PART A

1.0 Introduction
1.1 Overview
This action plan begins with an introduction of my background as a teacher educator and the
background as well as context of my target group of trainees. It then proceeds to identify an
issue in ELT methodology which is relevant to my trainees. Subsequently, it outlines the aims
and outcomes of my action plan on the teaching of writing.
1.2 My Background as an SISC+ officer
In May 2013, I was relocated to the Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah Kudat after being a teacher for
almost 20 years. My new post as an SISC+ officer bring me to a new level of being an educator.
For 20 years Ive been dealing with pupils but now I have to deal with teachers. This is new to
me as I have never had any experience working as a mentor or as a coach. For the past 1
years or so I have to attend many courses from ELTC as well as from other MOE or JPN
department as to equip myself as a coach or trainer.
1.3 Background and Context of Teachers
In this action plan, I would like to focus on the teachers that I am coaching. The teachers that i
am coaching are from the rural schools in Kudat Sabah. Most of them are from different
background. Some of them are not TESL trained and some are very experience TESL trained
teachers. Although they are from different background, they have similar experience as they are
teaching pupils in the rural schools with limited vocabularies and knowledge of English
Language. These teachers encounter the same problem, as they have difficulty in conveying
their lesson to these pupils especially in the area of teaching of writing.

2.0 Issue Identification

2.1 Description of the issue identified
The target group of teachers for this action plan is not able to develop appropriate writing
strategies that enable to engage students in writing. The teachers are unable to draw pupils
interest in writing thus they have problem in developing the students writing habits.
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2.2 Rationale for the selection of the Issue

The issue that I am relating here is neither new nor uncommon one. Most teachers teaching in
rural schools will have problem in teaching writing as the pupils that they encounter are mostly
have very limited vocabulary or even limited knowledge of the English Language. When I did an
interview with my teachers, most complained about the difficulty they are facing when teaching
writing to pupils where they ended up asking the pupils to copy the text that the teachers had
prepared or teachers are teaching pupils to memorize the text when preparing them for
examination. This lead to pupils having proficiency in reading but lacking the knowledge in the
area of writing. I personally can relate the struggle that my teachers are facing as I once was in
their shoes. I hope that with this action plan I would be able to help the teachers to improve their
teaching in writing.

PART B
3.0 Action Plan
3.1 Aims and outcomes of the plan
The aims and outcomes of my action plan is that teachers would be able to:
(i) Develop pupils interest in writing by using suitable writing process.
(ii) Develop the students writing habit.

3.2. Theory and ELT principles

3.2.1 Theory of Learning

Cognitive science and linguistic theory have played an important role in

providing

empirical

research

into

the

writing

process

and

serving

composition pedagogy as composition theories.

As

composition

theories,

there

are

some

disputes

concerning

the

appropriateness of tying these two schools of thought together into one

theory of composition. However their empirical basis for research and ties to
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the process theory of composition and cognitive science warrants their

connection to some extent. In the theory of learning there are two schools of
thought that have become the pillar to the writing development in a person.
Cognitive science is the construction of information or message that gives
meaning through encoding while the linguistic theory is the usage of
structures, syntax, semantics and lexis in the writing.
Cognitive theory traces its roots to psychology and cognitive science where
Lev Vygotskys and Jean Piagets contribution to the theories of cognitive
development and developmental psychology are linking this science with the
composition theory by Ann E. Berthoff.
Linda Flower and John Hayes published A Cognitive Process Theory of Writing
in 1981 has provided the groundwork for further research into how thought
processes influence the writing process.
As in the linguistic theories, they found their roots in the debate on the
importance of grammar in composition pedagogy. Scholar such as Janet
Emig, Patrick Hartwell, Martah J.Kolin just to name a few had continue this
line of thought as the same time when the cognitive theory of composition
was develop by Flower and Hayes.
3.2.2 What is the Cognitive Theory and the Linguistic Theory in
Writing.
Cognitive theory is focused on gaining insight into the writing process
through the writes thought of processes where it outlined the writing
process how these choices constrained or influenced other choices down in
the line. On other research cognitive theory focused on capturing the
cognitive processes of writers during the writing processes through note
taking or speaking aloud.
The linguistic theory in writing focused more on sentence and paragraph and
the level composition with the aim of providing instructors in insights the
way the students at various proficiency levels produce writing. Stephen Witte
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and Lester Faighley

