color)

Colorful

Text boxes

Not too much text

Use of bullets Covers stand out

Contain places to learn more

Information retrieved from: http://www.rock-your-world.org/features-and-structures-of-brochures

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL
Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL
Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

Images retrieved from: http://www.sparksarts.com/portfolio/print-marketing/145-tourism-brochure.html

and adapted by SAW group-UNAD

TUTORIALS (USE OF MICROSOFT PUBLISHER)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNkhoelV_Rs (versin 2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65bTBuzQcU8 (versin 2013)

BROCHURE SAMPLES
1.
2.

http://s8aqict.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/charlton-brochure-about-broome1.jpg
(visit this place)
Another example

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL
Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

RECOMMENDED LINKS

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/factsheet/en13styl-e3-f-writing-an-informative-text
(informative texts)
http://www.geneticalliance.org/sites/default/files/publicationsarchive/creating_effective
_brochures.pdf (main facts about brochures

PRELIMINARY ACTIVITY - PREWRITING (PRACTICE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT)

1.

This is a section of a brochure. Unscramble the following sentences

giving to the text complete sense and coherence. To do this, you will
find some sentences, labeled from 1 to 13, you must reorganize them
in the space provided.

Image taken from: http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/f175b52b#/f175b52b/2 and adapted by SAW

group - UNAD

DISORGANIZED VERSION OF THE

TEXT
1.
2.
3.

sleep the local way.

and support local community
projects,
At intrepid, we love to travel.

UNSCRAMBLED VERSION OF THE

TEXT
1.
2.

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL
Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

2.

while at the same time

minimising our impact on the
communities we visit,
at the centre of everything we do.
We use local leaders,
Every year we take more than
100.000 travelers around the
world
eat the local way and
It is as simple as that.
ensuring we keep sustainability
and responsible tourism
local accommodation
This grassroots style of travel
ensures unforgettable real life
experiences,
in small group adventures that
allow them to travel the local
way,

3.
4.
5.
.
.
.

While you are reorganizing the paragraph highlight, using the

following colors, the language elements:

Yellow: verbs
Light blue: linking words or phrases ( words and phrases used to show relationships
between ideas).

3.

Take the verbs from the previous exercise and complete the following
chart

VERB TAKEN FROM THE PREVIOUS

TEXT
Example:

SLEEP

THE VERB IS ITS SIMPLE PAST

TENSE FORM
SLEPT

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Instituto Virtual de Lenguas - INVIL
Programa: Programa Nacional de Ingls
Curso: Ingls 2
Campo de formacin: Componente Bsico Comn
Tipo de curso: Terico-Prctico.
Crditos: Dos (2).

Attention!!!!!!!!Add as many rows as you need to complete your task