Ebaby's ESL Teacher

United States

Writing with Structure in the ESL Classroom

March 7, 2008
Viewed 8384 times.

Writing can be hard, even for me a native English speaker and ESL teacher. But once ESL students become comfortable with writing in English, it is important to introduce some common structures in English writing.

Traditionally in English, an essay states the main idea in the first paragraph and each paragraph that follows supports the main idea. While this rigid structure is not always followed, students should understand that normally they should structure their writing in that manner.

ESL teachers, especially native English speakers, may not consider teaching essay organization, but some cultures value other essay structures. There is a great video clip about a nonnative English speaker, Pablo Zapata, and his problems with the very direct manner of English essay writing.

Some students may have a hard time transitioning to this style of writing, but once their language is intelligible, it is a necessity. English readers have certain expectations about how writing should be organized, especially in academics. As teachers, we should give our students the skills to meet readers' expectations.

38 Comments
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01:25 PM Sep 23 2009
chief_wang China	I purely agree with you, and what you mentioned in your article help a lot! A big thank-you to you!

01:25 PM Sep 23 2009

chief_wang
China

I purely agree with you, and what you mentioned in your article help a lot! A big thank-you to you!

04:47 AM Sep 07 2009
wikle China	my ICQ:554197387

04:47 AM Sep 07 2009

wikle
China

my ICQ:554197387

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12:31 AM Sep 07 2009

zhuanghuihui
China

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12:31 AM Sep 07 2009
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12:31 AM Sep 07 2009

zhuanghuihui
China

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12:31 AM Sep 07 2009
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12:31 AM Sep 07 2009

zhuanghuihui
China

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12:31 AM Sep 07 2009
zhuanghuihui China	hello: Iam glad to meet you.I want to make a friend .if you want ,please join www.qq.com give you my qq member 378156595 thank you

12:31 AM Sep 07 2009

zhuanghuihui
China

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01:31 AM Sep 06 2009
xj3481413 China	Hi,boddy,I am a chinese ,I want to make friends with you,are you an English teacher in the U.S.?I like to talk to you,please leave a message for me,thank you for your time

01:31 AM Sep 06 2009

xj3481413
China

Hi,boddy,I am a chinese ,I want to make friends with you,are you an English teacher in the U.S.?I like to talk to you,please leave a message for me,thank you for your time

02:30 AM Sep 04 2009
sonasalehiyan Iran, Islamic Republic Of	hi i'm sona can we make friend? ilike get information about your country.

06:35 AM Aug 12 2009
Ritalin China	i am Ritalin.I have made my comments. But i forgot my Email:fuxiao19930515@yeah.net

06:31 AM Aug 12 2009
Ritalin China	Hello! i am so happy to meet you .i am a chinese student.And i am eager to improve my english writing.I hope we can become friends soon. And i am a new one here.I need someone to heip me get used to this new place .Thank you so much! waiting for your voice all the time!

12:33 AM Jul 19 2009
samisaeed Yemen	hi mitchelk i m sami i m 20 year old i love make freind Do you iccipt to be my freinds ok thanks bye

12:33 AM Jul 19 2009

samisaeed
Yemen

hi mitchelk

i m sami

i m 20 year old

i love make freind

Do you iccipt to be my freinds

thanks

bye

05:04 PM Jun 29 2009
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07:05 AM Jun 28 2009
apple150080 China	yes , this is great,i am not a native egnlish speaker, i learn english for many years,but my enlgish is very poor,maybe because there is no chance to use it in my life.now i realy want to consult that how can i improve my oral english levle,listening , speaking ?

07:05 AM Jun 28 2009

apple150080
China

yes , this is great,i am not a native egnlish speaker, i learn english for many years,but my enlgish is very poor,maybe because there is no chance to use it in my life.now i realy want to consult that how can i improve my oral english levle,listening , speaking ?

08:10 PM Jun 02 2009
thuy vu hong Viet Nam	Hi! I'm Thuy,a vietnamese student. I've just known this website and I like it immediately. I'd like to chat with you to improve my english. Moreover I want to be your friend. Can you be my friend? Please contact to me! thank you very much!

08:30 PM May 29 2009
jearllin China	I am a student from china.I want to make a frend here. here is my MSN: jearllin@hotmail.com. Will you accept me? thankyou!

08:30 PM May 29 2009

jearllin
China

I am a student from china.I want to make a frend here. here is my MSN: jearllin@hotmail.com.

Will you accept me? thankyou!

