After First Term Exams

Sept 12th.

After the first term is over, I have collected the copies of Sts' results in their writing exams. We are using part of this session for the feedback of their writings. Their progress is very evident and most Sts could easily solve the task at the moment of the exam. The easiest part was being aware of the rhetorical structure though not all Sts have been paying attention to is. It was easy to see that some students who had practiced the PN strategy could solve the task more easily than those who did not attend the session and did not practice it, because they did not feel secure about what to say. Results in the writing exams overtook the other skills to a long extent. Do I stick a copy of the gades here? No, I have it ready in my files. I need to use it as it registers the score in the rubrics as the evaluator graded them.

During the writing exams week, I have found out there is not a necessary connection between the knowledge about gramar and the students awareness of their wrting ability. Most students seem to forget vocabulary and even grammar in an isolated way. I know I do not have to use grammar exams to analyse the writing compositions of my pupils. However, it is something that calls my attention the fact that many students tend to forget grammar and obtain bad results in the grammar and vocabulary quizzes and tests, but they seem quite able to use them more positively when composing a meaningful text requiring those grammar concepts and the requested vocabulary.

September 2nd.

Along the first term I have seen how my students feel naturally concerned about the writing process as much as they feel concerned about their speaking. The risk taker styles tend to be more curious about their concerns but paradoxically others who may appear like shy tend to be more reflective about the use they give to any new word or expression, and are keen on taking quick notes not to forget these ideas. This second type of students, as far as I can see, tend to remember much more each idea previuosly asked as they tend to be aware of using them in every new composition. they are recycling when writing new compostions.