ESSENTIAL APPROACHES TO TEACHING WRITING IN ESL

Abstract

Teaching and learning writing in ESL classrooms are demanding. Researchers develop various theories to assist the learners and teachers because in ESL students have to cope with language proficiency and the process of writing. Theories are crucial for the teachers to know and understand the theories in teaching writing because it will allow the teachers “to implement research-based practices better”. Writing is a thinking process. To write, a writer needs to use the mental process such as brainstorming, planning and organizing and it needs creativity. Therefore, cognitive wring process aims to teach students to use mental processing in producing a piece of writing. It is a popular than other writing theories as it has many benefits. This theory was introduced by Flower and Hayes (1981, p.366) “through observations of students’ writing and made effort to “introduce theory of cognitive processes involved in composing and to lay groundwork for more detailed study of thinking processes in writing”[1]. The four elements highlighted by Flower and Hayes in this theory are “Writers have to go through a process of thinking before writing, a higher-order organizational structure takes place during these procedures, composing involves setting objectives, and authors generate macro and micro objectives to finish the writing task (Flower & Hayes 1981, p.366). In short it focuses exclusively on the mental writing process.