12:51 PM May 08 2009
lollipop1125 China	Hello Mitchelk , it's a concidence to meet you . it would be honored if you accept as your friend. if possible , please add my e-mail address : steven.shi.1125@hotmail.com best regards steven

12:51 PM May 08 2009

lollipop1125
China

Hello Mitchelk ,

it's a concidence to meet you . it would be honored if you accept as your friend. if possible , please add my e-mail address : steven.shi.1125@hotmail.com

best regards

steven

12:47 PM Apr 27 2009
Firman Indonesia	your eyes so cute...dont forget to pray ok sorry my english so bad

12:47 PM Apr 27 2009

Firman
Indonesia

your eyes so cute...dont forget to pray ok

sorry my english so bad

06:56 AM Apr 27 2009
lion810 Macao	although my english is poor,but i think your method is very uesful for me,especially these persons whose mother tongue is not english. i hope you could leave your msn or yahoo id to me.i want to make friend with you,because i am interensting in usa.hope konw more about that country.

06:56 AM Apr 27 2009

lion810
Macao

although my english is poor,but i think your method is very uesful for me,especially these persons whose mother tongue is not english.

i hope you could leave your msn or yahoo id to me.i want to make friend with you,because i am interensting in usa.hope konw more about that country.

09:24 PM Apr 18 2009
orange_sun Viet Nam	i want to some new friends,can u give me your e-mail.We can talk together:)

09:24 PM Apr 18 2009

orange_sun
Viet Nam

i want to some new friends,can u give me your e-mail.We can talk together:)

03:58 AM Apr 13 2009
zhang baker China	i am so excited that you said "eager to teach"! my name is baker,i am so happy to be your friend here! and i am expecting to learn english from you and all the other friends ! i believe we can be good friends , i am from China ,and i am eager to teach my friends Chinese too! welcome to add to in my msn adress zhanghj1005@live.cn

03:58 AM Apr 13 2009

zhang baker
China

i am so excited that you said "eager to teach"! my name is baker,i am so happy to be your friend here! and i am expecting to learn english from you and all the other friends ! i believe we can be good friends , i am from China ,and i am eager to teach my friends Chinese too! welcome to add to in my msn adress zhanghj1005@live.cn

08:58 PM Apr 06 2009
modmmah Malaysia	nice work teshre I hope better for aneyone to teash English . And I need your hlpe me to improf my English Lessing Iand speaking ................ my E-mail: ma9_123@hotmail.com Thank for your jop

08:58 PM Apr 06 2009

modmmah
Malaysia

nice work teshre I hope better for aneyone to teash English . And I need your hlpe me to improf my English Lessing Iand speaking ................

my E-mail: ma9_123@hotmail.com

Thank for your jop

05:19 AM Mar 28 2009
KINGQIAN China	glad to meet you.

11:58 PM Mar 19 2009
manoach Thailand	hi i am Rang i am from Thailand . i am not good english so i would like to you teach my english . i hope you can help me . you can contact me my e-mail address is Rang_fm49@hotmail.com thank you .

11:58 PM Mar 19 2009

manoach
Thailand

hi i am Rang i am from Thailand . i am not good english so i would like to you teach my english . i hope you can help me . you can contact me my e-mail address is Rang_fm49@hotmail.com

thank you .

05:04 AM Feb 26 2009
jessie lin China	hi,i am jessie,a chinese colleage student ,my engliah is not good,so i want to make a friend with you ,and to improve my english.my email is linxiaojie0715@163.com.cn look forword to your prompt reply! best wishes!

05:04 AM Feb 26 2009

jessie lin
China

hi,i am jessie,a chinese colleage student ,my engliah is not good,so i want to make a friend with you ,and to improve my english.my email is linxiaojie0715@163.com.cn look forword to your prompt reply!

best wishes!

03:09 AM Feb 21 2009
457819359 China	You are great ! I am Chinese , A senior hight school student . (I want to know if i had writen wrong ? ↑↑↑) I want to make friends with somebody who can help me improve my English writing skill ~~

03:09 AM Feb 21 2009

457819359
China

You are great !

I am Chinese , A senior hight school student .

(I want to know if i had writen wrong ? ↑↑↑)

I want to make friends with somebody who can

help me improve my English writing skill ~~

08:32 AM Feb 02 2009
abyanah Iran, Islamic Republic Of	Hi mitchelk hello(sallam) i am m. ebrahimi from iran .iam vet. i love every body all of world.i like improve english lan.but i can help you to learn persian .persian is a love lang.

02:49 PM Jan 29 2009
saintshar United States	Join now! FREE membership at: www.muslim4christiandating.com

05:30 PM Jan 28 2009
Buffoon Puerto Rico	Hello my name is lionel you give me your msn i live espanis

05:30 PM Jan 28 2009

Buffoon
Puerto Rico

Hello my name is lionel you give me your msn

i live espanis

12:12 AM Jan 16 2009
jdcc Peru	I want to keep on learning english and improve it . I am peruvian who speaks spanish too. if you want to talk to me through messenger . just write me to jordaniahbo@hotmail.com

10:36 AM Oct 18 2008
susy28 Spain	hello my name is susana i am from spain my msn is susabena6@hotmail.com.

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