Getting Around

Joint Construction Method

Joint construction is a collaborative writing process involving the students and the teacher in constructing a text or piece of text. It can be done with small groups, or as a whole class.

1. Using a model text the teacher guides the students through the reading, asking questions, confirming responses and offering necessary explanations about the purpose of the text and therefore the appropriate content, vocabulary, grammar and structure. A checklist of the language features may be drawn up and put on the wall.
2. Using a different topic, but the same text type, the teacher and the students together construct a similar text on the whiteboard. During the process the teacher asks the students to explain their sentence choices, their vocabulary choices, the overall structure, and so on. The teacher 'thinks-aloud' about the choices made, modelling and explaining the processes involved.
3. The students construct texts in small groups, or in pairs, using the checklist. Some of these texts are then discussed with the whole class. These may be written on OHT using non-permanent markers.
4. The students work independently on their own text.
• Features of Text Forms
• Checklists for Writing
• Cohesion