Product Approach To Writing

- Product approach

The product approach is considered as a traditional approach to writing in the sense that it teaches students to focus on analyzing and copying or more accurately mimicking the model text. (Gabrielatos, 2002) There are four stages to the product approach and these stages are usually followed step by step to ensure accuracy of the final product. (Steele, 2004) For example, if a class were assigned to write a formal letter this is what the stages could look like; The first stage would be to let students analyze a formal letter as their model text. This can build the confidence of the student and help improve the possibility of accuracy with few mistakes. The second stage would be to help students understand how to compose

(1981) According to Schmitt (2002) the process approach came about out of the belief that previous approaches didn’t adequately inspire thought or expression of the individual’s ideas or creativity in their writing, also due to the fact that the process approach was less linear and prescriptive in its approach. But rather it’s considered cyclical in so much that students are expected and encouraged to move back and forth between stages as needed. (Pincas,

The steps that this approach takes can be as follows; situation, purpose, tenor/field/mode, planning, drafting, publishing. Firstly, the situation is where the teacher should try to replicate (as close as possible) the situation that students are expected to write about. Followed by the purpose of the writing, learners must understand the reason why they are writing what they are writing. To what end will it be used for. Next, the terms tenor, field and mode are discussed. First, it must appeal to a certain group of people, which refers to tenor. Next, it should include certain details and information, which is called field. After that, students also need to take into account how certain information is presented, which is referred to as mode. Lastly, we would focus on the planning, drafting and publishing stages, this is where students will need to plan their writing, write a draft, peer or self edit and complete their own text for the specific task given. (Adapted from Badger & White