Writing I Module for Student Second Edition

WRITING I:

Module for Student

Second Edition

By:

Drs. Suparlan, M.Ed

SKS: 3 (tiga) Semester: Gasal

FAKULTAS KEGURUAN DAN ILMU PENDIDIKAN

UNIVERSITAS UTAMA JAGAKARSA

Jalan Letjen TB Simatupang Nomor 152

Tanjung Barat, Jakarta Selatan 12530

Kata Sambutan

Ibarat sebuah negara, kita menyadari sepenuhnya bahwa Universitas Tama Jagakarsa termasuk universitas yang masih sedang berkembang. Oleh karena itu, masih banyak hal yang harus dilakukan untuk meningkatkan kualitas universitas ini. Salah satu di antaranya adalah meningkatkan kemampuan dosen untuk dapat menghasilkan produk ilmiah berupa tulisan yang dimuat di berbagai media massa, atau bahkan diterbitkan dalam bentuk modul atau pun buku ilmiah.

Upaya Drs. Suparlan, M.Ed untuk menulis dan menerbitkan modul untuk mata kuliah yang diampunya patut mendapatkan sambutan kita semua. Sebagai dosen yang mengajar di Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, yang mahasiswanya banyak yang berasal dari para guru dan calon guru yang sedang mengajar di sekolahnya, kami menyadari bahwa penyusunan modul menjadi satu keniscayaan. Mengapa? Karena modul menjadi sumber belajar yang sangat diperlukan. Sambil melaksanakan tugas mengajar, para mahasiswa dapat belajar secara mandiri dengan membaca modul ini. Apalagi, selain materi kuliah yang telah dirinci dalam 16 (enam belas) kali pertemuan dalam satu semester, di dalam modul ini juga disertai pula dengan tes yang harus dikerjakan oleh mahasiswa. Tes ini disusun pula untuk setiap kali pertemuan sebagai ter formatif yang harus dijawab oleh mahasiswa, dan kemudian didiskusikan dalam pertemuan berikut sebagai appersepsi di awal perkuliahan berikutnya. Selain itu, modul ini diharapkan juga dapat menjadi media promosi bagi calon mahasiswa yang akan mengikuti kuliah di universitas ini. Semakin banyak warga masyarakat yang akan memasuki universitas ini, semakin besarlah nama baik universitas ini. Dengan demikian, secara bertahap universitas ini diharapkan akan mengganti label dari universitas yang sedang berkembang menjadi universitas dapat berdiri sejajar dengan universitas-universitas yang maju di negeri tercinta ini.

Kami berharap rintisan penulisan modul bagi mahasiswa ini segera dapat diikuti oleh para dosen lain di universitas yang kita cintai ini. Amin.

Jakarta, 17 Agustus 2009

Rektor,

Content

What is a topic sentence?...10

Exercise...10

Module 3 Paragraph: Descriptive and Narrative...12

Introduction...12

What is a paragraph and types of paragraph...12

Descriptive Paragraph...12

Module 5 Paragraph: Comparison and Contrast...19

Introduction...19

Comparison and Contrast...19

Exercise...20

Module 6: Paragraph: Illustration or Example...21

Introduction...21

Illustration paragraph...21

Exercise...21

Module 7 Paragraph: Classification, Cause and Effect...23

Introduction...23

Classification Paragraph...23

Exercise...23

Cause and Effect Paragraph...24

Exercise...25

Modul 8: Middle Semester Examination...27

Module 9 Writing Process...32

Introduction...32

Module 10 Preparing...34

Introduction...34

Preparation...34

Exercise...34

Module 11 Planning...36

Introduction...36

Planning...36

Exercise...36

Module 12 Drafting...37

Introduction...37

Drafting...37

Exercise...38

Module 13 Incubating...40

Introduction...40

Incubating...40

Exercise...40

Module 14 Revising, Editing, and Proofreading...41

Introduction...41

Revising, editing, and proofreading...41

Exercise...42

Module 15: Selecting the best writing and send to newspaper or university magazine...43

Module 16: Final Semester Examination...44

Module 1 Introduction

Many people say that writing is very difficult, especially when in starting to write. Is that true? I can not start to write. What sentence look like is in the beginning of a paragraph? What is the next sentence to continue writing? No! It is very difficult in starting to write. Even it is just to write a single piece of paper.

But, some people say that writing is very-very easy. Writing is just like riding bicycle. If we want to write, please just write what we want to write. When we are writing, we may have some problem about sequence. We try to solve the problem. We try to write again and again. Off course, we have to study how to write better.

