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The genre approach to the teaching of writing developed as an approach inAustraliain the 1970s which is now
gaining recognition throughout the world. By investigating different genres such as essays, editorials, and business
letters students can perceive the differences in structure and form and apply what they learn to their own writing.
Following Cope and Kalantzis (1993), the genre approach to writing consists of three phases: (1) the target genre is
modeled for the students; (2) a text is jointly constructed by the teacher and students; and (3) a text is independently
constructed by each student. Badger and White (2000) support that the approach acknowledges that writing takes
place in a social situation and reflects a particular purpose and that learning can happen consciously through
imitation and analysis, which facilitates explicit instruction. This approach seems more capable in showing students
how different discourses require different structures. In addition, introducing authentic texts enhances students
involvement and brings relevance to the writing process.
The process-genre approach
Today many ESL researchers have recognized that the teachers should not rigidly adopt just one approach all the
time in the writing classroom. I also encourage English teachers in the Nepalese context to reconsider their own
current practices and welcome insights from this model of teaching writing. Combining of approaches results in a
new way of thinking about writing. One example is synthesis of the process and genre approaches, which Badger
and White (2000) have termed the process genre approach. This approach allows students to study the relationship
between purpose and form for a particular genre as they use the recursive processes of prewriting, drafting, revision,
and editing. Using these steps develops students awareness of different text types and of the composing process.
The different activities included in this approach ensure that grammatical and vocabulary items are taught not in
isolation, but in meaningful, interactive situations and derived from the particular genre.
According to Badger and White (2000), the teaching procedure for the process genre approach is divided into the
following six steps: (1) preparation, (2) modeling, (3) planning, (4) joint constructing, (5) independent constructing,
and (6) revising. Figure 2 illustrates how these six steps interact in a recursive way with themselves and with other
writing skills.
During this step the teacher introduces a model of the genre and lets students consider the purpose of the text. For
example, the purpose of an argumentative essay is to persuade the reader to act on something. Next, the teacher
discusses how the text is structured and how its organization develops to accomplish its purpose.
Planning
This step includes many meaningful activities that activate the students schemata about the topic, including
brainstorming, discussing, and reading associated material. The aim is to help the students develop an interest in the
topic by relating it to their experience. Since they have to participate and contribute in the classroom, learners will
find the activities interesting and entertaining.
Joint constructing
In this step, the teacher and students work together as a beginning of writing a text. While doing so, the teacher uses
the writing processes of brainstorming, drafting, and revising. The students contribute information and ideas, and
the teacher writes the generated text on the black/white board. The final draft provides a model for students to refer
to when they work on their individual compositions. It fosters collaborative writing. This step can be boosted by
providing a very caring and sharing environment by the teacher. This step will provide students with a chance to
write in a group and to prepare them for individual work.
Independent constructing
By this time students will have examined model texts and have jointly constructed a text in the genre. They now
undertake the task of composing their own texts on a related topic. Class time can be set aside for students to
compose independently so that the teacher is available to help, clarify, or consult about the process. The writing task
can also be continued as a homework assignment. The teacher has to clarify what students should do for writing
homework.
Revising and editing
Students lastly will have a draft that will undergo final revision and editing. This does not necessarily mean that
teachers have to collect all the papers and mark them one by one. Students may check, discuss, and evaluate their
work with fellow students, as the teacher again guides and facilitates. The teacher may make an effort to publish the
students work, which will impart a sense of achievement and motivate the students to become better writers. Their
final achievement will foster self-esteem among learners as they have produced something.
Final Thoughts
Things are easier said than done. Learning to write in a foreign language is a demanding task that can easily leave
learners unmotivated. It can be more discouraging when students are evaluated on the basis of their writing products
only, as we now observe in the Nepalese context. To combat this problem, teachers have to play more agentive role
in order to empower the learners with their ability to perform real world writing tasks. We are not preparing our
students just for exams, but for the global world that may require an unpredictable set of writing skills. We language
teachers are the change agents even if our curricula are constrained. Use of the process-genre approach to writing
allows teachers to help students recognize the steps they go through to create a written text which should lead to less
stressful and motivated writing. The fact that learners are encouraged to discuss, asses, and analyze their own
writing made them feel more confident and less threatened. Theoretical ideas can be confusing and conflicting at
times; it is the teacher who is responsible for translating abstract ideas into a classroom practice. Further the practice
to produce optimal learning benefits, teachers should constantly and systematically record, contemplate, and analyze
what they have done in the classroom, and use their reflective experience as a basis for improving their instructional
practice.
Works Cited
Badger, R. G. & G. White. 2000. A process genre approach to teaching writing. ELT Journal 54(2): 153-60.
Brown, H.D. 1994. Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy.Eaglewood Cliffs,NJ:
Prentice Hall Regents.
Cope, B. & M. Kalantzis. (eds). 1993. The powers of literacy: A genre approach to teaching
writing.Pittsburgh,PA:University ofPittsburg Press.
Coudery, T. 1997. Process writing. In Glenn, F. (ed). Writing in the English Language Classroom. Hertfordshire:
Prentice HallEurope ELT.