Pamela J. Florea @ Busan KOTESOL Fluency Symposium

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April 13, 2013 From: http://koreatesol.org/content/fluency-symposium-writing-pamila-j-florea Because so many students in Korea have been taught via a traditionally teacher-based educational system, students often become so focused on test scores, a passive method of using English. This leads them to frequent difficulties with spontaneous production -- speaking and writing. Further, students rarely get the opportunity to express their personalities in the Korean classroom setting. These factors contribute to a decreased ability to interact except in the narrowest of circumstances, that is, an inability to engage in important skills in today's business world -- speaking and writing in a natural way. The researcher has integrated a written assignment that requires students to express themselves in a simple and quick way, breaking their translation habit, and assisting them in writing in a more natural manner. Beginning with a simple guided imagery technique, students are then taught stream of consciousness writing, a common exercise utilized by professional writers. It can be easily taught and supported in the classroom setting and takes very little effort on the part of the student or the teacher. Students become engaged in their writing, projecting personal representations of themselves in a simple yet profound manner. The assignment engages student creativity, passion, and interest. This presentation explores the theory behind the assignment's philosophy, presents the accumulated data of student response, and gives participants an opportunity to learn and practice the technique themselves. Pamila J. Floream MA is an Assistant Professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and a former psychotherapist and social worker. Her main research interests are in spontaneous production skills, the use of creative writing, and the juncture where learning and joy meet.
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