'Oh please, no!' is the reaction many teachers might have when they are asked - or told - to teach writing skills at an advanced level. And often advanced learners also look on the writing element with trepidation. Advanced Writing Skills aims to provide teachers with a thorough understanding of essential writing techniques, alongside practical examples and explanations. In doing so, it demonstrates how teaching writing can be a rewarding, engaging and illuminating experience for both teachers and learners. Throughout the book, Advanced Writing Skills illustrates the fundamental tools-of-the-trade - and many "tricks-of-the-trade" - needed to upgrade students' writing, providing workable ideas for teachers to present and practice the various techniques and stratagems analysed. Particular attention is devoted to teaching essential writing techniques such as paragraph formats, formulation of ideas, successful introductions and conclusions, text coherence and reference. At the same time, pertinent language aspects including hedging, highlighting and paraphrasing are examined in detail. And some of the "shrewder" devices, such as hooks and reverse hooks are also put under the microscope. Aimed at advanced teaching contexts, including higher education, exam preparation and advanced writing courses, the range of ideas and practical examples can help make that vital difference in preparing for both exams and wider communication. It's not just what students write about, it's very much how they write it, and this book provides the teaching resources to ensure students' writing has maximum effect.
Nigel J. Ross has had many years' experience teaching Writing Skills and Translation courses at the Sacred Heart University (Universita Cattolica) in Milan, Italy, and at the Altiero Spinelli City School for Interpreters and Translators, also in Milan. In addition to his university teaching work, he has also worked as a translator. He has translated a number of books into English by important Italian authors including Chiara Frugoni and Nico Orengo. In the field of lexicography, he took part in updating and revising several major Italian-English dictionaries and was chief compiling editor for the Hoepli Italian-English business dictionary. With a particular interest in writing skills, translation and stylistic aspects of language, he has written numerous articles for journals in Britain, Italy, the USA and elsewhere.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Advanced Writing Skills Chapter 2: The Direct Paragraph and the Topic Sentence Chapter 3: The Pivotal Paragraph Chapter 4: The Climactic and the Comparative Paragraph Chapter 5: Further Paragraph Patterns Chapter 6: Coherence Chapter 7: Using Sources Chapter 8: Stand-alone Paragraphs, Essays, Reports and More Chapter 9: Ideas and Planning Chapter 10: The Introduction and the Conclusion Chapter 11: The Body, Signalling and Hooks Chapter 12: Hedging and Highlighting Chapter 13: Elements of Sentence Construction Chapter 14: Designing and Teaching Advanced Writing Courses Chapter 15: Completing the Puzzle Appendix Bibliography