had developed detailed syntactic analysis to redefine

the importance of cohesion and coherence in judging writing quality while

Paul Rodgers and Richard Braddock focused on paragraph structure, in
separate studies in order to dispel common misjudgment about the
important of paragraph structure.

3.2.3 What is writing

Writing is a medium of communication that represents language through the inscription of signs
and symbols. In most languages, writing is a complement to speech or spoken language.
Writing is not a language but a form of technology. Within a language system, writing relies on
many of the same structures as speech, such as vocabulary, grammar and semantics, with the
added dependency of a system of signs or symbols, usually in the form of a formal alphabet.
The result of writing is generally called text, and the recipient of text is called a reader.
Motivations for writing include publication, storytelling, correspondence and diary. Writing has
been instrumental in keeping history, dissemination of knowledge through the media and the
formation of legal systems.

3.3 Selection of appropriate strategies and justification

3.3.1 Selection of strategies
In order to achieve the aim of enabling my teachers to develop the interest in writing among
students I will propose for them to use a certain process in writing. I will use the scaffolding
process through genre based writing.
3.3.2 Justification of strategies
Why do I choose scaffolding process? Scaffolding allows the teacher to help students transition
from assisted tasks to independent performances (Bliss & Askew, 1996; Bodrova & Leong,
1998; Palincsar, 1998). It is a step-by-step process that provides the learner with sufficient
guidance until the process is learned and then gradually removes the supports in order to
transfer the responsibility for completing the task to the student.
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For scaffolding to be successful, a foundation or organized procedure must first be developed.

The teacher must provide students with the optimal amount of support necessary to complete
the task, and then progressively decrease the level of assistance until the student becomes
capable of completing the activity independently (Bodrova & Leong, 1998; Elicker, 1995)
As mentioned earlier, most students in the rural area schools have limited vocabularies which
hinder them from doing a good writing and teachers are at loss on how to guide them in their
writing. By using scaffolding process, teachers would be able to break the writing process into
various steps in order for pupils to be able to do the writing without feeling intimidated. Teachers
will be able to offer support through the various activities in the scaffolding process and this will
be a win win situation to both teachers and pupils. When scaffolding writing, for example,
teachers might preview the text and discuss key vocabulary, or chunk the text and read and
discuss as they go. As pupils are more confident in their writing teacher could eliminate some of
the support to enable pupils to write independent. This is the reason why scaffolding process is
a suitable way for my teachers to teach writing to pupils in the rural schools.

3.4 Activities and implementation procedures

The first step I plan to take would be to show the steps of scaffolding process through genre
based approach to my teachers in order to demonstrate the teaching of writing to them. I will
start with the three-stage teaching method in the classroom where it starts with familiarization
stage follow by practice stage and production stage. In the familiarization stage I will start with
brain storming as a first step with my teachers; brainstorming suggests a haphazard approach
to getting thoughts out of the mind and onto some type of canvas (e.g., chalkboard, overhead,
and worksheet). Brainstorming can be and should be guided by the teacher before students are
expected to complete this step independently. Graphic organizers, such as a web, map, or.
frame (Ellis, 2000), are relatively simple devices that can be used to guide this step.
The second step will be the outline is used to further organize the thoughts revealed in the
brainstorming step. Teacher-generated and later, co-constructed outlines allow them to visualize
the different topics and paragraphs within the paper. In this familiarization stage most tasks
given to pupils will in the form of control writing.
In the practice stage, it will be the transition between outline to rough draft. A solid outline
visually identifies the sections of the paper so they can transfer the isolated sentences or details
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into flowing paragraphs. Next is the evaluation step, the teachers will do proof reading as well
as editing. The teachers provide a list of questions and instructions that is both general (e.g.,
spelling, grammar) and specific (e.g., number of paragraphs, sentence length) that guides the
evaluator through this stage of the process. The pupils will use the evaluation feedback to make
corrections if necessary. In this stage tasks are mixtures of control and guided writing.
And finally its the production where pupil will take into consideration of the teachers
suggestions before they proceed to the final draft. The final draft is usually a handwritten
submits for a grade. As for the final steps, although publishing is considered as an optional
stage for the writing process, teachers should encouraged pupils to produce some type of
creative product that enhances the written work. This step incorporates technology, art, music,
drama, and the like into the lesson and may provide an incentive for completing the writing task.
For this stage, most writing tasks will be guided or independent depending on the pupils level of
ability.
After having a walk through with my teachers on how scaffolding process in writing work, I will
now guide my teachers to produce 3 samples of lesson planning on teaching writing that they
could use with their pupils in the class. In the lesson planning, teachers will include the three
stage teaching method via scaffolding to guide their pupils when doing writing.

