FACILITATING THE PROCESS OF TEACHING/LEARNING WRITING 21
REVISTA DE FILOLOGÍA, 26; ene o 2008, pp. 21-29
FACILITATING THE PROCESS OF TEACHING/LEARNING
WRITING IN THE SECOND LANGUAGE:
TRAINING TRANSLATION STUDENTS
TO FACE A GLOBAL IMPERATIVE
Richa d Cloue
Uni e sidad de Las Palmas de G an Cana ia
RESUMEN
Es e a ículo p opone una me odología pa a enseña a esc ibi en la segunda lengua den o
de un p og ama de o mación de aduc o es. Se basa sob e odo en un p oceso in e ac i o
diseñado pa a guia a los es udian es hacia una mayo au onomía de modo g adual. Se
in en a á que, al esc ibi , engan en cuen a es pe spec i as esenciales: la de la esc i u a, la
de la lec u a y la del ex o, pues o que esc ibi siemp e conlle a la oma de decisiones en
unción de con ex os sociales de e minados.
PALABRAS CLAVE: esc i u a, inglés como lengua ex anje a, aducción.
ABSTRACT
This pape will add ess he eaching o w i ing in he second language wi hin a ansla o
aining p og amme. The majo ocus is on an in e ac i e p ocess app oach designed o
g adually guide he lea ne s owa ds au onomy by encou aging hem o conside h ee
essen ial componen s when w i ing: he w i e , he eade , and he ex , as w i ing always
in ol es w i e s making choices in de e mined social con ex s.
KEY WORDS: w i ing, English as a o eign language, ansla ion.
1. INTRODUCTION
English is now he dominan language o publica ion and ansla ion in
almos e e y academic and non-academic ield, and p essu e is inc easing on many
schola s and ansla o s a ound he wo ld o publish and ansla e in he medium
o English, whe he English is hei mo he ongue o no . As a eache o English
as a o eign language in a Facul y o T ansla ion and In e p e ing, I ha e equen ly
obse ed ha s uden s ha e e y li le con idence when w i ing in English. Since
eaching me hods s a ed gi ing mo e impo ance o o al skills, w i ing seems o
ha e been pushed in o he backg ound, eaching w i ing e y o en consis ing in
gi ing a opic ques ion o be de eloped a home. Ne e heless, w i ing in he L2
02.pmd 03/04/2008, 9:2821
RICHARD CLOUET 22
should be cen al o a ansla o aining p og amme since i se es as he ounda-
ion o ano he co e subjec : T ansla ion in o he o eign language. Whe he we
ques ion he accep abili y, o e en desi abili y, o ansla ing in o he o eign lan-
guage o no , he p agma ic, ma ke -o ien ed s ance o employe s gene ally akes
o g an ed ha employees wi h language- ela ed quali ica ions will be able o unc-
ion compe en ly in wo o h ee languages and will ha e no di icul y in ansla -
ing in o and ou o any combina ion o hem.
This pape will p esen an accoun o a w i ing p ojec ha ook place in
he Facul y o T ansla ion and In e p e ing (Uni e si y o Las Palmas de G an Cana ia)
du ing he academic yea 2004/05 wi h second yea s uden s om he subjec Lengua
B II – Inglés (English as a Second Language in he second yea o hei deg ee). We
will show how he p ojec was se up wi h a se ies o class oom asks and he way in
which hese highligh ed impo an aspec s o he w i ing p ocess in gene al. We will
also show how we ocused on he complexi ies o w i ing in he second language in
pa icula , and how he class oom ac i i ies we designed guided he p epa a ion o
he end p oduc ha could be made a ailable o he public domain. In doing so, we
will also add ess he a ionale ha lies behind bo h he design o w i ing asks and
he use o eal-li e p ojec s in he class oom, and pu o wa d a gumen s o he
mo i a ional impac o such an unde aking: w i ing o be ead.
