Stage 2 guidelines for writing: Interactional skills

Here are some objectives for interactional skills for Stage 2 to writing:

• To be able to express yourself in a culturally appropriate way while writing, including your choice of topic.

  Some topics may be taboo.

• To be able to interact using appropriate terms of address including honorifics (if a part of the culture), and to address topics appropriately

Here are some interactional skills strategies for Stage 2 guidelines for writing:

Analysis You are finding out through your observation skills what topics are freely discussed and what topics require more sensitivity or are to be avoided. Keep your ears and eyes open. Take notes for further reference. There may be, however, a difference in what is acceptable in written versus oral form. Find someone you can ask about such things. Practice Diligently use the appropriate terms of address, both in your speech and in your writing, until they become an automatic part of your language skills. Selective attention Write a letter to someone who is a father figure to you in the culture, paying careful attention to how you show the correct social posture in your interaction. Have a language associate (LA) check it. Auditory representation Continue to work on your verbal interactions. Do not get lazy about interacting in a culturally appropriate way.

Here are some interactional skills techniques for Stage 2 guidelines for writing:

• The Text Portfolio technique

The Write and Rewrite technique

Here is an interactional skills activity for Stage 2 guidelines for writing:

• Write personal letters to friends in the culture.

  If you are not living in a place where the language you are learning is spoken, try to find a pen-pal (electronic?).

• Generic module: Stage 2 guidelines for writing: Interactional skil...
• In overview module: Stage 2: Writing modules
• In modular book: Guidelines for a Language and Culture Learning Program, by Carol J. Orwig
• In document collection: Other Resources
• In bookshelf: Language Learning

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 3.5, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 8 December 1998

© 1999 SIL International