COURSE:

DISCOURSE
ANALYSIS
Group 6:
Nguyen Thi Thuy Anh
(B)
Le Thi Minh Chau
Nguyen Hoang Duc
Huynh Thi Kim Dung
Nguyen Thuy Ha
Tran Van Hien
Nguyen Thi My Huong

OUTLINE
I.

How the top-down bottomup metaphors applies to the

writing process
II. Creating a well-written text
III. The relationship of writing
with speaking and reading
IV. Practicing teaching writing

I.

Top-down bottom-up
processing in writing
HO
W?
??
?

Some aspects of top-down and bottom-up

approaches:
Bottom up: text-bound approach: heavily
relying on linguistic information (semantic
& syntactic)
The bottom-up approach is characterized by
much free writing and extensive revising
Top down: reader bound approach: heavily
relying on the readers global interpretation
process, background knowledge of both
content & text genre.

How the top-down bottom-up approaches

apply to the writing process:
Apply the top-down approach to writing to
emphasis on the content, the organization, and
the structure of the written passage rather
than its linguistics forms.
Bottom-up features (the proper choice of
words, the use of cohesive devices,
grammatical structures, spelling, and
punctuation) should be focused on later in the
writing process when the initial barriers have
been removed and the student is willing to
engage in the creative process of writing

II. Creating a well-written

text

II. Creating a wellwritten text:

Coherence is viewed as a feature of a

text that is related to top-down
planning and organization.
A well-written text has to conform to
more local and specific features of text
such as choosing proper lexical items
and grammatical forms, appropriate use
of cohesive devices, and using proper
punctuation and other details of form
relate to bottom-up strategies in
creating a text.

Creating a well-written text:

An important feature of a well-formed text: unity and connectedness

that make individual sentences in the text hang together and relate
to each other.
- A result of coherent organization of propositions and ideas in the
passage, depends on painstaking process to create formal and
grammatical cohesion among paragraphs and sentences in each
paragraph.
Employing various linguistic devices, writer can strengthen the
coherence, create global and local unity, and render the passage in a
manner that conforms with the expectations of experienced readers.
- Overall coherence of a longer passage depends on coherence within
each paragraph or section of the text relevant in expository writing.
Each sentence in such a piece of writing is related both to the previous
and following sentences and creates the basis for connection with the
following one.
Skilled writer makes good use of opening sentences in order to
communicate better and to show consideration for the reader.

Creating a well-written text:

Bardovi-Harlig (1990) takes one step further toward a
more local consideration of well-formedness of a text
by analyzing discourse pragmatics at the sentence level.
-A sentence within a passage has 3 levels: the syntactic,
the semantic, and the pragmatic.
-Topic: an entity of discourse that connects one part of
the discourse to other parts through given information
that runs through the whole discourse.
-Comment: what is said about the topic and that is new
or added information. In each of the sentences, some
additional information is added, developing the process
of advancing the discourse according to the writers
intention.
Relate to the pragmatic function of the sentence, in
other words, its textual function, which is often realized
via the semantic and grammatical ties of cohesion.

Creating a well-written text:

To create the thread that holds the text
together and creates unity and interest,
experienced writer uses the cohesive
elements in the language establish a
clear sequence of anaphoric reference.
Maintain the readers focus on topic,
distribute new information in
consecutive portions that hold readers
interest, create anticipation of what is to
follow in the discourse.
Skillful use of these elements develops
over time, through considerable and
varied writing experiences.

Creating a well-written text:

Creating a well-written text is a process that
requires many conscious decisions along the
way, prior to writing.
Plan the overall structure of a text to ensure
global coherence:
- Each paragraph: structured to contribute to
create a coherent entity within the larger unit
of several paragraphs.
- Within each paragraph: opening sentence
should be carefully composed to serve a major
purpose in the logical development of the ideas
presented.
- Within paragraph and each sentence: cohesion
should be properly exploited to ensure back
reference and forward progression in the
discourse.

Creating a well-written text:

Successful writing is usually achieved
through revision and rewriting (Teasdale,
1995).
- For writers of less experience or lower
proficiency: revision tends to be made at
word, phrase, and sentence level.
- For more experienced or more proficient
writers: exhibit a greater variety of
revision operations, revise not only at the
surface or local level but also at the
global level.

III. The relationship of

writing with speaking
and reading
1. The connection between writing and speaking:

a. Similar:
Writing and speaking are productive skill.
Writing is considered as monologic speech.
The writing process and speech production is a concern
with bridging the gap between producer and receiver.
The megtacognitive knowledge can help the user
compensate for lack of knowledge in the language area.
Both speaking and writing are productive skills.

b. The writing is
different from speech:
WRITING
SPEAKIN
- Use many linguistic
rules (writing style) to
write

G
- Use many linguistic
rules (speaking style) to
speak

- The writer has to

consider the potential
reader audience

- The speaker needs to

take the listeners context
into account.

