THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ALGERIA MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH MENTOURI UNIVERSITY, CONSTANTINE FACULTY OF LETTERS AND LANGUAGES Writing under the Competency-based Approach The Case of Second Year Middle School Pupils (Constantine) Dissertation submitted to the Department of Foreign Languages in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the ‘Magistère’ degree in Applied Linguistics (Reading and Writing Convergences) Supervisor: Candidate: BADER FAIZA Pr. Lamine Kouloughli Co-supervisor: Dr. Hacene Hamada Board of Examiners: Chairperson: Pr. Hacene Saadi Mentouri university, Constantine Supervisors: Pr. Lamine Kouloughli Mentouri university, Constantine Dr. Hacene Hamada Mentouri university, Constantine Examiner: Dr. Said Keskes Ferhat Abbas university, Sétif Year 2007 Dedication To my parents with love. To my husband and son. To my sisters and brothers. To Hakima and Wafa. To the post-graduation 2005 To all my teachers. I Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere thanks, and my deep sense of indebtedness to my supervisors, Lamine kouloughli, and Hacene Hamada for their invaluable support and encouragement, even if a written acknowledgement could never sufficiently convey my gratitude to them. I would like to thank the headmistress of Boughaba Rokia middle school and all the teachers who helped me carry out my field work. Last but not least, I wish to express particular thanks to Pr. Hacene Saadi and Dr. Said Keskes for very kindly accepting to be members of the jury. II List of Abbreviations FL: Foreign language. EFL: English as a foreign language. CBET: Competeny-based Education and Training. AM: Annee moyenne. IV Table of Contents Introduction Page Aims of the study………………………………………………………………..01 Statement of the problem……………………………………………………......03 Hypothesis……………………………………………………………………....03 Definition of terms of the study…………………………………………………03 General definitions………………………………………………………03 Operational definitions…………………………………………………..04 Means of research………………………………………………………………04 Steps of the study……………………………………………………………….04 Chapter one: Writing Introduction………………………………………………………………………06 1.1 Definition of learning………………………………………………………...06 1.2 Definition of learning to write………………………………………………..06 1.3 Act of Writing………………………………………………………………...07 1.3.1 Writing and speaking……………………………………………………..08 1.3.2 Writing and reading………………………………………………………09 1.4 Components of writing……………………………………………………….09 V 1.5 Stages of development in writing…………………………………………….10 1.5.1 Copying……………………………………………………………………...11 1.5.2 Reproduction………………………………………………………………...12 1.5.3 Recombination and adaptation……………………………………………....12 1.5.4 Guided writing………………………………………………………………13 1.5.5 Composition…………………………………………………………………13 1.6 Types of writing……………………………………………………………….14 1.6.1 Notation……………………………………………………………………...14 1.6.2 Spelling……………………………………………………………………...14 1.6.3 Writing practice……………………………………………………………..14 1.6.4 Composition…………………………………………………………………15 1.7 Teaching practices……………………………………………………………..15 1.7.1 Approaches to teaching writing……………………………………………...15 1.7.1.1 Product approach…………………………………………………………..15 1.7.1.2 Process approach…………………………………………………………..17 1.7.1.3 Genre-based approach……………………………………………………..18 1.8 Project work……………………………………………………………………19 1.8.1 Definition of project work…………………………………………………...19 1.8.2 Characteristics and types of project work……………………………………20 1.8.3 Portfolios……………………………………………………………………..24 VI 1.8.3.1 Types of portfolios…………………………………………………………25 1.9 Assessment, feedback, and correction…………………………………………26 1.9.1 Assessment…………………………………………………………………...26 1.9.2 Feedback……………………………………………………………………...27 1.9.3 Correction……………………………………………………………………..27 1.9.3.1 Ways of correcting………………………………………………………….28 1.9.4 Peer and group response………………………………………………………29 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………..30 