In the previous module, you were introduced to the practice of critical reading with the use of some metacognitive strategies. In using different critical reading strategies, you gained a deeper appreciation for the thought and the work that different writers put into their writing. Though it may seem like these writers produced their work effortlessly, their pieces are the result of going through drafting, writing, and revising at different times. In other words, these writers went through the writing process to come up with their final product. Whatever you are writing, it will be helpful to see writing as a process: a series of steps that can be broken down in order to accomplish a specific objective.

The writing process has the following general steps: prewriting, writing, and revising. The process can be further broken down into the following sequence: discovering ideas by prewriting; finding a thesis statement; developing a thesis statement with supporting details; organizing the details using an outline; writing paragraphs in the first draft; revising the draft; and editing and proofreading.

Each of these steps will be discussed in more detail in succeeding parts of this module. Understanding the writing process can help improve your writing skills, because being aware of how each part works can make writing more manageable. It also allows you to save time and be more confident as you take on writing assignments.

As you go through each of the steps in the process, the suggested techniques are not prescribed in a rigid order. Neither is the writing process linear; more often than not, it is circular and repetitive. The process changes according to your preferences and the assignment. You may rely on your writing habits, but try improving them by experimenting with the suggested practices. Thus, you can adapt what works for you.

Being a critical reader can help you become a better writer, but that is not enough. Being exposed to the writing process and recognizing your own practices as a writer are ways in which you can bolster your writing skills. Once you understand the writing process and figure out what works for you, you will be able to practice more skillful writing and produce better compositions.

Paningkamoti ni!

Introduction

IDEA GENERATOR. Think and list down all the words or phrases that are related to the topic of COVID-19 and its anticipated vaccine. For every word or phrase that you write, make sure to box it and draw a line to connect it to the main word. Your words may branch out to several directions and each box may lead to another word, phrase, or idea creating a mind map. Just keep on listing them.

Now, answer these questions.

1. How long did it take you to write the first idea in your mind?
2. Did you maximize the time given to list down your ideas?
3. Were there instances when you stopped for some time before writing the next idea?

After completing your list, reach out to your assigned partner via chat, phone call, SMS, etc. and compare your outputs. Highlight the words or ideas that are the same. Look for ideas that are not in both lists.

Motivation

PAIR DISCUSSION

1. Using your output from the previous activity, discuss the highlighted words. Which words are identical and which words are just basically the same? Take turns explaining the relationship of the highlighted word to the main topic.
2. Compare the non-highlighted words. Check whose work has few high-lighted words or phrases.
3. Evaluate the non-highlighted words. Explain their relationship to the main topic.
4. Discuss which ideas are related to the main topic.

FREE WRITING

After the pair discussion, reread through the mind map that you created and recall your discussion with your partner. For ten (10) minutes, turn your ideas to more concrete expression by writing sentences continuously. Do not edit anything or stop writing.

Answer the following questions.

1. What have you found out during your discussion?
2. During your evaluation, which ideas emerged as new learning for you?
3. In the free writing activity, what is the central idea that you chose first from your mind map and pair discussion? Why did you focus on that idea?
4. After reading your free writing output, would you consider it as a composition that focuses on the topic COVID-19 or on vaccine? Why?
5. During your free writing activity, which ideas did you deliberately choose from the mind map you created? Which ideas did you discard? Why?
6. Did your ideas in the sentences lead to other thoughts? Point them out.

Delivery

CONCEPT MATCH-UP. In this activity, you will be using the electronic copy of a text. As you read along it, find out which words or ideas are the same as those in your mind map and free writing output by writing them down or highlighting the same using an electronic highlighter. Bracket or note down the part of the text which you think are ideas you thought of but did not write down in your mind map or during the free writing activity. Write your notes or questions if you have any.

Read the article “172 countries and multiple candidate vaccines engaged in COVID-19 vaccine Global Access Facility” and answer the following questions.