The purpose of this book is to improve writing. John E. Warriner, Richard M. Ludwig, and Francis X Connoly stated that “we learn to write better in three ways: (1) by studying sentence structure, mechanics, and organization; (2) by reading widely; and (3) by writing and rewriting.

So then, it is very important to state that skill of writing is very important for a new writer or who want to be a writer. Believe it every one can learn to write better. The first thing is a will. If there is a will, there is a way. This module is a way in guiding to write. This module provides many exercises about how to write better.

Competences and Learning Objectives

By completion of these exercises of writing, the students will be able to:

1. write a topic sentence, 2. write paragraphs, 3. generate ideas, 4. write a draft,

5. revise the draft, and

6. write four models of writing: descriptive and narrative, definition, comparison and contrast, illustration and example, classification.

At the end of this semester, the students have an assignment to write one essay of the educational topics, such as:

10. Instructional Skills

These semester activities are divided into 16 sections as follow:

Module Learning Activities

I Introduction II Topic sentence.

III Paragraph: Descriptive and Narrative IV Paragraph: Definition

V Paragraph: Comparison and Contrast .VI Paragraph: Illustration and Example

VII Paragraph: Classification, Cause and Effect VIII MSE (Mid-semester Examination)

XIV Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

XV Selecting the best writing and send to newspaper or university magazine XVI FSE (Final Semester Examination)

Write a Personal Introduction

In this first meeting the students write a personal introduction (PI). It must be submitted to the teacher at the end of this session. The PI must be for example about:

 Your name

 How old are you

 Where and when did you born  Where are you live

 What is your hobby

 Etc.

This is also a good example of personal introduction from an ICT professional:

Hi all,

I am Giovanni Giorgi from Italy. I am a 32-years-old Software Architect, working every day with java stuff and so on (hibernate is a framework I use every day).

In my spare time I am a SmallTalk fan, a python admirer, a ruby lover and a Perl-scared-boy.

After trying Ruby on rails and turbo gears, a friend of mine pointed me to Django *). So I started trying it yesterday and... it is a dream! Django is very very well written.

It is more simpler then RubyOnRails and my only problem was compiling SQLite. I like the admin interface, because building an admin interface is a very annoying thing and with RubyOnRails is the first thing you 'd care about (and then debug)

Django is very focused on giving to the programmer a very small set of files to work with, a very concise model description and a dichiarative **) approach even to view manipulators (like django.views.generic.list_detail.object_list and so on)

The Django documentation is very compact and easy to read. I am building for free a small book-manager, for keeping a record of book-checkouts and so on. When it will be usable I plan to publish it on my SF project page (cat.sf.net).

Thank you for building django! Giovanni Giorgi

http://www.objectsroot.com

*) Djangi is a newscreen system; **) An Italian word meaning “clear” or “direct” (Note from M.J.Rice)

Hello,

My name is Benny Pereira. I live and work in New Hampshire. I am very interested to trace back some of my "original roots". Though I was born in Kenya, East Africa, I am of East Indian extract, more specifically a Goan (father from Goa, on the east coast of Goa); however my mother does originate from the Seychelles (group of islands on the Indian Ocean).

In pursuring this interests I would like to obtain books on the following subjects:

1. Portuguese in India (Goa), the Portuguese were in India for well 451 years. Many books have been written in Portuguese, I am only interested in the English ones. KEYWORDS: INDIA, PORTUGAL, PORTUGUESE, GOA, GOAN.

2. Seychelles, any books written about these beautiful islands in the Indian Ocean. KEYWORDS, SEYCHELLES, INDIAN OCEAN.

If you are a book business owner, an active collector, or just have a love for books and knowledge, I invite you to contact me, with a small list of your books in these categories.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Sincerely, Benny Pereira

This example is PI from a professor at Texas A&M in the USA.

Do you want to have other examples? You can open http://www.google.com, and you will get many examples when you just click “personal introduction”. You will have many kinds and styles of personal introduction from writers of different social-economic-cultural status and backgrounds. You will have many experiences from them. You will understand that we live in diversities in just one world. Thus, you can learn and improve your English from many examples, just like what I did.

Exercise

You have three examples. These examples are enough for you. After you try to read the three examples, please write your own personal introduction in this box here. Please just write one page only. Please put the number of every sentence in your personal introduction. Please write as many as you can write. You have to know that the number of your sentence will be used to determine your score.