2. WRITING TO BE READ:
IMPROVING WRITING SKILLS THROUGH FEEDBACK
W i ing o be ead is based on he idea ha s uden s will imp o e mos i
hey unde s and he aim o hei w i ing, whe e hey a e in ela ion o his aim and
how hey can achie e he aim. I should be pa o e ec i e planning o eaching
and lea ning, he objec i e o he eache ’s planning being o p o ide oppo uni ies
o bo h lea ne and eache o ob ain and use in o ma ion abou p og ess owa ds
lea ning goals. I also has o be lexible o espond o ini ial and eme ging ideas and
skills. Planning should include s a egies o ensu e ha lea ne s unde s and he
goals hey a e pu suing and he c i e ia ha will be applied in eading and assessing
hei wo k. How lea ne s will ecei e eedback and how hey will be helped o make
u he p og ess should also be planned.
Indeed, eedback —in ou case, h ough eading and eplying— is ecog-
nised as an essen ial elemen in helping s uden s imp o e. Teache s need o mo e
away om gi ing wo k ma ks ou o 10 and mo e owa ds gi ing eedback o help
s uden s imp o e in his speci ic ac i i y. This means ha i s uden s w i e o be
ead, hey also w i e o a eply and no only o a ma k. Co ec ions can hen be
made indi ec ly h ough he eply wi h no need o unde line e e y single mis ake in
he o iginal piece o w i ing.
S uden s can also bene i om oppo uni ies o o mal eedback h ough
g oup and plena y sessions. Whe e his wo ks well, he e is a shi om eache s
elling s uden s wha hey ha e done w ong o s uden s seeing o hemsel es wha
hey need o do o imp o e and discussing i wi h o he s uden s o , i need be, he
02.pmd 03/04/2008, 9:2822
FACILITATING THE PROCESS OF TEACHING/LEARNING WRITING 23
eache himsel /he sel . Resea ch has shown ha s uden s will achie e mo e i hey
a e ully engaged in hei own lea ning p ocess. This means ha i s uden s know
wha hey need o lea n o imp o e and why, hey will achie e mo e han i hey si
passi ely in a class oom wo king h ough w i ing asks wi h no eal comp ehension
ei he o he lea ning in en ion o he exe cise, o i s ele ance o o why i migh be
impo an .
In b ie , gi ing eedback in ol es making ime o alk o s uden s and each-
ing hem o be e lec i e abou he lea ning objec i es and abou hei wo k and
esponses. We should ne e o ge ha eedback is mo e e ec i e i i ocuses on he
lea ning in en ion and on he ele ance o he ask.
W i ing o be ead, howe e , does no mean ha he eache will cons an ly
ha e o ead and eply o e e y single s uden ’s piece o w i ing. W i ing o be ead
only by you eache is no always mo i a ing, which is why we conside pee ead-
ing o be e ec i e oo. Th ough pee eading —and, indi ec ly, pee assessmen —
s uden s migh be able o cla i y hei own ideas and unde s anding o bo h he
lea ning in en ion and he aim o he w i ing ask while eading —and, indi ec ly,
ma king— o he s uden s’ wo k. Asking s uden s o look a examples o o he s u-
den s’ wo k ha does and does no mee he se objec i es can help hem o unde -
s and wha was equi ed om a ask. Looking a di e en esponses can also help
s uden s unde s and he di e en app oaches hey could ha e aken o he ask.
W i ing will hen be en i ely pu pose ul.
3. WRITING IN TRANSLATOR EDUCATION
AND AUTHENTIC WRITING
In mos o eign language classes he con en ional eache -cen ed class-
oom has gene ally gi en way o a new s uden -cen ed app oach, bu he adi-
ional eaching s yle con inues o call o a majo change in ansla o educa ion.
The ma ke and, abo e all, ou s uden s wan ou Facul ies o T ansla ion o sup-
plemen con en ional ins uc ion wi h au hen ic, p ac ice-o ien ed wo k h ough
which ou u u e ansla o s can gain au onomy and g adually become skilled p o-
essionals.
