Learning to write for audience

The ability to write for an audinece requires selecting and adapting language so that other people can make sence of the writer's ideas and arguments. When  we are writing for an audience we have totake into acount the level, agem background knowledge of our audience and if we are going to use formal or informal language.

Writing for an audience should have a clear Audience, Purpose and Topic (APT). When we are writing in a Foreign Language (FL) we have to think beyond writing, we have to think about grammar and vocabulary. Activities in which we can practice this vocabulary and grammar are: letters and e-mail messages, articles about class events, essays on new films, simple stories, etc.

If we focus on how to teach children to write we have to take into account all the aspects mentioned previously and also teach them the following aspects:

• Editing drafts; these helo strudents to make some changes in their writing, if it is necessary
• Checking work with others; after they edited their first drafts they can check their writing with their classmates by reading it aloud in front of the group and after read it s/he can ask if her/his writing is understandable and if the topic is interesting
• Pairs-checking; after they edited and read aloud their writing they can chack with a partner if they have to make some changes on their final writing.