Teaching Writing

Writing is the act of expressing ideas, opinions, thoughts, feelings or emotions through written language. Writing is one form of linguistic competence realization which is expressed in form of written language application. Expressing ideas through written forms are not easy, because there are claimed the existences of thinking ability and many other interrelated aspects. For examples: the mastery of writing materials, the knowledge of written language, motivation etc. Furthermore, writing also can be interpreted as an activity to convey a message (communication) by using written language as its media. \
Writing is an important form of communication in day-to-day life and it is the most difficult skill to be mastered in both a first and a second language. Thus, writing claims more complicated treatment than the activities of using language in spoken form. When doing writing activity, we communicate with the others indirectly. So, it is normal if writing activities are regarded more difficult than speaking activities. In doing writing activities, writers are not interacting with the readers directly.
In writing, there are eight writing skills, as follows:
1. Handwriting
Handwriting is the technique of writing with the hand and a writing instrument. Styles of handwriting are also called hands or scripts. Writing as an art is called calligraphy.
2. Spelling
Spelling is the writing of one or more words with letters and diacritics. In addition, the term often, but not always, means an accepted standard spelling or the process of naming the letters. In the sense of a standard, spelling is one of the elements of orthography and a prescriptive element of alphabetic languages.
3. Punctuation
Punctuation marks are symbols that indicate the structure and organization of written language, as well as intonation and pauses to be observed when reading aloud. Punctuation marks for example: full stop which is placed at the end of sentences, comma which is used for separating things, question mark which is a punctuation mark that replaces the full stop (period) at the end of an interrogative sentence in English and many other languages, exclamation mark which is a punctuation mark usually used after an interjection or exclamation to indicate strong feelings or high volume, and often marks the end of a sentence, colon which informs the reader that the following proves, explains or simply provides elements of what is referred to before, etc.
4. Sentence Construction
A sentence is a group of words that consist of two main parts (i.e. subject and predicate); in addition, they should be grammatically and logically arranged. Every sentence must have a subject and verb. A sentence may be a statement, question, command, request, or exclamation. The first letter must be capitalized, and the sentence must be ended with a final punctuation mark in the form of a period (.); a question mark (?); or an exclamation point (!).
5. Organizing a Text and Paraphrasing
Text is a coherent set of symbol that transmits some kind of informative message. In organizing a good text or limited into a paragraph, the writer have to pay attention with three major structural parts, they are, topic sentence, supporting sentences, and concluding sentence in unity and coherence. Paraphrasing is the activity in restating a text or passage using other word.
6. Text Cohesion
The appropriate used of linking verb, phrases so that the organization of the text is clear to the readers.
Cohesion is the grammatical and lexical relationship with a text or sentence. Cohesion can be defined as the links that hold the text together and give it meaning. It is related to the broader concept of coherence.
7. Register/style
Register is using language (structure and vocabulary) appropriate to the formality of the text and the style
In writing paragraph, there are two commonly used writing style. They are indented style and block style.
a. Indented style
Indented style is writing style in which the first line of each paragraph is typed further the left margin of the page than the other line.
b. Block style
Block style is writing style in which the first line and the other lines of the paragraph is typed without further space from the left margin of the page; the space between paragraphs are typed one line from each other.

Writing is often students' least favourite activity. They may find it hard and time-consuming (even in their own language) and may fear getting back a page covered in red ink. But writing can be motivating and enjoyable. There are some ways to encourage students in writing.
1. Capitalize on students’ existing needs.
2. Help students set achievable goals for themselves.
3. Strengthen students’ self-motivation.
4. Ensure opportunities for students’ success by assigning task that are neither too easy nor too difficult.
5. Make super fun activities.
6. Create atmosphere that is open and positive.
7. Make students active participants in learning because students learn by doing, making, writing, designing, creating, and solving.
8. Give frequent, early, positive feedback that supports students’ beliefs that they can do well.
9. Help students feel that they are valued members of learning community.
10. Avoid creating intense competition among students.
11. Vary teacher teaching method.
12. Reward success.

Process writing is a natural set of steps that writers take to create a finished piece of work. It is a process of organizing ideas and creativity through text. The focus of process writing is on process, not on the end-product. It is useful for all skill levels, from children to published authors, to develop an authentic, creative work. It breaks the act of writing into steps:
• Prewriting (generating ideas; deciding purpose and the reader)
• Drafting (putting ideas down into form)
• Conference (getting reader feedback)
• Revising (rethinking and editing; mini lessons)
• Proofreading (finding and fixing mistakes, correcting mechanics)
• Publishing (sharing with the reader).
The above steps do not exist in a linear way. Writers sometimes go back and forth among steps. The application of process writing can take various forms: writers' workshop, writing across the curriculum, the use of journals or logs, and modelled writing.
There are several approaches in teaching writing, as follows:
1. Copying
This technique is for young learners, they copy letters or word that they see.
2. Dictation
This is technique which combine listening and writing. Students listen something from teacher arc d player and write what they have listened in a piece of paper.
3. Fill in the blank
Students fill words, phrase, etc in the incomplete sentence in order to make it grammatically correct.
4. Picture cued writing practice
Students write a paragraph based on picture that is shown to them in unity and coherence related with the picture.