The Nature of Writing Ability.

What are some challenges you face when writing in a second language?

Based on the general model of Writing proposed by Vahapassi (1982), What are the two main dimensions to classify the written texts types?

• A) Cognitive type and social type.

• B) Informative and Entertainment types.

• C) Dominant intention purpose and cognitive processing.

What are the two main types of language writers? ____________________ and ________________________. From those to main groups emerge five subgroups with needs and pusposes based on Bernhardt (1991).

Hayes and Flower writing process include:

• A) Content, interpretation on the text and expectations of the writer.

• B) Writing assignment, text production, writer´s long- term memory and cognitive processes

• C) Social and cultural activities, assessment and critical - thinking skills.

In relation to Cultural aspects of Writing, Carrel & Eisterhold (1983) mentioned that there are some aspects the writer needs to have in mind, what are these aspects:

• A. Accuracy

• B. Coherence

• C. Background

• D. Inference

Hayes (1996) perceives the writing process based on two main parts: the social part and the individual one.

• True

• False

Writing and speaking are considered different skills. Their characteristics differ in several aspects like communicative goals, settings, cognitive processes and textual features. What are some of the textual features of the writing and speaking task?

• A) Permanent, planned, asynchronous, limited resources, complex clauses, formal language and wider vocabulary.

• B) Transitory, orthography, complexity, variety of resources, formal language and vocabulary.

• C) Permanence, production time, distance, orthography, complexity, formality and vocabulary.

• D) Transitory, spontaneous, synchronous, variety of resources, less complex clauses, informal language and narrowed vocabulary.

Why is writing considered a social and cultural act?

In our society, writing is considered a common ability for people, though the description of writing ability implies a paradox, due to even when in a literate society everybody can learn to write and speak, expertise on writing involves a difficult, intense process that only some master. The model proposed by Bereiter and Scardamalia (1987) argues a distinction between Knowledge telling and knowledge transforming in order to solve the paradox. What are some of the characteristics of knowedge transforming?

• a. It involves a structured analysis of the variables involved in the content of the text. Developing contrasting point of view in order for the reader to comprehend the motivations of the writer.

• b. It involves problem analysis and goal setting which leads to problem solving activities, regarding content problem and rhetorical problem space, the first one deals with issues of belief and knowledge while the second works on the best way to achieve the goals of the text.

• c. It acknowledges the role of knowledgeable information and proposes topic and genre identifiers. These topic ideas are subjected to the test of appropriateness. After the revision is completed, the process repeats again looking for additional memory probes.

Explain some of the protocols you follow when writing in a foreign language. Do these differ from the ones you use when writing in your mother language?