Teaching Adults Writing using the Communicative Approach for Adults.

  

We use language for communication. Writing is one aspect of this need to communicate. We write letters, memos, reports, forums, blogs, websites, stories -long and short, poems, songs, essays, emails and messages on social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and WhatsApp. All the afore mentioned acts are all for communication of one sort or the other. All the tasks are for communication that have a purpose for communication and a target audience. However, when English is taught in the classroom, it is taught using the didactic methodology, where the target audience is probably the teacher who corrects the writing and is the source of the language and writing text to be used. This is what is lacking in classrooms - communicating to a wider audience. School going children are not the only ones who teachers and tutors teach English. We also teach adults including those who are immigrants, foreign workers and refugees. The methodology used must enable them to write in English for various purposes and different kinds of texts.

Adults undertake studies for work purposes, including communicating with others correctly, applying for work, emigrating and furthering their education for personal enrichment or as described earlier for vocational and emigration purposes. They a wide spectrum of reading texts to be able to write and the product method is entirely unsuitable for them because they cannot use their creativity, diverse needs (writing emails, job applications, etc.) and critical thinking about what and how to write particular kinds of text.

But we must bear in mind that writing is difficult to teach. It is an act done in solo, in silence, involving physical effort and is time consuming. This will not appeal to teachers and students as an activity conducted in a classroom. Additionally, writing in the native language (L1), is already difficult, so imagine the target language or the language being learnt (L2).  We must take in to account the linguistic, psychological and cognitive challenges faced by adult students, not to mention financial, vocational and family challenges. Bear in mind that not many adults will write anything of length in their lives using pen and paper or a keyboard and computer. No spellchecker, grammarly or a dictionary. But then again this what they have to do in the classroom. 

Many adult learners are going sit for examinations set by IELTS and Cambridge Main Suite (of course if a teacher is using TOEFL or other English courses not set by Britain, it should be a similar situation for you). 

The tasks set for adult learners can be from textbooks that can aid them to muster their grammar and vocabulary while learning the four skills of writing, reading, listening and speaking. While textbooks cannot be avoided, they might not teach writing for diverse texts, such as a memo to a manager, applying for a permit of any kind, a letter to a government department or a business letter. 

The tasks set must be motivating, relevant and communicative. The tasks must be intellectually satisfying, let them understand their linguistic limitations and what needs to be addressed. Hence, learning materials must be developed or sourced to this end. Writing is best done in the classroom so that they can work with their classmates and homework set a per the syllabus if it required. Writing on a blog will be a fun way for them to use their writing skills if this is possible.

We can solve learning problems by using the communicative approach along with the process method of teaching writing such as;

1. Publish their writings on blogs or websites;
2. Publish their writings on social media such as Facebook, and Twitter;
3. Publish their work in newspapers or a class magazine;
4. Motivate them to write with a clear purpose and for a clear audience, for instance to an empower, relative pen friends or their fellow students;
5. Using group activities to write, group correction and group editing of work;
6. Support writing with reading which aids reding skills;
7. Let students write a speech and make the speech to their classmates with a question and answer session about the speech which aids with speaking and listening skills;
8. Find challenging and rewarding tasks which can support a variety of learning aims and integrate other skills and language systems, such as summarizing, project work, translation, writing up notes from interviews, and preparing a briefing or talk;
9. Use relevant and realistic tasks such as writing notes, recipes, e-mails, filling in forms and preparing signs for the class;
10. Respond to the content of the work that your learners give you as well as correcting the errors they make, by adding your own comments to their homework or establishing a dialogue through e-mail and learner diaries;
11. Make writing easier and more fun by doing group writing activities and group correction and editing of work. Process writing includes elements of this;
12. Support writing with reading. This not only helps learners develop the sub-skills they need but also helps them understand that good writing is a powerful and important communication tool.

The process method will use :

• text as a resource for comparison;
• ideas as starting point;
• more than one draft;
• more global, focus on purpose, theme, text type, i.e., reader is emphasized;
• collaborative;
• emphasis on creative process;
• use brainstorming techniques, such as using post-it notes and mind maps.