New Complete IELTS Writing Task 2

Writing course for International IELTS students at Linton University Malaysia.

My readers (students and teachers) need to know that this very specific writing course has been designed for tertiary International IELTS students at Linton University College, Malaysia. These students mainly come from various countries such as China, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Malaysia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Yemen. Many of them join the English Language Centre with very limited English language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing (Elementary). To help the above students learn fast we have collected writing benchmarks drawn from Jawaid’s (2014) TESOL Quality Framework: Benchmarking for Curriculum Improvement and his empirical experience. The objective of this write-up is to familiarise the English for Academic Purpose (EAP) students and teachers with this practical fit for purpose writing course. For instance, our tertiary students learn IELTS Writing Task 2 (Agree or Disagree) very fast. They have been generating new ideas based upon a template “Smoking is Bad Habit” since July 2008. This template is followed by a similar set of 20 titles (including both negative and affirmative). This planned writing practice enables the students to write cohesive, clear and logical essays. They are not only proficient to write for IELTS examination but also for their future writing assignments. This is a very specific writing course for EAP beginners. It does not undermine many full-fledged writing development courses available in the market. It is my pleasure to inform that the workable strategies, handwriting improvement tips, quality standards of effective writing, paragraph writing strategies and 4F formula have been drawn from diverse disciplines such as quality, education, TESOL, science, cognitive development and management. It has considered baseline assessment, initiation, student-teacher involvement, real life functions, active language practice, transition (sentence to paragraph to essay) and continuous improvement. These aspects facilitate the students to get automation in writing very fast and they start leading their own writing. Workable Strategies used are: Aim to bring fluency in writing (speed writing) Exploitation of I-ness (I plan, I do, I review, I act, I can, I am, etc.) Use of very simple language Use of short sentences Simple to a developed write-up Exploitation of Real-life functions (e.g. I can make tea. I can make sandwich.)

Handwriting Improvement Tips Writing on ruled paper Use of one line for one sentence (initially) Use of finger space between the words Writing in an upright manner Writing alphabet on the line (touching the line) Writing equal size of letters Pressing the pen/pencil while writing Providing soft surface (by putting a lot of paper underneath) to get maturity of handwriting faster Writing bold and proper alphabet (not half alphabet) Note: Minimise cursive writing if it leads to illegibility Some ‘Quality Standards’ of Effective writing Understanding of topic/title Introduction of the topic Justification of the topic Organisation of the ideas Conclusions and suggestions Plural sentences (smokers do, people do, they do, we do) Variety of verbs Variety of diction (wide choice of words) Minimum use of ‘be’ Minimum use of articles (‘a’ and ‘an’) Minimum use of conjunctions Short sentences (three to four words for one sentence) Strengthening of (SVO/SVOA) Input and output of ideas (smaller theme to main theme) Organisation of the ideas by mind mapping Completing of a loop Note: Minimising euphemism, bombastic words and exaggeration The Students must Know Paragraph Writing Strategies One sentence is one complete idea One paragraph is one developed idea (I has beginning, middle part and an ending) Indentation Inflections (management of word ending).