As teachers, we embark on a quest to develop the writing skills of kindergarten ESL students, laying a foundation that will shape their linguistic progress for years to come. Teaching writing to these young minds requires a delicate balance of patience, creativity, and tailored strategies to foster both confidence and proficiency in expression. In this blog post, we delve into the art of teaching writing to ESL students in kindergarten, exploring effective techniques and approaches to nurture their linguistic growth from the earliest stages of their educational journey.
Common mistakes you might see in ESL student's writing
One common mistake you may see ESL students make when writing is mistakes with grammar. Students may get confused with word order, preposition phrases, verb tenses, subject verb agreement and articles such as a, the or an. ESL students may switch between different tenses within their writing.
Another common mistake in ESL student's writing is errors in vocabulary. Misuse or misunderstanding of words, especially idiomatic expressions (for example: It’s a piece of cake), and phrasal verbs, can lead to confusion or ambiguity in writing.
You may also see mistakes with sentence structure when looking at ESL students’ writing. ESL students may have difficulty constructing complex sentences with appropriate punctuation and conjunctions. ESL students may also write paragraphs that are too long. ESL students may also stick with more simpler sentence structures and avoid including more complex sentences in their writing.
Another common mistake with ESL student’s writing is mistakes with spelling. English spelling can be challenging due to its irregularities, so ESL learners may misspell words or confuse similar-sounding words. ESL students may also get mixed up between US and UK spellings for words.
You may also notice a lack of cohesion between paragraphs or within paragraphs with ESL student’s writing. Weak transitions between paragraphs or ideas can make the writing hard to follow. ESL students may struggle with organizing their thoughts logically.
Incorrect use of capitals letters is another error you may spot in ESL student’s writing. Students may capitalise the wrong types of words or miss out capitals all together.
Why can ESL students struggle with writing?
In a nutshell ESL students need to spend more time and effort finding the words to express themselves in English which can result in facing various challenges when writing.
ESL students may find writing challenging as grammar in English is tricky. English grammar can be complex, with many rules and exceptions. ESL students may find it challenging to master verb conjugation, tense usage, and sentence structure. Word order in sentences is another difficulty ESL students face.
ESL students may also find having a limited vocabulary at first a challenge as it is trickier for them to find the words to express what they want to write. Building a rich vocabulary takes time and requires exposure to the language. ESL learners may have a limited range of words at their disposal, which can hinder their ability to express themselves effectively in writing. ESL students may feel like they must avoid using certain words as they may not know the equivalent word in English.
Another challenge ESL students may face when writing is structuring their sentences within their writing. To enable ESL students to correctly structure their writing they need to be confident with grammar, spelling etc which often they may not be.
Having a limited exposure to English may be another reason why ESL students find writing tricky. ESL students who have limited exposure to English outside the classroom may struggle to develop their writing skills. Immersion in English-speaking environments can greatly enhance language acquisition and writing proficiency.
Lack of opportunities to practise writing can also contribute to ESL students finding writing challenging. ESL students who have limited opportunities to write in English may struggle to develop their writing skills compared to those who have regular practice. This can also lead to ESL students having low confidence regarding their writing skills and then may be fearful of making mistakes. Like any skill, writing improves with practice. Fear of making grammatical errors or using vocabulary incorrectly can inhibit ESL students' writing confidence. This fear of making mistakes may lead to avoidance or reluctance to write in English.
Another reason why ESL students find writing challenging is due to cultural and linguistic difference. Differences between the student's native language and English, such as sentence structure, word order, and rhetorical patterns, can lead to interference and affect writing proficiency.
What skills do ESL students need before teaching writing?
Before teaching ESL students writing it would be useful to spend time on activities that focus in building these following skills.
ESL students would benefit from expanding their vocabulary. A rich vocabulary is crucial for expressing ideas accurately and precisely in writing. ESL students should strive to expand their vocabulary through reading, listening, and vocabulary-building exercises.
Spending time working on grammar would also benefit ESL students before moving onto writing. Understanding basic grammar rules, including sentence structure, verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation, is essential for constructing clear and coherent sentences. ESL students would also benefit from developing sentence structure and syntax skills.
Developing reading comprehension skills is another area that would be useful before teaching writing to ESL students. Strong reading skills enable ESL students to understand written texts, identify key information, and learn from examples of effective writing structures and styles.
Spending time developing talking and listening skills is another area that would be useful to focus on before teaching ESL students writing. Proficiency in listening and speaking lays the groundwork for effective communication in writing. ESL students who can understand spoken English and express themselves orally are better equipped to transfer these skills to their writing. Proficiency in listening and speaking lays the groundwork for effective communication in writing. ESL students who can understand spoken English and express themselves orally are better equipped to transfer these skills to their writing.