3.4.1 Lesson Plan Sample

3.4.1.1 Lesson plan 1 Familiarization stage (Day 1)
Lesson

: Narrative text

Topic

: Letter to Grandma

Duration

: 60 Minute

Level of Pupils

: Average

Preparation

: a sample of the reading text, Task sheet 1(transitional words) Task

sheet 2 (sentence connectors) Task sheet 3 (Paragraph

development)
Activities

Task sheets 4 (Tense)

:
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Activity 1
( Transitional Words )
( 10 mins )

1. In this activity teacher will

read the letter to pupils.
2. Discuss and explain the
transitional word found in
the letter to pupils.
3. Ask them to underlined
these words in the letter.

Task sheet 1
Reading sample provided by
teacher

.
Activity 2

1. Teacher ask pupils to look

for words such and but
however in the letter.

Sentence connectors
(15 mins)

1. Reading sample provided

by teacher

2. Explain the function of this

words in sentence to pupils.

2. Task sheet 2

3. Ask pupils to spot the

sentence connectors in the
letter and circle them.
4. Ask pupils to complete the
task sheet 2.

1. Explain to pupils how

Nathan describes his visit
to the fair in six paragraph.
Activity 3
Paragraph Development
( 15 mins )

2. Ask why paragraph is

important in writing.
3. Explain how Nathan
recounted the events in
chronological order which
he has organized into
paragraphs.
4. Complete the grid below to
find out how Nathan has
developed the paragraphs.

1. Talk to pupils that Nathan

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Task sheet 3

recounts experience which

are in the past.
2. Make pupils aware that
Nathan uses verbs to talk
about what he did and felt.

Activity 4
Tense

3. Ask pupils to study to their

task sheet 4.

(20 mins)

Task Sheet 4

4. Ask them to refer to

Nathans letter and write
down the actual form of the
verb used against it
corresponding base for
listed in the table.
3.4.1.2 Lesson plan 2 Practice stage (Day 2)
Lesson

: Narrative Text

Duration

: 60 Minute

Level of Pupils

: Average

Preparation

: Task sheet 1, Task sheet 2, Task sheet 3, Task sheet 4

Activities

1. In this activity teacher will

explain in detail on the
transitional words.
Activity 1
( Transitional Words )
( 15 mins )

2. Discuss and explain the

different usage of the
transitional words found in
the letter to pupils.
3. Ask them to write a
compostion entitled what I
did last Saturday by using
the pictures and notes
provided.
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Task sheet 1

.
Activity 2
Sentence connectors
(15 mins)

1. Teacher explains to pupils

that in writing recount, we
might want to include many
ideas which are linked with
one another.

Task sheet 2

2. Ask them to study the

examples given.
3. Ask pupils to complete task
sheet 2

Activity 3

1. Explain to pupils the

function of paragraph in
writing.

Paragraph Development
( 15 mins )

2. Explain the task in task

sheet 3 and ask them to
complete it.