Howdy, I’m Murphy Smith and I’m happy to be a professor at Texas A&M. On the first class day, I like to tell my students a little about myself. I joined the accounting faculty

at A&M in 1984. Prior to that I taught at the University of Louisiana at Monroe ,

Louisiana Tech University (where I earned my doctorate), and Ole Miss . I’m a Certified Public Accountant and previously worked at an international public

accounting firm. Like most faculty, I do three things: teaching, research, and service. I principally teach systems, international accounting, and auditing. My research interests include information technology, ethics, and international trade. For over 10 years I've served as a technology editor at The CPA Journal. I have lots to do but I’m never too busy for my students. The most important things in my life are God, family, and Texas

A&M. I’m a Christian and attend Grace Bible Church in College Station. I believe that answers to the deep questions of life can be found in a personal personal

relationship with Jesus Christ. Regarding family, I married my college sweetheart. She has a doctorate in marketing. She taught at Ole Miss but has been a stay-home mom since our first child was born. We have three children, two daughters and one

son . Regarding Texas A&M, I’m very honored to be an Aggie prof. This is a great university. I think the accounting field is an excellent college major, offering many career paths in public accounting, industry, and government. I look forward to being your instructor this semester. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

INTRODUCTION

Writing actually is a joyful activity. As a teacher, we must have a capability in writing skills, to communicate our thinking and opinion to other people, especially our students in school and society. For this, we have to improve our reading and writing habit. Reading and writing are indicators of modern culture in our society.

Module 2 Topic Sentence

Introduction

Hairston explained that “one way to avoid paragraph sprawl and keep a paragraph tight is to use a topic sentence that states your main idea clearly” (Hairston: 1993: 159). The topic sentence makes the unified paragraph.

What is a topic sentence?

Topic sentence is a sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph. A topic sentence usually contains only one main idea. The main idea is supported by many sentences in a paragraph. Hairston stated that “The topic sentence doesn’t have to be the first one in the paragraph, although it often is, particularly in academic writing. Wherever it is located, a topic sentence acts like a magnet around which related sentence cluster” (Hairston, 1993: 159 – 160).

Here is an example by a professional writer; the topic sentence is boldfaced.

School leaders have become increasingly familiar with the concept of having a vision as to how the school should be in the future (topic sentence). This has to be extended into the whole community. Indeed it is difficult to see how a vision for an institution could develop without reference to the wider community (Tony Gelsthorpe, Educational Leadership and the Community).

Here is the second example of topic sentence in a paragraph:

The history of American education shows that the relationship between parents and educators has often been prickly and problematic – as it is likely to continue to be so in the future (topic sentence). Although parents and educators share the same goal --- that all children will learn and be successful in school --- they bring different perspectives to this challenge. And because public funds support the schools and business hire their graduates, the opinion of people who do not have children in school also matter when decisions are made about public education (Anne Wescott Dodd, How Communities Build Stronger Schools).

Exercise

Student Student is an important component in educational system.

Teacher

Parent

Methods of teaching

Prenatal education

Childhood and care education

Basic Education

Module 3 Paragraph: Descriptive and Narrative

Introduction

Simply speaking, if we read a book, we find many chapters and subchapters. In every chapter and subchapter or heading, we have groups of sentences separated by indentation, called paragraphs. That is why the paragraph is an important part of our writing.

What is a paragraph and types of paragraph

“A paragraph is a group of sentences that explain one main idea. This main idea is stated in the topic sentence. All the other sentences in the paragraph explain the idea stated in the topic sentence. The length of paragraph depends on how many sentences you need to explain the point you are making” (Besser, 1994: 75). According to Besser, there are seven common paragraph patterns: (1) descriptive paragraph, (1) narrative paragraph, (3) definition paragraph, (4) comparison-and-contrast paragraph, (5) cause-and-effect paragraph, (6) illustration or example paragraph, and (7) classification paragraph. In this module, we would like to explain and give example about the descriptive paragraph. The seven paragraphs can be made a useful abbreviation: DNDC2IC = descriptive, narrative, definition, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, illustration, and classification paragraph.

The seven types of paragraph will be explained below.

Descriptive Paragraph

A descriptive paragraph allows us to explain a perception about some things, such as a person, place, or even an idea. Besser (1994: 79) stated that “vivid, concrete details, and strong action verbs make a descriptive paragraph effective”.

Here is an example of descriptive paragraph from Besser.

Narrative Paragraph

According to Besser (1994: 80), a narrative paragraph usually presents information in chronological order. Narrating is telling a story, whenever events need to be related. Chronological order helps keep the events clear and distinct from each other. But some times narrative paragraph also presents in flashback order.