Indeed, al hough many ansla ion expe s and ansla o s ca y on asse -
ing ha one can only ansla e and w i e co ec ly in o he i s language (L1), he
ma ke egula ly shows ha employees wi h language- ela ed quali ica ions will be
able o unc ion compe en ly in wo o h ee languages and will ha e no di icul y
in w i ing and ansla ing in o and ou o any combina ion o hem. Mo eo e ,
hose s uden s who wish o emba k on pos -g adua e s udies will ha e o in es
much ime and e o in w i ing in English, p essu e being indeed inc easing on
many schola s o publish in he medium o English.
English has become he dominan language o publishing in almos e e y aca-
demic ield. Fo example, o he 40, 770 schola ly pe iodicals indexed by Ul ich’s
Pe iodical Di ec o y in 2003, 74% we e published in English. Schola s a ound he
02.pmd 03/04/2008, 9:2823
RICHARD CLOUET 24
wo ld a e coming unde moun ing p essu e o publish in English, o en because
publica ion is a majo c i e ion o p omo ion and inancial suppo o esea ch.
(Cu y & Lillis, 2004: 8-9)
The lea ne s desc ibed in he w i ing p ojec we a e p esen ing he ea e a e
2nd Yea s uden s who all ha e English as hei i s o eign language. Howe e , he
le el o language compe ence and pe o mance a ies g ea ly among indi idual s u-
den s. English as a Second Language is an annual co e subjec wo h a o al o
wel e c edi s. I is augh o ou hou s a week h oughou he second yea o he
deg ee cou se wi h hese hou s gene ally being ime abled in o wo wo-hou ses-
sions. This class suppo s ano he co e subjec , In oducción a la T aducción
Especializada A/B (inglés) – ansla ion om Spanish (L1) in o English (SL), augh
o h ee hou s a week h oughou he academic yea and designed o help he
s uden s apply hei exis ing knowledge o English o ansla ion.
In a adi ional eaching con ex , he eache is in possession o knowledge
which can be ansmi ed o he s uden s h ough lec u es, explana ion and illus-
a ion. He/she s ands a he on o he class, acing ows o gene ally passi e
s uden s who y o inges o no e down e e y wo d he/she says. In a language class,
whe he a p ima y, seconda y o uni e si y le el, his could mean ela i ely passi e
lea ning and useless inges ion o heo e ical knowledge he s uden s will ha e o -
go en in he e y ew weeks ollowing hei exams. S uden s a e hus accus omed
o eache -cen ed ansmission in he class oom and indi idual p oduc -o ien ed
s udy ou side i . In ou second yea cou se we a emp o ocus on he p ocess o
lea ning a he han on wha hey lea n in o de o p o ide s uden s wi h mul iple
s a egies and ools o coping wi h eal wo k in he ou side wo ld.
In p o iding a a ionale o a p ocess app oach, s uden s a e no longe me e
a endan s who will e en ually be assessed on one, o a couple o assignmen s, a
he eache ’s will and whose lea ning is de ined by he eache ’s ma king c i e ia.
This al e na i e o he eache -cen ed app oach —in o he wo ds, a lea ne -cen-
ed app oach— comple ely changes he class oom a mosphe e, equi ing he s u-
den s o wo k coope a i ely and ocusing on how each indi idual b ings di e en
knowledge and expe ience o he class oom. Wi h his in e ac i e app oach, lea n-
e s iden i y di icul ies, discuss solu ions, and also esea ch hei own wo k, wi h
he eache as a guide o acili a o in he p ocess, he sole aim o his app oach
being o p og ess owa ds au onomy.
The aim o all he w i ing ac i i ies unde aken wi h he s uden s is o
encou age hem o conside w i ing o eading by desc ibing h ee pe spec i es:
ha o he w i e , ha o he eade , and ha o he ex . Focusing on each o hese
componen s will hope ully make he w i ing p ocess a mo e manageable ask.
