ECW: September 4th Class

The focus of today's class was: brainstorming, main ideas, topic sentence. We'll continue practicing next week, concentrating on how to come up with topics and how to narrow them down to something that is manageable in a pargraph.

Here are some helfpul hints about writing a paragraph and the process of writing.
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What is a paragraph: it is a group of 5-10 sentences (or more) that give information about one topic.

Introduction to Paragraph ( a section of writing about a single topic).
There are 6 steps to the writing process:
I. Pre-writing
Choose a topic.
Gather ideas about the topic (brainstorm)
Organize. Decide which of the ideas you want to use and where you want to use them; which ideas are you going to write first, which next, which last.
II. Drafting:
Write. Write the first draft from start to finish using your notes from the pre-writing process.
III. Reviewing and revising:
5. Review structure (how you wrote) and content (what you wrote about). Read silently to yourself or ask a classmate to do it. Look for places where you were not clear enough, perhaps you need to explain more clearly, add more information, change your paper so that your organization is more logical. Make notes.
IV. Rewriting:
Revise structure and content. Using your notes from step 5, make improvements to the structure and content. You may need to change the organization because it’s not logical.
Proofread for grammar and spelling mistakes.
Make final corrections.

Choosing a topic.
When you’re choosing a topic it’s important that it’s not either too narrow nor too broad. “Ages of my parents” is too narrow a topic. My parents are good is too broad. My parents are strict is just about right.
Example of broad topics: narrow them down
holidays
friends
my country
dancing
cars
Brainstorming.

Imagine a storm of ideas coming out of your brain. When you’re brainstorming you’re writing down anything that comes to mind. It doesn’t matter if ideas seem good, bad, or silly. You can do brainstorming by making a list, free-writing or mapping (mind-mapping).

Organizing ideas from brainstorming: when you think about your topic, chances are you will come up with more than you really need. You need to ‘weed out’ unnecessary information.

Examples:

Brainstorming about yourself:

If you want to write about yourself, what kinds of things will you write about: family, friends, interests, likes/dislikes, future plans, pets, school, your job, etc.

Bianca: from Toronto, live on campus in Seoul; have a father and step-mother, two brothers; hate liver; Canadian; like movies, hiking, photography, outgoing, curious. Work for Hansung, hope to have private school one day.

Paragraph:
****My name is Bianca. I am Canadian. My family is not big. I have a father, a step-mother, two brothers who are married and have two kids. My mother died four years ago. I live in Seoul where I work for Hansung University teaching English. In my spare time I like to go hiking, watch movies, read books and take photographs. I am an outgoing person and I like learning about other cultures. I would like to have my own private language school in Canada one day. That is my goal.


Try to arrange the following sentences into two paragraphs:

1.I am looking forward to getting married but I am a bit nervous, too.
2.I enjoyed the trip so I hope they will send me again.
3.Another big change will happen this year.
4.I graduated from college, I got a job in a company, and I went abroad for the first time in my life.
5. My company sent me to Singapore to work on a new project.
6. I will get married this June and start living with my partner.
7. Last year was a big year for me.
(answer: 7, 4, 5, 2, 3, 6, 1)
How about this one:

1. Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed.
2. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price.
3. Canada has an excellent health care system.
4. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.
5. Canada has a high standard of education.
6.. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live.
7. There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world.
8. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university.

Think about which sentence would most logically be the topic sentence, and which the concluding sentence.
(use: “first”, “second”, and finally) at the beginning of some sentences.)
To see the answer, click on:
(http://www2.actden.com/writ_Den/Tips/paragrap/)
This is also a good web-site to get some more general information about writing paragraphs.
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HOMEWORK: Regarding your journal entry: writing a paragraph about something very specific. Narrow down your writing to writing about one single event that happened to you, or one person that you met. E.g. you were late for school. Write about why you shouldn't be late for school, or why you hate being late for school. Another example: you wento to a dentist/doctor: why you don't like it? Make sure that you have a topic sentence, supporting sentences and the concluding sentence.
My examples:

Example One: CiDi’s Birthday Party

(topic sentence) Last Saturday, my friend CiDi had a birthday party that I enjoyed very much. (supporting sentences: 6 plus additional for more information) 1. a. Most of my close friends were there. 1.b. I haven’t seen them the whole summer while I was away, and it was nice to chat and catch up. 2.a. The party was organized at a beautiful restaurant in Itaewon, on an open patio. 2.b. There was a wonderful view of the area from the 8th floor. 3. a. The food served at the party was very good. 3.b. There were interesting finger foods, and later nice pasta with fresh salad. 4. a. We also enjoyed the drinks. 4.b. There was a selection of interesting cocktails and good Australian chardonnay, chilled to perfection. 5.a. CiDi got many presents and seemed to like them all. 6. a. He was especially touched by one of the friends bringing a cake, complete with candles and firecrackers. 6.b. We sang “Happy Birthday” as he blew out the candles. 6.c. He looked very happy to see us all there. (concluding sentence) It was, indeed, one of the best parties I’ve ever been to complete with good friends, good food, good wine and a very happy birthday boy!

Example Two: A brief opinion about a book

(topic sentence) Last night I finished reading “Foreign Babes in Beijing,” a memoir written by Rachel DeWoskin, that I liked very much. (supporting sentences) 1. I was impressed by the book because it was interesting to me to read about a young American woman who lived in Beijing for five years where she worked for an American PR firm and became a star of the Chinese soap opera called “Foreign Babes in Beijing.” 2.a. I also liked it because it is beautifully written. 2.b. DeWoskin uses interesting metaphors and her sentences are nicely put together. 3. a. In addition, the book is very informative. 3.b The author is very intelligent and knowledgeable about the modern China, and one can learn a lot from reading the book.(concluding sentences) For all these reasons, I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who likes good literature and being well-informed about the world.
(the second paragraph is a bit more complex but it still conveys one idea supported by reasons. Idea: I liked the book. Supporting arguments: interesting, beautifully written, informative).