A narrative paragraph is not just a description. A narrative paragraph is more than a descriptive paragraph. “Expository prose is primarily concerned with the “why” or “how” of things. Description and narrations are used within exposition when needed to make the explanation clearer or more interesting.

Margaret Mead is perhaps the world’s most famous anthropologist. In 1925, when it was unthinkable that a twenty-three-year-old woman would make such a distant field trip, Margaret Mead sailed from the US to Samoa in the South Sea Islands. Her purpose was to study the adolescent girl, specifically to test the extent to which the troubles of adolescence depend on the attitudes of a particular culture, and the extent to which they are inherent in the development of all human being. From this field trio came the now-classic study Coming of Age in Samoa (1928). Mead returned to the South Seas on other ethnological expeditions (expeditions set up to analyze and compare cultures). The article reprinted here explains the process of how she set up and carried out fieldwork among the Manus Island people of Melanesia (Warriner cs: 1994: 181).

Here is an example from Besser.

As a young girl, I remember having several friends who would do almost anything for a laugh. For example, when I was about 10 years old, I met Cathy --- crazy-as-a-loon Cathy who could make me laugh as no one else ever could. At lunch time she would put her milk straw into her nose and inhale milk from one of those little two-cent bottles that we bought. I remember laughing until I cried, or at least until the nuns scolded me. They never did scold Cathy, however. As I look back on situations like this, I often wonder how they kept from scolding her and how they kept from laughing hysterically.

The two examples are enough for you to understand what the narrative paragraph is. The two examples are quoted from two different writers. After comparing the two examples, we try to write two paragraphs with a context to our environment of educational perspectives.

Exercise for Descriptive Paragraph

For your exercise, please imagine a primary school that you are from, and then please express your thoughts in a paragraph below.

Topic Sentence Paragraph

Many children in a village

education are very low. Many parents have no money to pay the educational fee for school. Every 7 – 15 years old students have to finish the basic education. The basic education is derived from primary and junior secondary school. To success the program of universal basic education, the government of Indonesia implemented the program of BOS or supporting the operational cost.

I have a good friend.

I have a beautiful village.

You can also make a paragraph from the main ideas as below:

Main Idea Paragraph

Public primary school in my village

Students in a primary school

………

Exercise for Narrative Paragraph

For your exercise, please recall your textbooks in primary school you had, and then please express your ideas in a paragraph bellow:

Main Idea Paragraph

My books when I was in primary school.

My school library

Module 4 Paragraph: Definition

Introduction

Besser (1994: 80) stated that “a definition paragraph classifies or categories a word or an idea”. It also gives the reader enough information to understand how that word or idea is different from other members of the same classification or category.

Definition paragraph

Usually, a paragraph of definition often works in the introductory part of a paper that explains of argues. They’re helpful in setting limits or establishing the meaning of a crucial term. Here is an example of a definition paragraph.

Aerobic exercise is exercise involving steady movement performed at a rate sufficient to reach a target heart rate substantially above the normal pulse and to sustain it at that rate for a prescribed period of time, at least twenty but preferably thirty minutes. For beneficial aerobic effect, an individual needs to maintain a target heart rate approximately twice his or her normal heart rate. Steady rowing, swimming, bicycling, running, or brisk walking are aerobic activities. Golf, tennis, weightlifting, and other activities in which one rests, frequently, are not. Aerobic exercise benefits the cardiovascular system and helps the body to burn calories.

Exercise

In this session, students have to write a paragraph of definition with the main ideas as follows:

Main Idea Paragraph

Formal Education

Prenatal Education

……….

Module 5 Paragraph: Comparison and Contrast

Introduction

For instance, you would like to show similarities and differences between formal education and non-formal education. You will compare and contrast between the two subjects. So, you will write comparison and contrast paragraph.

Comparison and Contrast

A paragraph can be built quite naturally upon a comparison and contrast pattern. Here’s an easy-to-follow paragraph that sets up a comparison in the first sentence, discuss each item in alternating sentences, and concludes with a sentence that again compares both objects.

Here is an example:

Two of the earliest and most publicized of these low-priced, Third World automotive imports were the Yugo and the Hyundai. The Yugo looked dated the day it arrived on American shores, not surprisingly, since it was based on a twenty-year-old Fiat design. But the Yugoslavian sedan could claim one feature no other new car available in America offered: a sticker price under $4,000. The Hyundai introduced to American was a brand-new car, with a body styled in Europe and an engine based on Japanese technology at old-fashioned prices. Both manufacturers established a beachhead in the American market within a year, the Hyundai’s much larger than the Yugo’s.