Practising proof reading and editing skills is another area that would be useful for ESL students to develop before learning writing. Developing self-editing and revision skills allows ESL students to review and improve their writing independently, identifying, and correcting errors in grammar, vocabulary, and coherence.
Should you teach grammar to ESL students?
It is important to spend time teaching grammar to ESL students before teaching writing as grammar rules and skills help ESL students to better understand the English language. By spending time teaching ESL students grammar you will help them develop various skills that will help develop their writing and reading skills.
Understanding how grammar works helps develop communication skills and comprehension skills. Grammar provides the structural framework for language, allowing students to convey their ideas clearly and accurately. A solid understanding of grammar helps ESL students communicate effectively in both spoken and written English.
By focussing on grammar with ESL students this will also help develop their language proficiency and speaking skills. Understanding grammar enables ESL students to comprehend English texts more easily. By recognizing grammatical structures, students can better understand that a strong grasp of grammar is often a prerequisite for language proficiency exams such as the TOEFL or IELTS. Teaching grammar equips ESL students with the language skills needed to succeed in academic or professional settings. Learning grammar improves ESL students' speaking skills by helping them produce grammatically accurate sentences during conversations and discussions. This enhances their ability to express themselves fluently and confidently in English.
Grammar skills and knowledge will ultimately help ESL students develop effective writing skills. Grammar instruction helps ESL students develop their writing skills by teaching them how to construct grammatically correct sentences and paragraphs. This leads to more coherent and organized writing.
How do you teach ESL students basic writing?
When teaching writing to ESL students start with the basics. Ensure they are comfortable with the alphabet, phonics etc so they can use sounds to sound out words. Ensure and spend time focussing on vowels and how to use them as they help make up numerous words. Ensure and spend time looking at short and long vowels and how are they used.
Also spend time focussing on sentence structure. Start off with simple sentences, for example, subject verb sentences like “I see…”, “ I run…” etc. Then when students are comfortable make more complex by adding in a noun, for example, “ I can read a book” etc. When looking at sentence structure it would also be ideal to work on expanding vocabulary at the same time. You can look at different nouns, verbs etc and then use these in sentences.
You can also explore parts of speech with your students. First focus on nouns – things, people etc and then verbs. You can use these to explore sentence structure at first. Then move on to exploring adjectives. This will also help expand vocabulary. You can then look at adding adjectives to sentences to make more complex sentences.
Another area to focus on with ESL students is punctuation and capitalisation. As student’s language could be different from English, they may have never come across the idea of capitals and punctuation before so this may be new thing to them. Spend time only focussing on correct punctuation and using capitals in correct places. My Fix the Sentences Activities are excellent for focussing on and developing this skill.
It is important while focussing on different skills used in writing to ensure you are always working to expand your student’s vocabulary and providing language input for your students. Surround students with rich language input by incorporating English language instruction into everyday activities and routines. Use descriptive language, repetition, and gestures to reinforce vocabulary and language structures.
How do you differentiate writing lessons for ESL students?
ESL students may all have different levels of English so they will need tailored support or challenge. One way is to have flexible groups in your class. Group ESL students flexibly based on their language proficiency levels, interests, and learning needs. Provide small-group instruction, peer collaboration, and individualized support to address the diverse needs of your ESL learners.
Altering assessments is another way to differentiate for ESL students. Modify writing tasks and activities to accommodate the language proficiency levels of ESL students. Provide simpler prompts, reduce the length or complexity of assignments, and offer additional scaffolding and support as needed.
Providing varying levels of language support is another method you could differentiate your writing lessons. Offer language support for ESL students through vocabulary lists, sentence frames, graphic organizers, and language reference materials. Provide bilingual dictionaries or translation tools to help students access vocabulary and understand instructions.
You can also differentiate writing lessons for ESL students by providing more or less opportunities for modelling and demonstrating certain skills etc. Model writing processes and techniques for ESL students by demonstrating how to plan, draft, revise, and edit writing assignments. Use clear examples, visual aids, and multimedia resources to illustrate writing concepts and strategies.
Providing certain students with more focussed explicit instruction. Provide explicit instruction in English grammar, syntax, and writing conventions to support ESL students' language development. Break down writing skills into manageable steps, teach relevant grammar rules, and offer guided practice and feedback.
Giving ESL students differentiated feedback is another method you can use to differentiate your writing lessons. Provide differentiated feedback tailored to the individual needs of ESL students. Offer specific praise for strengths, identify areas for improvement, and provide guidance on how to revise and enhance writing assignments.
