Conference+Reflection+by+Ebru+Bertan


 * Reflection of the session called "Creative and Fun Writing Activities for Language Learners and Teachers" in the Inged Conference **

The session called "Creative and Fun Writing Activities for Language Learners and Teachers" in the Inged Conference is the second session in the conference. This session seemed a little bit boring because the first session in this conference was really enjoyable. However, still, I found some interesting and helpful information.

The speaker's name is Afife Dağcı. There were several different activities that the speaker is focused on. The aim of that session is to teach the participants some creative and fun writing activities. The speaker presented these activities so that teachers can help their students acquire writing skills in a creative and fun way.

There were two activities that I really liked and that I want to use in my real classroom setting. One of them is about luck. The teacher creates four tables with numbers for object, character, place and situation choice.

Table I. Options for character choice **
 * || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 ||
 * 1 || a || b || c || d ||
 * 2 || e || f || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">g || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">h ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">For example, in the Table I, 8 different options. The teacher asks students to write a number with two digits. Let's assume one of them wrote 24. It means s/he will use h character. For the other elements, the same process works. At the end, with the four choices that the students make, they start to write their writings. I have heard this process for the first time in my life. This processes is appropriate for low level students.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The second activity that I liked in this session is writing a poem. The teacher distributes a paper. In the middle of the paper, the students write a feeling that they want to write. At the left top, they write the sound of that feeling. At the right top, they write the color of that feeling. At the left bottom, they write the taste of eating that feeling. At the right bottom, they write the taste of smelling that feeling. In the middle, they write the action of that feeling. Afterwards, the teacher tells them to write

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(The feeling) is (the color) Despair is grey. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">It sounds like ........ It sounds like crying. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">It tastes ........ It tastes bitter. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">It smells like ......... It smells like a damp room. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">It feels like ........ It feels like walking in the rain.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">These two suggestions are the most applicable and enjoyable suggestions. Still, both activities seem like putting some boundaries to learners' creativity. So, I really like to ask the presenter how they can be developed to let students be free in writing.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Consequently, this session is helpful for developing new ideas about teaching writing. Yet, it could be developed. The presentation of the activities are boring. At the beginning, I hoped that I could enjoy the session, but at the end, unfortunately, I couldn't.