Here is again an example of paragraph:

Like Bush, Obama was arguing that religious organizations can and should play a bigger role in serving the poor and meeting other social needs. But while Bush argued that the strength of religious charities lies primarily in shared religious identity between workers and recipients, Obama was to tout the benefits of their "bottom-up" approach. "Because they're so close to the people, they're well-placed to offer help," he was to say. (www.yahoo.com)

Here is again from Besser:

Exercise

In this session, students have to write a paragraph of comparison and contrast the main ideas as follows:

Main Idea Paragraph

Formal and Informal Education

Formal and Non-formal Education

………..

……….

Module 6: Paragraph: Illustration or Example

Introduction

The writers may show an example as an illustration in their writing. An illustration or example shows or emphasizes what the writer says, and it also presents an idea (or ideas) for support. Notice how the following paragraph uses the example of a camel to illustrate the idea of aloofness.

Illustration paragraph

A paragraph of illustration starts out with a general statement (or question) and develops it by furnishing examples that support or elaborate on the statement. The example can be useful for us.

Gold is the universal prize in all countries, in all cultures, in all ages. A representative collection of gold artifacts reads like a chronicle of civilizations. Enameled gold rosary, 16th century, English, Gold serpent brooch, Abyssinian, Gold snake bracelet, ancient Roman, Ritual vessels of Achaemenid gold, 6th century BC; Persian; Bulls’ heads in gold … Ceremonial gold knife, Chimu, pre-Inca, Peruvian, 9th century (J. Bronowski, The Ancent of Man).

Here is an example from a main idea about what social capital is (Tony Gelsthorpe, 2003: 5).

Social Capital is essentially about networks, trust, engagement, communication, shared values, aspiration and interconnectedness. High social capital produces the benefits that Putnam describes above. He also points out that ‘social capital appears to be a compliment, if not a substitute, for Prozac, sleeping pills, antacids” p.289). Social capital appears to be the panacea for the social, psychological and physiological ills of society, and it might even extend to education.

Exercise

In this session, students have to write a paragraph of definition with the main ideas as follows:

Main Idea Paragraph

Non-formal Education

Prenatal Education

Module 7 Paragraph: Classification, Cause and Effect

Introduction

Usually we have some categories in our essay. For instance, there are two paradigms of school management. So we have to classify to separate information about the two paradigms.

Classification Paragraph

A writer develops a classification paragraph by first naming the subject to be classified, then explaining the system by which he or she is going to carry out the classification and giving examples to illustrate the various classes. Here is an example that begins with a question.

You did not know that superstition takes four forms? Theologians assure us that it does. First is what they call Vain Observances, such as not walking under a ladder and that sort of thing. Yet I saw a deeply learned professor of anthropology who had spilled some salt throwing a pinch of it over his left shoulder. It was “to hit the Devil in the Eye”. I did not question him further about his belief in the Devil: But I noticed that he did not smile until I asked him what he was doing (Robertson Davis, “A Few Kind Words for Superstition”)

Here is an example again from Besser:

At one time popular music was relatively easy to discuss on term of “categories”. During the 1940s most music was either big-band music, like that of Tommy Dorsey, or jazz, from singers like Billie Holliday. The 1950s, however, changed forever how people viewed musical scores. Suddenly, there were the rhythm and blues of Bo Diddley and the rock and roll of Elvis Presley. Then came the 1960s with the British-invasion music of the Beatles, the protest and folk music of Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, the bubble gum music of the Cowsills, the acid rock of Jimi Hendrix, and the endless rock and roll that led the way for the heavy-metal sounds of the 1970s and 1980s. Eventually, heavy metal made way for the punk and alternative music that became popular during the early 1980s. Now, when someone mentions a singing duo or group, like Shakespeare’s Sister, most people find categorizing difficult. Is this a rock duo, an alternative duo, or simple two singers with a new sound?

Exercise

Main Idea Paragraph

Formal Education

Non-formal Education

Prenatal Education

……….

………

Cause and Effect Paragraph

Please try to give us many ideas about education. In a paragraph explaining why or how something happened, you can begin with a statement of effect, and enumerate the causes, or you can give your causes first and conclude with the effect. Here is an example.

By the mid-1980s, the price of economy cars had risen substantially, with the smallest Japanese and American sedans bearing sticker prices that approached or exceeded five figures. American car companies claimed that the profit margins on cheap cars were too small to justify producing vehicles under $6.000. Because of import quotas, the Japanese could export only a limited number of vehicles, so they understandably preferred to ship their more profitable luxury and sporty lines to America. As a consequence, a gap opened at the lower and of the automobile market, leaving room for manufacturers from Third World countries, with their reduced labor and production costs, to compete. They introduced to America some of the lowest-priced cars consumer had seen in years.