Cu en heo y in bo h L2 eading and w i ing emphasizes he in e ela ion-
ship be ween he eade , he w i e , and he ex (Ca ell, 1985; Ca ell, De ine &
Eskey, 1988; Ca ell & Eis e hold, 1983; Ca son & Leki, 1993; G abe, 1991; Zamel,
1992). They all main ain ha w i en communica ion in ol es hese h ee essen ial
componen s and ha , in w i ing o publica ion, i is all he mo e impo an o au-
ho s o conside he ole ha all h ee o hese componen s play in he w i ing p ocess.
02.pmd 03/04/2008, 9:2824
FACILITATING THE PROCESS OF TEACHING/LEARNING WRITING 25
The i s s ep in w i ing in o de o be ead is o w i e s —in his case,
s uden s— o ocus on hemsel es as w i e s and conside hei pu pose in w i ing.
They ha e o begin by conside ing an issue ha is impo an o hem, o e lec on
he issue and o eel s ongly ha hei ideas a e wo h sha ing wi h o he s uden s
in simila ci cums ances.
The nex s ep is o ocus on hei eade s and conside wha hei eade s
know o do no know abou he opic hey ha e chosen. In ocusing on he eade ,
w i e s need o e lec on why hei eade migh be in e es ed in eading abou
hei pa icula opic and wha hey know abou i .
Finally, hey need o conside how o de elop hei ex so ha i mee s
hei eade s’ expec a ions. This has o do wi h gen e. W i e s need o cla i y o
hemsel es wha ype o gen e is mos app op ia e o he opic hey a e w i ing
abou . Once w i e s cla i y wha ype o ex hey a e w i ing, he nex s ep is o
examine a a ie y o o he opic- ela ed ex s —in o he wo ds, pa allel ex s— ha
exempli y his gen e, looking o ypical mo es o he gen e as well as s ylis ic cha -
ac e is ics.
The inal s ep be o e submi ing a manusc ip is o ge eedback om in e -
es ed eade s. Then, s uden s can ask hei classma es o ead hei pape s, aising
ques ions hey hink any in e es ed eade would wan answe ed. Addi ional eed-
back on a manusc ip will come du ing he e iew p ocess by he eache .
4. EXAMPLE OF ACTIVITY
As we belie e he e ec i e lea ning o w i ing mus ela e bo h o s uden s’
p e ious knowledge and o a ge ed p o essional beha iou , we ha e designed an
ac i i y he aim o which is o exp ess au hen ici y in he class oom, wi h eal con-
s ain s and deadlines, bu a he same ime guided and supe ised by he eache .
The p ojec is inhe en ly collabo a i e and leads o a g ea deal o discussion and
c i icism, bo h essen ial elemen s in he p ocess o w i ing o be ead.
The i s s ep in he p ocess was o he eache o mee and design a p ojec
ou line ha se up he sca olding o he ask; a amewo k in which he s uden s
could o ganise hemsel es au onomously bu wi h a ce ain uni o mi y o c i e ia
and oles. S uden s we e asked o ake pa as speake s in he ollowing con e ence.
A e discussing he opic in class (see wa m up ac i i ies), he g oup was
di ided in eams o h ee o ou s uden s sha ing he same ideas. The pedagogical
in e es o such a di ision comes wi hin he scope o he p ocess app oach de ined
be o e: -Lea ne s suppo each o he – each b ings di e en knowledge and expe i-
ence o he class oom.
-In e ac i e – lea ne s iden i y language and publica ion di icul ies and
discuss hei solu ions, o esea ch hei own wo k, wi h he eache as guide/
acili a o .