Mistakes to avoid when teaching writing to ESL students
When teaching writing to ESL students there are some pitfalls you would want to avoid. Ignoring ESL student’s language proficiency levels is the first mistake you would want to keep in mind. Avoid overlooking the diverse language proficiency levels of ESL students. Tailor writing instruction to meet the needs of individual learners by providing appropriate scaffolding, support, and challenges.
Another area you would want to be careful with is being too strict with grammar corrections. While grammar is important, avoid overemphasizing error correction, which can hinder students' creativity and confidence in writing. Focus on providing constructive feedback that helps students improve their writing skills while preserving their motivation and enthusiasm for writing.
Not spending enough time on pre-writing activities is another mistake to avoid when teaching writing to ESL students. Don't skip pre-writing activities such as brainstorming, outlining, and organizing ideas. Pre-writing helps students generate content, structure their thoughts, and plan their writing effectively.
Not spending enough time demonstrating or modelling writing to ESL students is another mistake to avoid. Avoid neglecting to model writing processes and provide clear examples of good writing. Demonstrating writing techniques and showing examples of well-written texts help ESL students understand writing expectations and learn from models.
Another pitfall to avoid when teaching writing to ESL students is ignoring linguistic or cultural backgrounds. Acknowledge and respect students' cultural perspectives, language experiences, and writing conventions, and incorporate culturally relevant topics and examples into writing instruction.
Underestimating vocabulary development is another mistake to avoid. Avoid underestimating the importance of vocabulary development in writing. Encourage ESL students to expand their vocabulary through reading, word banks, and vocabulary-building activities, as rich vocabulary enhances writing fluency and expression.
Relying too much on direct instruction is another mistake to avoid when teaching writing. Avoid relying exclusively on direct instruction and teacher-led activities. Incorporate interactive and collaborative learning experiences that engage ESL students actively in the writing process, such as peer review, group brainstorming, and collaborative writing projects.
Sentence writing ideas for ESL students
There are many types of activities that will encourage ESL students to create and their write own sentences. One example is showing your students an image and ask questions like who, where, what doing etc. Then ask your students to verbally come up with a sentence using the questions as prompts. Last you ask your students to write their sentence down. You can ask your students to ensure their sentence is more or less complex depending on their ability.
You can look at further developing sentence structure or syntax skills by giving students parts of a sentence mixed up and ask them to arrange in correct order. Your students can then rewrite the sentence correctly.
You can also give your students a sentence starter and ask students to finish the sentence off using their own ideas.
You can focus on developing adjective skills and ask student to look at a scene, picture etc and write sentences ensuring they use adjectives.
You can also practise expanding sentences. First give students a short sentence and then ask them to expand the sentence by asking where, when etc questions. You can also use picture prompts to help with generating ideas.
Correcting sentences is another fun activity to help develop sentence writing skills. First write or show a sentence with simple mistakes depending on focus of learning. These could be capitals or punctuation mistakes and then ask students to correct the sentence.
You can also explore comparative sentences, and ask students to write sentences comparing things that are bigger, smaller etc.
You can also encourage students to write sentences by labelling pictures. Provide pictures or drawings of common objects or animals and ask students to write simple labels or short sentences to describe what they see. For example, a picture of a cat could be labelled "cat" or described with a simple sentence like "The cat is sleeping."
You can also look at story sequencing. Show students a sequence of pictures depicting a simple story or sequence of events. Ask your students to write a sentence for each picture, describing what is happening. For example, "First, the boy woke up. Then, he ate breakfast."
Overall, when guiding ESL students in their writing journey, it's crucial to recognize and address common mistakes they may encounter. From grammar errors to vocabulary misuse, sentence structure challenges, spelling mishaps, and cohesion issues, these hurdles can hinder their progress. Understanding why ESL learners struggle with writing, including grappling with English grammar intricacies, limited vocabulary, and cultural differences, helps educators tailor their approach effectively.
Before diving into writing lessons, it's essential to ensure ESL students have foundational skills, including vocabulary expansion, grammar comprehension, reading comprehension, and speaking proficiency. Teaching grammar is pivotal, as it forms the backbone of language proficiency and fosters effective communication.
When teaching sentence structure and basic writing, starting with the fundamentals like phonics, vowels, and simple sentence construction lays a strong groundwork. Differentiating lessons to accommodate varying language levels, providing ample modeling and support, and avoiding common teaching pitfalls such as neglecting pre-writing activities or overemphasizing grammar corrections are key strategies.
Engaging ESL students in diverse sentence writing activities, from picture prompts to sentence expansion exercises, helps reinforce language skills and encourages creativity. By nurturing their writing abilities through tailored instruction, targeted support, and engaging activities, educators empower ESL students to become confident and proficient writers in English.
Comments