Here is an example from Besser:

The calcium lost from our bones due to excess protein has to go somewhere after it has served its purpose in our bloodstream. And so does the calcium we have ingested but have not been able to absorb due to high phosphorus/calcium ratios. It all ends up in our urine, producing very high levels of calcium in the kidney system, and all-too-often crystallizing into kidney stones. This is why kidney stones, the most painful of all medical emergencies, occur far more frequently in meat-eaters than in vegetarians (John Robbins, Diet for a New America).

Exercise

In this session, students have to write a paragraph of cause and effect with the main ideas as follows:

Main Idea Paragraph

Student

Compulsory Education

……….

Modul 8: Middle Semester Examination

In the last session of this semester, the student will take mid-semester examination held by the faculty.

I. Which is the topic sentence in these paragraphs? Please underline the topic sentence in three paragraphs as below:

1 The history of American education shows that the relationship between parents and educators has often been prickly and problematic – as it is likely to continue to be so in the future. Although parents and educators share the same goal --- that all children will learn and be successful in school --- they bring different

perspectives to this challenge. And because public funds support the schools and business hire their graduates, the opinion of people who do not have children in school also matter when decisions are made about public education (Anne Wescott Dodd, How Communities Build Stronger Schools).

2 School leaders have become increasingly familiar with the concept of having a vision as to how the school should be in the future. This has to be extended into the whole community. Indeed it is difficult to see how a vision for an institution could be developed without reference to the wider community (Tony Gelsthorpe, Educational Leadership and the Community).

3 At one time popular music was relatively easy to discuss in term of “categories”. During the 1940s most music was either big-band music, like that of Tommy Dorsey, or jazz, from singers like Billie Holliday. The 1950s, however, changed forever how people viewed musical scores. Suddenly, there were the rhythm and blues of Bo Diddley and the rock and roll of Elvis Presley. Then came the 1960s with the British-invasion music of the Beatles, the protest and folk music of Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, the bubble gum music of the Cowsills, the acid rock of Jimi Hendrix, and the endless rock and roll that led the way for the heavy-metal sounds of the 1970s and 1980s. Eventually, heavy metal made way for the punk and alternative music that became popular during the early 1980s. Now, when someone mentions a singing duo or group, like Shakespeare’s Sister, most people find categorizing difficult. Is this a rock duo, an alternative duo, or simple two singers with a new sound?

4 Although people tend to use the words schooling and education interchangeably, they have very different meaning: Schooling takes place in a building; education happens everywhere. Schooling includes only the responsibilities given to teachers and administrators, but education includes the responsibilities if everyone and, by extension, everything that influences what children learn. 5 Sociologists define social connectedness or social capital as “the network of

II. There are main ideas in the left column. Write a paragraph in the middle column, and the name of the paragraph in the right column.

Example:

Main

Idea Paragraph Name of paragraph

Schooling and Education

Although people tend to use the words schooling and education interchangeably, they have very different meaning: Schooling takes place in a building; education happens everywhere. Schooling includes only the responsibilities given to teachers and administrators, but education includes the responsibilities if everyone and, by extension, everything that influences what children learn.

Comparison and contrast paragraph

No. Main Idea Paragraph Name of paragraph

1 Students or pupils

3 Curriculum

4 Methods of teaching

Module 9 Writing Process

Introduction

At the end of this semester, every student has to finish an article about education. So, students have to determine a title of the assignment. Then they plan to write an article, and submit the article to their lecturer based on the schedule.

Stages of Writing

Hairston (1993: 6) explained the process of writing in five stages: (1) preparing, (2) planning, (3) drafting, (4) incubating, (5) revising, editing, and proofreading.

e

1. Preparing

In this stage you consider what you want to write about, using a variety if methods to select and narrow down a topic and generate ideas about it.

2. Planning

In this stage you develop your ideas and organize your materials. To do that you may prepare working lists, outlines, summaries, and charts.

3. Drafting

In this stage you start to put words down on a page or screen. You may compose one or more drafts, rethinking and reshaping your materials as necessary.

4. Incubating

In this stage you give yourself time to let your ideas simmer. Solution or ideas may develop in the unconscious before taking conscious shape.

5. Revising, editing, and proofreading

In this stage you review what you have written, revising to make large-scale change in topic, organization, or audience adaptations; editing to make smaller-scale changes in style and readability; and proof reading to rid your paper of mechanical problems such as spelling and punctuation errors.