-P og ess owa ds au onomy – he eache p o ides sca olding a he be-
ginning o he ac i i y, wi h clea ins uc ions. S uden s wo k in small g oups and
02.pmd 03/04/2008, 9:2825

RICHARD CLOUET 26
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
CULTURE AND INTERCULTURAL STUDIES:
STEREOTYPES AND THE PERCEPTION OF ‘OTHERNESS’
This in e na ional con e ence, hos ed by he Facul y o T ansla ion and In e pe ing o he Uni e si y o
Las Palmas de G an Cana ia will b ing oge he s uden s and eache s wo king in ields ela ed o one
o he ollowing issues:
– Cul u al backg ounds, socio-poli ical, ideological and eligious amewo ks
– Images eaching beyond s anda dised men al pic u es o indi iduals
– Misunde s andings and misconcep ions o e hnic, acial, eligious and na ional g oupings
– S e eo ypes in ansla ion
P ac i ione s, aine s, esea che s and s uden s in e es ed in pa icipa ing a e kindly asked o send a
200-wo d abs ac be o e No embe 30, 2007 by e-mail o: [email p o ec ed]. The abs ac mus
be sen oge he wi h he p e- egis a ion shee below o downloaded a : h p://www.ulpgc.es
The hos ’s selec ion decision will be communica ed o he p opose by Decembe 10, 2007, oge he
wi h in o ma ion on egis a ion p ocedu e, accomoda ion and publica ion guidelines.
P opose s whose pape s a e app o ed will ha e o submi he whole pape ex by 20 Janua y 2008 in
o de o be included in he p oceedings.
PRE-REGISTRATION FORM AND EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Please comple e he de ails below and e u n o he Con e ence O ice by e-mail a he add ess below.
Ti le: ........................................................................................................................................................................................................
Gi en name: ........................................................................................................................................................................................
Su name: ...............................................................................................................................................................................................
O ganiza ion: ......................................................................................................................................................................................
Add ess:..................................................................................................................................................................................................
S a e:........................................................................................................................................................................................................
Coun y: ................................................................................................................................................................................................
Pos code: ...............................................................................................................................................................................................
Telephone: ............................................................................................................................................................................................
Fax: ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
E-Mail: ...................................................................................................................................................................................................
I am in e es ed in:
a) a ending he Con e ence
b) p esen ing a he Con e ence
c) exhibi ing a he Con e ence
Richa d Cloue : [email p o ec ed]
Figu a 1.

02.pmd 03/04/2008, 9:2826
FACILITATING THE PROCESS OF TEACHING/LEARNING WRITING 27
all membe s o he g oup wo k on he same opic a he same pace. The e is occa-
sional eache -cen ed ocus o consolida ion o he aims o he ask. The eache
g adually wi hd aws o e he cou se o he p ojec as he lea ne s become mo e
amilia wi h d awing on hei own esou ces.
A e discussing he opic in g oups, each eam was asked o ill in he
ollowing wo kshee , simply o help s uden s b ains o m and sha e mo e ideas.
Be o e s a ing w i ing hei abs ac s, s uden s we e equi ed o ind pa al-
lel ex s, in o he wo ds, a a ie y o abs ac s and a icles o exempli y hei ask.
Once all such documen s we e collec ed, hey had o ill in he ollowing wo kshee
which would be o conside able help o hem when w i ing hei own abs ac .
WORKSHEET - STEREOTYPES: OTHER PEOPLE
S e eo ypes a e imp essions o gene aliza ions ha people ha e abou di e en cul u es o g oups. The e
a e usually good and bad s e eo ypes in any cul u e. Al hough hey may be based in u h, hey gene -
ally don’ e lec he eali y o a di e se g oup o people.
PART 1 STEREOTYPES: NATIONALITIES
Below is a lis o na ionali ies. W i e down any imp essions o s e eo ypes you ha e o he coun y o i s
people.
a. USA/Ame icans
b. UK/B i ish
c. Ge many/Ge mans
d. India/Indians
e. China/Chinese
._______/________:
Whe e do you ge hese imp essions om? TV? Mo ies? Books? ___? Ha e you e e a elled o hese
coun ies?
PART 2 STEREOTYPES: ABOUT SPAIN
People also ha e s e eo ypical iews o Spain. How do you hink non-Spanish people see Spain? Fill in
he blanks in he lis below wi h a leas one example o each ca ego y.
(ex. Food: Spanish people ea paella e e yday.)