1. What are the ideas that you have underlined?
2. Which part of the text did you put brackets? Explain the notes and questions you have written.
3. What have you understood about COVID-19 and its anticipated vaccine?
4. Did you find ideas you have discarded in the text? What are those?
5. Compare your mind map, free writing output, and the underscored ideas from the text. What have you found out? Which area came out the same?

Based on your output in the idea generator, pair discussion, and freewriting activity, you were able to break the “Writer’s Block.” A writer’s block is a struggle that a writer faces. It is normally caused by a mixture of conflicts between ideas and feelings. In the end, some writers end up getting stuck with a topic or getting lost for the right words to write. The activities that you did were able to help you bridge the gap between the abstract to the concrete ideas. This is a process in writing called prewriting.

To learn more about the different prewriting activities, please read the discussion I embedded below.

Practice

LOOPING. Reread your free writing output. Continue to write where you have left off. Do not stop writing and do not edit your work. After ten minutes, discuss your work with your partner. Read each other’s work. Note down the words, phrases, or sentences that you have found interesting in your partner’s work.

Answer the following questions.

1. Were you able to add more ideas this time?
2. Did it take you longer to write for this free writing activity?
3. Which part of the activity helped you to write more?
4. Were you able to lift ideas from the text? Did your partner do the same?

INDEPENDENT LOOPING. Pick an idea to focus on from the list. Repeat the same step in free writing for ten minutes, after which take a pause. Read through your third free writing output. This time encircle the words, phrases, or sentences that you want to focus on next. For the next ten minutes, begin another stage of free writing.

ORGANIZING YOUR THOUGHTS. It is time to put all your four free writing output together. List several key sentences from your freewriting output. Define the level of importance of each key sentence. Then, arrange them in outline form.

Answer the questions.

1. What factors did you consider when organizing the level of importance of your key sentences?
2. Did you add more key ideas from your freewriting output? What were they?
3. What questions did you ask yourself while arranging your key sentences in the outline?
4. As a writer, why do you need to organize your ideas?
5. What did you learn in these prewriting activities aside from generating ideas, asking your partner, and freewriting?

Enrichment

WEB MAPPING. Start by brainstorming ideas for the topic cause and effect of not opening the economy, meaning placing some economic hubs in lockdown to prevent further contagion of COVID-19. List all the words you know to create a web map about the topic.

VENN DIAGRAM. Form triads this time. In your group, compare the sets of ideas you have in your list. Then, complete the multiple Venn diagram provided. Discuss the words that do not intercept in your diagram.

Answer the following questions.

1. Which ideas are similar in your list?
2. What are the concepts that you can add to your original web map after your discussion with your group?
3. How did the discussion within your group help you to generate ideas?

Is there a difference between working with a partner and working with a group? If yes, what is it?

To give you more insight on the topic, read the column article entitled “Saving the economy or saving lives: An unnecessary choice” saved in your flash disk. You can also access the same article using this link: http://bit.ly/READefine. Then, use the ideas you generated in your web map, multiple Venn diagram, and triad discussion to create a response paper based on the article. After this, answer the following questions.

1. What prewriting strategy will you use to create a response essay?
2. Which prewriting strategy is effective for your writing style?
3. How did you organize your ideas?
4. Present your prewriting output and your response essay output. How did prewriting strategies help you?

Evaluation

CRITIQUE PAPER. Use the article Saving the economy or saving lives: An unnecessary choice for this activity. 

After a day, revise your draft.  The in-depth discussion of this concept can also be accessed from this link.

Your revised paper shall be encoded in Google Docs which can be accessed thru our Google Classroom. Use US Letter size-paper with normal margin, 1.5 in spacing and Century Gothic font. Submit or Turn In the said document on September 11, 2020 and subsequently email the same to your partner for proofreading. Your partner, in turn, will email his/her write up for you to proofread on the same day. Proofread the critique using the proofreading marks found on pages 51 through 53. After, on September 16, 2020, email the marked version of the write up to your partner and your partner will, in turn, email back yours. Do the final edits and submit the final output, including the marked one, on September 21, 2020.

When revision is necessary, your write up will be remanded to you; make the necessary changes and submit the final output during the next submission. Your grade will be determined through the rubric below.