Exercise

Please ask the questions here to make sure you have an idea in writing assignment for the end of this semester.

No. Questions Answer

Do you have experiences in writing an article?

If yes, what’s the title (titles)?

3 If you do not, are you sure that you can finish the assignment?

4 How do you master topic sentence and paragraph?

Module 10 Preparing

Introduction

The first step of your assignment is to make a preparation for your assignment. This important step is a preparation.

Preparation

How do you prepare to write? Firstly, list stimulating topics, as many as you can. Second, narrow a topic from many topics listed. Third, choose just one topic. Stimulating topics are the first step of preparing our writing. Just list any possibilities that sound interesting. One of the important criteria is the topics must be “in”. In areas of education, many topics can be listed, as follow:

National examination

Process of teaching and learning Childhood education

The Golden Age of Humanity Etc.

Based on the many topics that can be listed above, you have to determine one title, for instance “The Golden Age of Humanity” or others.

Exercise

Please list the main ideas or titles that you want to write as an assignment from your lecturer in this semester. This is the first steps of your writing assignment.

Module 11 Planning

Introduction

The second step of your assignment is to make a plan for your assignment. If you don’t make a plan, you may fail. This important step is planning.

Planning

In this stage, you try to outline the title into subtitles. After this process, you have to find materials from books or many sources from printed media. You can also browse from internet. You can write a draft.

The Golden Age of Humanity

 What is the meaning of the golden age of humanity?

 Why it is called the golden age?

 Why it is important?

 What is the educational implication?

 How do we stimulate the brain of our children?

 Etc.

Exercise

Please try to outline your title in to subtitle, by using this format below:

Title

Module 12 Drafting

Introduction

The third step of your assignment is to make a draft for your assignment. This important step is drafting.

Drafting

This stage is very crucial process in writing. Many people can not write because of they do not have experiences to write. So, just start writing. Just write like you ride your bicycle. Just write like you swim in the pool. Hairston (1993: 64) explain the checklist how to get start writing.

PLACE AND MOOD

 Where do you prefer to write? Do you always write in that place if you can? Is there something about that place helps you write?

 What time of the day do you prefer to write? Can you work at any time?

 What kind of atmosphere do you like? Must you have quite? Do you like music while you write? If so, what kind?

PACE AND STYLE

 Do you write quickly or slowly? Do you make a lot of changes as you work? How long can you work at one stretch?

 How often do you get you fatigued and do other things when you are writing? Do such breaks usually help you think?

 What are your major distractions from writing? What tactics (if any) do you use to avoid writing?

HABITS

 What tools do you use? Pencil and paper? Typewriter? Word processor? Is it very important that you have those tools? Can you switch from one to another without disruption?

 Do you write regularly? How often? Dou you keep a journal or diary?

ATTITUDES

 How do you feel about writing? What words would describe your attitude?

Exercise

Please try to write a draft for your assignment. Please read this example below:

AN EVENT THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

By Suparlan

Website: http://www.suparlan.com E-mail: bsuparlan@yahoo.com

It was stated in a wise word that “education is the greatest power”. Even in Islamic teaching, it was stated that “studying is an obligation of every single person”. These teaching were really true, and at least it was in my life.

I was born in a very small village called Tawing in 1949 in the southern part of Java Island. I came from a big family. My father was a farmer in the village. He couldn’t send me for a higher education. Fortunately, I was the first grandchild in my family, so my grandfather sent me to the Institute of Teacher Training in Malang, East Java. After much difficulty, finally I got my bachelor degree in education. Then, I became a teacher in a Teacher Training School, the so called SPG, in Pamekasan, Madura, in 1974.

An event that changed my life was in 1982, when I was still a teacher in the school. At that time, I heard there was a writing competition organized by the Civil Servant Organization in Jakarta. I took part in the competition. Every night for almost a couple of week, I typed pages by pages of material to make a working paper entitled “Improving togetherness among colleagues”. My wife didn’t understand what I was doing at all. She just knew that I always went to bed late every night. “What have you been doing every night?” she asked me one time. I didn’t answer her question anymore.

To my great delight, I received a radio telex from Jakarta that I became one of the top ten winners in the competition. I was very happy. I had to go to Jakarta to receive the prize. I had never been to Jakarta before. I went to Jakarta by a train called “Mutiara Selatan”. This was the first time I was traveling, and it was also the first time I was visiting the biggest city in Indonesia.