Cul u e/Cus oms:
Spo :
Technology:
Food
Cha ac e /Pe sonali y:
Homes:
Ci ies/Coun yside:
Educa ion/School:
Wo k:
Figu a 2.
02.pmd 03/04/2008, 9:2827
RICHARD CLOUET 28
WORKSHEET FOR DRAFTING AN ABSTRACT
The wo kshee will be use ul o w i ing an ea ly abs ac , be o e you w i e he whole pape , and hen
d a ing a inal abs ac a e he pape is comple ed.
W i e wo o h ee sen ences o each sec ion o c ea e an o e iew/summa y o you esea ch p ojec .
I is o en mos use ul o w i e wi hou looking a he pape .
PROJECT TITLE
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
INTRODUCTION/GENERAL PURPOSE
(wha is he esea ch abou ? Why is impo an o in e es ing and o whom?)
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
RESEARCH QUESTION/HYPOTHESIS
(Wha exac ly we e you ying o ind ou ?)
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
METHODS/MATERIALS
(Wha did you do? How did you do i ?)
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
RESULTS/FINDINGS
(Wha did you ind ou ?)
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
DISCUSSION
(How do he indings ela e o you o iginal ques ion/hypo hesis?)
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
CONCLUSION
(Wha do you hink i means? Why is his impo an / in e es ing?)
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
You now ha e he essen ial elemen s o an abs ac . Use he sen ences abo e o w i e a SINGLE, COHESIVE
PARAGRAPH in as ew wo ds as possible (no mo e han 200 wo ds). The goal o an abs ac is o summa-
ize you pape quickly and comple ely.
Figu a 3.
02.pmd 03/04/2008, 9:2828
FACILITATING THE PROCESS OF TEACHING/LEARNING WRITING 29
The nex s ep be o e submi ing he abs ac o he o ganizing commi ee
o he con e ence was o ge eedback om o he in e es ed eade s wo king on he
same opic. S uden s we e hen asked o e ise and p oo ead hei classma es’ wo k,
hus encou aging in e -g oup in e ac ion and collabo a ion.
The abs ac s could hen be submi ed o he o ganizing commi ee by e-mail
o he e iew p ocess. Fo L2 lea ne s, he challenge o composing e-mails o au ho i y
igu es can be g ea , due no only o possible linguis ic p oblems, bu also o hei
un amilia i y wi h he a ge cul u e’s no ms. Thus, he ollowing wo kshee was handed
ou as a guideline o wha hey we e expec ed o w i e. In his espec , Chen’s a icle on
he de elopmen o e-mail li e acy is o g ea help and alue (Chen, 2006: 35-55).
S uden s now had o wai o he no i ica ion o accep ance (ob iously sen
by hei eache by e-mail) o , in he wo s case, c i ical eedback on hei abs ac .
A his s age, i was impo an o au ho s o ega d e iews no as c i icism bu as
sugges ions made by an in e es ed eade . A e making he e isions sugges ed,
abs ac s could hen be sen again o he o ganizing commi ee o publica ion.
The ac i i y can be seen as au hen ic p ac ice in a collabo a i e lea ning
en i onmen including in e ac ion among s uden s and he in ol emen o each
s uden in he eaching/lea ning p ocess. This p o ed o be a mos ewa ding expe-
ience, bo h educa ionally and socially, as i canno be s essed enough how posi-
i ely he ac o wo king on a eal p ojec impac s on g oup dynamics. I was el
by all hose in ol ed ha wo king on he p ojec had been an en iching and ul ill-
ing expe ience, and well-wo h he ime and e o in ol ed. The s uden s’ mo i a-
ion le els emained high h oughou he p ocess, d i en by he ci cums ance o
w i ing o a eal eade ship and he ecogni ion ha he ex would be published
and made a ailable o a wide audience.
REFERENCES
CARRELL, P. (1985): «Facili a ing ESL eading by eaching ex s uc u e», TESOL Qua e ly, 19 (4):
727-752.
CARRELL, P., DEVINE, J., & ESKEY, D. (1988): In e ac i e app oaches o second language eading, Cam-
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