Teaching Writing Skills Lexically

Teaching Writing Skills Lexically

In the course "Professional Certificate in Teaching English through the Lexical Approach," one of the key focuses is on teaching writing skills lexically. This approach emphasizes the importance of vocabulary and collocations in writing, rather than just focusing on grammar and sentence structure. In this explanation, we will delve into key terms and vocabulary related to teaching writing skills lexically.

Lexical Approach

The lexical approach is a method of language teaching that focuses on the importance of vocabulary and chunks of language, rather than just grammar rules and structures. It suggests that language is best learned and produced in chunks or collocations, rather than individual words. In teaching writing skills lexically, the focus is on helping students to use vocabulary and collocations effectively in their writing.

Collocations

Collocations are words that often appear together and sound natural to native speakers. They are an important aspect of the lexical approach as they help students to produce more natural and fluent language. For example, "make a decision" is a collocation, while "do a decision" is not. Teaching students collocations can help them improve their writing skills by using language that sounds more authentic and natural.

Chunking

Chunking refers to grouping words or phrases together in a meaningful way. In the lexical approach, students are encouraged to learn and use language in chunks rather than individual words. This can help students produce language more fluently and naturally in their writing. For example, instead of focusing on individual words like "run" and "fast," students could learn the chunk "run fast" to describe someone's speed.

Lexical Phrases

Lexical phrases are fixed expressions or phrases that are commonly used in English. Teaching students these phrases can help them improve their writing skills by using language that is appropriate and native-like. Examples of lexical phrases include "by the way," "as a matter of fact," and "on the other hand." Encouraging students to use these phrases in their writing can make their language more natural and fluent.

Collocational Range

Collocational range refers to the variety and diversity of collocations that a student can use in their writing. A wider collocational range indicates a more advanced level of language proficiency. In teaching writing skills lexically, it is important to help students expand their collocational range by introducing them to new vocabulary and phrases. This can help them produce more varied and sophisticated writing.

Lexical Density

Lexical density refers to the proportion of content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs) to function words (articles, prepositions, pronouns, etc.) in a text. Texts with high lexical density contain more content words and are usually more challenging to read and understand. When teaching writing skills lexically, it is important to help students balance their use of content words and function words to create texts that are clear and engaging.

Lexical Priming

Lexical priming is the idea that the brain stores and retrieves words and phrases in chunks or collocations. When students are exposed to language repeatedly in meaningful contexts, they are more likely to remember and use it in their writing. In teaching writing skills lexically, it is important to provide students with ample opportunities to encounter and practice using vocabulary and collocations in different contexts to enhance their lexical priming.

Corpus Linguistics

Corpus linguistics is a research methodology that involves studying language patterns and usage by analyzing large collections of authentic language data, known as corpora. In teaching writing skills lexically, corpus linguistics can be a valuable tool for identifying common collocations, phrases, and patterns in English. By using corpus data, teachers can ensure that they are teaching students language that is current, relevant, and natural.

Noticing

Noticing refers to the process of becoming aware of language features, such as collocations, chunks, and patterns, through exposure and practice. In teaching writing skills lexically, it is important to help students notice and internalize language features so that they can use them effectively in their writing. By guiding students to notice language in context, teachers can help them develop a better understanding of how vocabulary and collocations work in English.

Frequency Lists

Frequency lists are lists of the most commonly used words and phrases in a language. In teaching writing skills lexically, frequency lists can be a useful resource for identifying high-frequency vocabulary that students are likely to encounter and use in their writing. By focusing on teaching students the most frequent words and phrases, teachers can help them build a solid foundation of vocabulary that is essential for effective writing.

Chunking Exercises

Chunking exercises are activities that help students practice using language in chunks or collocations. In teaching writing skills lexically, chunking exercises can be used to help students internalize and produce language more fluently and naturally. Examples of chunking exercises include gap-fill activities with collocations, sentence completion tasks using lexical phrases, and role-play scenarios that require students to use chunks of language in context.

Lexical Cohesion

Lexical cohesion refers to the ways in which vocabulary and collocations are used to create connections and flow in a text. In teaching writing skills lexically, it is important to help students use vocabulary and collocations strategically to create coherence and cohesion in their writing. By teaching students how to link ideas and paragraphs using lexical cohesion, teachers can help them produce texts that are well-organized and easy to follow.

Authentic Materials

Authentic materials are materials that are created for native speakers of a language and reflect real-world language use. In teaching writing skills lexically, authentic materials can provide students with exposure to natural language features, collocations, and chunks. By using authentic materials such as newspaper articles, blogs, and podcasts, teachers can help students develop their writing skills in a context that is relevant and meaningful.

Task-Based Learning

Task-based learning is an approach to language teaching that focuses on engaging students in real-world tasks that require the use of language. In teaching writing skills lexically, task-based learning can be an effective way to help students practice using vocabulary and collocations in authentic contexts. By designing writing tasks that are meaningful and purposeful, teachers can motivate students to engage with language and develop their writing skills effectively.

Feedback and Error Correction

Feedback and error correction are important aspects of teaching writing skills lexically. Providing students with timely and constructive feedback on their writing can help them identify and correct errors in their use of vocabulary and collocations. By highlighting areas for improvement and offering guidance on how to use language more effectively, teachers can support students in developing their writing skills in a lexical approach.

Challenges in Teaching Writing Skills Lexically

While teaching writing skills lexically can be highly effective, there are also some challenges that teachers may encounter. One challenge is ensuring that students have a strong foundation of vocabulary and collocations to draw upon in their writing. Without a sufficient lexicon, students may struggle to produce language fluently and naturally. Another challenge is balancing the focus on vocabulary and collocations with other aspects of writing, such as grammar and sentence structure. It is important to strike a balance between teaching language in chunks and addressing other writing skills to ensure that students develop a well-rounded proficiency in writing.

Conclusion

Teaching writing skills lexically is a valuable approach that can help students develop their writing proficiency in English. By focusing on vocabulary, collocations, and chunks of language, teachers can help students produce more fluent, natural, and authentic writing. By incorporating key terms and vocabulary related to teaching writing skills lexically, teachers can create a comprehensive and learner-friendly learning experience for students in the course "Professional Certificate in Teaching English through the Lexical Approach."