After I came to the office of the Indonesia Science Institution in Jakarta, I just found out that I was the first winner in the competition. Then I was brought to the biggest hotel in Jakarta called Wisata International Hotel. This was also the first time for me to stay in a five-star hotel, so I had never used many of sophisticated facilities provided by such a hotel. I have many different funny stories to tell about my stay in the hotel. However, there is no time to tell them here.

became a millionaire. The prize was given by the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Amir Mahmud.

Because of the cash prize, I was able to pursue my studies in the University of Darul Ulum, Jombang, East Java Province. Step by step I obtained my S1 degree in 1985. My life was improving. In 1989 I was offered to take a masters degree abroad. Even though my English was not very good, I had a good relationship with a professional trainer from the University of Georgia named Prof. M.J. Rice. He worked for the Teacher Training Project in Jakarta. I knew him very well when I took part in training program in Surabaya. Then I went to the University of Houston, Texas, the USA. I obtained my master degree from the university in 1988. I returned to Indonesia, and was assigned to be a the head of a Subdivision of Monitoring under the Planning Division office in the Directorate General Primary and Secondary Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, in Jakarta. I was not a teacher anymore. The next assignment I received was to be the Principal of the Indonesian School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1996.

My life is trouble-free at the moment like water. Education and hard work are the two factors that change anyone’s life.

Kuala Lumpur, August 25, 1998

Module 13 Incubating

Introduction

The fourth step you enter is the step of incubation.

Incubating

No one really knows what happens during these incubation periods. The creative or problem-solving part of the mind seems to dive in the subconscious. It sorts through what it finds there, discovers fresh ideas, and makes unexpected connections. You can not force or rush incubation; you can only be ready to grab an idea when it surfaces.

The incubation period can be a period of rest. Of course this period is absolutely necessary. If this period is over, then start again to write. Continue the next period to revise, edit, and proofread.

Exercise

In this period of rest, please try to answer the questions below:

No. Question Answer

1 Have you finished your writing assignment?

2 Are you happy with your result?

3 If yes, do you have any ideas to add to your assignment?

4 If no, do you want to complete your assignment?

Module 14 Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

Introduction

This is the last step of writing. But, this is the most important step in a process of writing. Do the best, and do not send to newspaper or magazine before you are sure that the result of writing is the best you can do

Revising, editing, and proofreading

This is The three stage of revising, editing, and proofreading are the rest of writing process, as below:

 When you start revising your draft, you may decide to get a new idea and shift the focus of the paper entirely; you may decide to cut,

expand, and reorganize the original draft so much that it becomes virtually a new piece.

 This stage of editing your later draft is trying to pay attention to matters of style that affect clarity and emphasis. In this stage, the writer may create new sentences and paragraphs that present the ideas effectively.

 The process of proofreading especially pays attention to correcting typographical errors and eliminating inconsistencies.

Exercise

In this last period, please try to answer the questions below:

No. Question Answer

1 Do you have any typing errors in your draft?

2 What do you think about topic sentence and paragraph in your educational article?

3 What is your opinion about the style of your assignment? Is that good enough?

4 Are you ready to submit your article to your lecturer?

Module 15: Selecting the best writing and send to newspaper or

university magazine

The students have to collect their assignment to the lecturer. The assignments will be displayed on the wall or board in the university. All student and lectures in the university will select the best three from all of the student writings. The best three writing will be sent to newspaper of university magazine.

This is the form can be filled by the readers, and sent to a responsible lecturer.

Please read the student’s writing, choose the best three from all of the writings

No. Title Writer

1

2

Module 16: Final Semester Examination

1. Do you think that writing is difficult? Explain the reason! 2. Why writing is very important for teachers? Explain the reason! 3. What do you mean about topic sentence?

4. What the purposes of the topic sentence are?

5. Do you think that every paragraph has a topic sentence? Explain the reasons! 6. What is the meaning of paragraph?

7. How many types of paragraph? Name and explain each type!

8. Do you know about stages of writing? Name and explain all the stages? 9. What is the most important step of writing? Explain your important reason!

References

Besser, Pam. 1994. A Basic Handbook of Writing Skills. California: Mayfield Publishing Company.

Gelsthorpe, Tony and West-Burnham (Editor). 2003. Educational leadership and the Community, Srategy for School Improvement Through Community Engagement. London: Pearson Education Limited.

Hairston, Maxine and Ruszkiewicz, John J. 1993. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers. Third Edition. New York: Harper Collins College Publishers.

Warriner, John E, Ludwigm Richad M, Connoly, Francis X. 1977. Advanced Composition: A Book of Models for Writing. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.