Task sheet 3

1. Teacher explains the usage

of verb-to-be in the text.
Singular and plural nouns.

Activity 4
Tense

2. Make pupils aware the

different forms of verbs
past tense and present
tense.

(20 mins)
3. Explain on the regular and
the irregular verbs.
5. Ask pupils to study to their
task sheet 4.
4. Ask pupils to rewrite the
description in the past
tense.

Task Sheet 4

This Practice stage will take two days to teach as there is another set of task sheets for the
pupils to do before they are ready for the production stage.

3.4.1.3 Lesson plan 3 Production stage (Day 3)

Lesson

: Narrative text

Duration

: 60 Minute

Level of Pupils

: Average

Preparation

: Task sheet 1 ( Guided writing for level 1 pupils) Task 2 and 3 (Guided
writing for level 2 pupils)

Activities

Activity 1
Guided Writing
( Level 1 )

1. Pupils were given a series of

pictures with notes and a
letter which contains a
grammatical errors
2. Ask pupils to rewrite the letter

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Task sheet 1

correcting the mistake with

help of the notes and the
pictures.

.
Activity 2
Guided Writing
( Level 2 )

v
1. Pupils were given a series
of pictures with notes about
an accident youve
witnessed.

Task sheet 2

2. Write a letter to tell your

brother or sister who is
studying in another town
about the accident.

Activity 3
Guided Writing
( Level 2 )

.
1. Pupils were given a series
of pictures with notes with
fewer words about an
accident youve witnessed.

Task sheet 3

2. Write a letter to tell your

brother or sister who is
studying in another town
about the accident.

3.5 Strengths of the plan

Scaffolding process has been proven in some research that it works well with weak students or
young students. By scaffolding a lesson it breaks up the learning into chunks and then providing
a tool, or structure, with each chunk to help support pupils. What the child is able to do in
collaboration today, he will be able to do independently tomorrow. (Lev Vygotsky) . My teachers
would be able to deliver their lesson in a very systematic way which caters the needs of the
pupils.

3.6 Limitations of the plan

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The effectiveness of this plan will depend on my teachers motivation in implementing this
writing process in their lesson. It will also depend on the teachers part if they are willing to go
extra mile in ensuring this action plan to be carried out in their classroom and to monitor the
pupils progress in writing in the duration of three months.

PART C
4.0 Reflection
The experience of developing my plan created the need for me to rethink the rationale or
principles behind my roles as an SISC+ officer and a coach to my teachers. The issue I
discussed in my action plan is nothing new but it has been there and up to now nothing has
been done to make it better. In the English paper for UPSR exam, theres a part where pupils
are required to write a guided composition however, this is the part where most teachers loathe
teaching the pupils. As I mentioned earlier in my action plan, most teachers in Kudat are at loss
when it comes to this part of the writing lesson. Most choose to ignore and very little support or
guidance are given to pupils as teachers themselves have no idea how to help these pupils.
That is why I chose to tackle this issue as i hope to see some improvement in the writing skill of
the pupils in Kudat in future.

After attending Madam Err training on teaching of writing, Ive

acquired quite a number of inputs that I am so excited to share with teachers in Kudat. I am not
sure if theyll share my enthusiasm in trying to improve the writing proficiency among pupils but I
am making it a priority in coaching my teachers. This action plan also help me to reflect on my
current practice and how could I improve my role as a coach and also it helps me to rethink on
how should I prioritize my coaching according to my teachers need.

References:

Bliss, J. & Askew, M. (1996). Effective teaching and learning: Scaffolding revisited. Oxford Review
of education, 22 (1), 37-61.
Bodrova, E. & Leong, D. (1998). Scaffolding emergent writing in the zone of proximal development.
Literacy Teaching and Learning, 3(2), 1-18.
Elicker, J. (1995). A knitting tale: Reflections on scaffolding. Childhood Education, 72, 29-30

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Er Eng Lee (2014) The Reading Writing Connections Read to Write . English Language Teaching
Centre Malaysia 18 - 42

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