Chapter two: Competency-based Approach and the teaching of writing Introduction………………………………………………………………………….31 2.1 Competency-based Approach…………………………………………………...31 2.1.1 Definition of ‘approach’, ‘design’, ‘procedure’……………………………….31 2.1.2 Background of the Competency-based Approach……………………………..32 2.1.3 Definition of competence……………………………………………………...33 2.1.4 Definition of problem-situation………………………………………………..35 2.1.5 Definition of transfer of knowledge…………………………………………...36 2.2 Competency-based Approach in Algerian second year middle school………….37 2.2.1 Approach……………………………………………………………………….37 2.2.2 Design………………………………………………………………………….40 VII 2.2.2.1 Objectives………………………………………………………………………40 2.2.2.2 Syllabus…………………………………………………………………………41 2.2.2.3 Types of learning and teaching material………………………………………..42 2.2.2.4 Task components………………………………………………………………..44 2.2.2.5 Teachers’ roles…………………………………………………………………..46 2.2.2.6 Learners ‘roles…………………………………………………………………...47 2.2.2.7 Role of instructional material……………………………………………………47 2.2.3 Procedure…………………………………………………………………………..48 2.3 Writing under major teaching approaches…………………………………………...49 2.3.1 Writing under the Grammar Translation Method………………………………….49 2.3.2 Writing under the Direct Method…………………………………………………..50 2.3.3 Writing under the Reading Method………………………………………………...51 2.3.4 Writing under the Oral and Situational Language Teaching……………………….51 2.3.5 Writing under the Audio-lingual Approach………………………………………...52 2.3.6 Writing under the Communicative Approach………………………………………53 2.3.7 Writing under the Competency-based Approach…………………………………...54 2.3.7.1 Writing for communication……………………………………………………….55 2.3.7.2 Product Vs process oriented approaches………………………….........................55 2.3.7.3 Writing competence………………………………………………………………57 2.3.7.4 Teachers and pupils roles…………………………………………………………58 VIII 2.3.7.5 Evaluation of writing under the Competency-based Approach………………….59 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….59 Chapter three: Field investigation Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..60 3.1 Means of data collection………………………………………………………………60 3.2 Population of study……………………………………………………………………61 3.3 File structure description………………………………………………………………62 3.3.1 Objectives……………………………………………………………………………63 3.3.2 Learn the language…………………………………………………………………..66 3.3.2.1 ‘Listen and Speak’…………………………………………………………………66 3.3.2.2 ‘Discover the language’……………………………………………………………67 3.3.3 ‘Listening scripts’……………………………………………………………………68 3.3.4 ‘Learn about Culture’………………………………………………………………..68 3.3.5 ‘Check’………………………………………………………………………………68 3.3.6 ‘Project work’………………………………………………………………………..68 3.3.7 ‘Self-assessment’…………………………………………………………………….69 3.4 Description of classroom procedure…………………………………………………...70 3.4.1 ‘Listen and Speak’…………………………………………………………………...71 3.4.1.1 Conversation……………………………………………………………………….71 IX 3.4.1.2 ‘Pronunciation and Spelling’……………………………………………………..78 3.4.1.3 ‘Practise’…………………………………………………………………………79 3.4.1.4 ‘Go Forward’……………………………………………………………………...85 3.4.2 ‘Discover the Language’……………………………………………………………92 3.4.3 ‘Learn about Culture’………………………………………………………………97 3.4.4 ‘Check’……………………………………………………………………………..101 3.4.5 ‘Project work’………………………………………………………………………105 3.5 Findings and comments………………………………………………………………109 3.5.1 Activities suggested………………………………………………………………...109 3.5.2 Teachers’ roles………………………………………………………………………110 3.5.3 Pupils ‘roles…………………………………………………………………………110 3.5.4 Task type…………………………………………………………………………….111 3.5.5 Material and media used…………………………………………………………….116 3.5.6 Timing……………………………………………………………………………….116 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………116 Chapter four: Pedagogical implications and recommendations Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….118 4.1 Implications……………………………………………………………………………...118 4.1.1 Writing as a skill………………………………………………………………………119 X