Writing involves subskills: accuracy and fluency.

Accuracy is the using of the correct forms of language (correct spelling, formation of letters, punctuation, the appropriate vocabulary, correct usage of grammar, construction of paragraphs and texts). It is how the learners write. Fluency is a free writing (content is very important). It is what the learners write.

Problems:

1. Handwriting (script). Handwriting is a very personal matter. It is said to reflect character. Some people have easily readable writing. Some people have ugly handwriting. There are some reasons for poor handwriting: learners don’t know Arabic penmanship, little amount of writing in pen because of often usage of computers.

2. Penmanship of letters s, r, I, h, l, f, b, t, j, q, G, Q, N. Penmanship of the other letters for Russian learners are familiar: a, o, e, n, m, x, T, M, H.

3. Connected penmanship of small letters.

4. Spelling: different letters in different words may be read in the same way – right –write, I – eye; written letters in some words may be pronounced and in other may be silent.

5. Punctuation and format conventions. They are particular in different languages.

6. Writing a composition or a letter where learners should write their own thoughts. Learners have problems in finding the right words, vocabulary, grammar forms and structures in their memory.

7. Learners can’t or don’t want to write because of the lack of confidence, imagination, vocabulary or because of boring material.

8. Writing takes a lot of time and rarely incorporated into a lesson. It is usually left for homework. As a result writing loses the communicative function.

Principles of teaching writing:

1. Learners should know exactly what the teacher wants: what writing skills he is trying to develop. Teacher should remember that at the beginner level he must start teaching writing from skill building.

2. Teacher should decide what means he is going to reach the aims (tasks on structure, tense usage, creative writing).

3. Tasks should be meaningful, realistic, relevant to learners’ needs, interests.

4. Teacher should design individual tasks based on what individual learners need to write.

5. Teacher should decide what topic he is going to focus to involve every learner in doing tasks.

6. Teacher should supply necessary layouts for doing tasks (a formal letter, an application form, etc.)

7. Teacher should develop communicative and creative writing.

8. For development of communicative writing skills teacher should use tasks connecting the real audience (teacher, learners, groups of learners to respond).

9. Teacher should integrate writing with other skills for making it more interesting.

10. Teacher should talk about writing with learners, how they write well, why they write and who they write and what makes it difficult. It gives the support and motivation.

11. Teacher should evaluate and correct learners, on the one hand, accurately and truthfully, on the other, sensitively and sympathetically. There are some ways of correction: to underline the mistakes instead of crossing out with red pen; to write symbols of what mistakes the learners have with punctuation, grammar or spelling. Learners will concentrate on particular aspect, understand the mistake and correct them. The teacher should react to what the learners write not only to the level of language.