How to Teach Writing Skills to ESL Students: From Sentences to Essays

Writing is intimidating for ESL students because every error is visible. But with the right approach, even struggling writers can make dramatic progress.

Start with Building Blocks

Sentence Level

• Subject-verb agreement
• Word order (SVO)
• Connectors: and, but, so, because

Paragraph Structure

1. Topic sentence: Main idea
2. Supporting sentences: Details and examples
3. Concluding sentence: Summary

Process Writing Approach

1. Brainstorming: Mind maps, lists
2. Outlining: Organize ideas
3. First Draft: Focus on ideas, not perfection
4. Peer Review: Exchange and give feedback
5. Revision: Improve based on feedback
6. Editing: Fix grammar and spelling
7. Final Draft: Polished version

Giving Feedback

• Don't correct everything—focus on 2-3 error types
• Use error codes (WO, SP, VT)
• Praise what's good first
• Focus on patterns, not individual errors

Practical Activities

• Guided Writing: Fill-in templates
• Picture Prompts: Write from images
• Journals: Weekly freewriting