- Decontextualized
production process

- Based on the context

when speaking time.

- In DA, the writer

uses the schemata to
have a revision to
produce a production
of written text

- In DA, he speaker uses

schemata to have the
pragmatics to give the
output of spoken
discourse.

2. The connection between

writing and reading

a. Similar:
.Both reading and writing deal with
written text.
.The megtacognitive knowledge
can help the user compensate for
lack of knowledge in the language
area.

b. The writing is
different from reading:
WRITING

READING

-Productive skill

-Receptive skill

-To produce the

written text.

-To read and

comprehend the
written text

- In DA, the writer

uses the schemata
to have a revision
to produce a
production of
written text

- the reader uses

schemata to have the
pragmatics to
interpret and
understand of written
text

Practice Teaching Writing

How to
write

What
to
write

An
Applicati
on
Letter

From Solutions- Elementary

By Tim Falla, Paul A Davies
Published in 2008, Oxford University
Press

Teaching writing
Pre-teaching
- based on Schema Theory
While-teaching
- Coherence
To make the well
- Theme and Rheme
written text
Staging: Themetisation
- Mechanical rules
Help Ss to think and self Post-teaching
evaluate
- Metacognition

 Pre-Writing: Lead-in
- What do you have to do before
you can have a job interview?
- What should you write in an
application letter?

Read
new
sp a p
er

Search
o
the inte n
rn e t

Writ
e an
app
licati
lette on
r

What should you write in an application letter?

Contact information
Salutation
Reason for writing
the letter
Your qualifications
Your experiences

Thanking
Complimentary
close

 Pre-Writing: Lead-in
- What do you have to do before you
can have a job interview?
- What should you write in an
application letter?
organize the overview of the
content schema theory

An application Letter
While-teaching
Activity 1: Put the paragraphs
in the order of an application
letter

1
Mr. David Lee
The Personnel
Manager
ABC 5.
Company
GPO Box 1234
should
HongI Kong

2.
I am writing in response to your
advertisement in the Coventry
Daily News on August 31th 2008
inviting applications for the
summer
job at Westlake
Rescue
very
grateful
if
Centre.

be
6. you grant me an interview
I am
and hard
sohonest,
that I reliable
can explain
my
working. I can send you a
qualifications more fully.
reference from the manager of

3.
Dear Mr.
Lee,

10.
the pet shop and
also
fromSt.,
a
25 Le
Duan
teacher at my District
school. I1can start
4.
nd
work on 2 July.
Ho Chi Minh City, Viet
7.
Yours
8.
Nam
I have
experience
of working
with
I am
looking forward
to
sincerely
th
October
27
,
2014
animals.
Lastfrom
summer,
hearing
you. I worked
as a shop assistant in my local pet
9.
shop for six weeks. I have also got
Signature
two cats at home and I look after
Name

While-teaching

Activity 1: Structure of the

application letter - Coherence
to make the well-written letter
Activity 2: Underline some
irrelevant sentences in each
paragraph of that letter

Mr. David Lee

The Personnel Manager
ABC Company
GPO Box 1234
Hong Kong

Dear Mr. Lee,

I am writing to apply for a job. It is in response to your advertisement in
the Coventry Daily News on August 31th 2008 inviting applications for
the summer job at Westlake Rescue Centre. Summer job is the
interesting topic to most of college students.
I have experience of working with animals. The animals are so lovely.
Last summer, I worked as a shop assistant in my local pet shop for six
weeks. I have also got two cats at home and I look after them.
I am honest, reliable and hard working. I can send you a reference from
the manager of the pet shop and also from a teacher at my school. My
teacher also loves pet. I can start work on 2nd July.
I should be very grateful if you grant me an interview so that I can
explain my qualifications more fully.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Signature

Activity 2: Coherence Theme and

Rheme
I am writing to apply for a job. It is in response to your
advertisement in the Coventry Daily News on August
Theme
31th 2008 inviting applications for the summer job
at 1-Rheme1:
Reason why you
Westlake Rescue Centre.
write the letter
I have experience of working with animals. Last
Theme 2 - Rheme 2:
summer, I worked as a shop assistant in my local pet
why the employer
shop for six weeks. I have also got two cats at home
should select you for
and I look after them.
the interview
I am honest, reliable and hard working. I can send you
Theme 3 Rheme 3: How
a reference from the manager of the pet shop and also
you follow-up
from a teacher at my school. I can start work on 2nd
July.

Activity 3: In which paragraphs does Emily give

this information?

When she can start work

Her work experience
Where she saw the
advert
Who can give
reference
Her personal qualities
Activity 3: Break the initial
The barrier
job she
is
- brainstorming
activities which
applying
forhelps Ss know
how to write
Theme and Rheme: Staging
- Themetisation

Paragraph 1 mentions:
.
..
Paragraph 2 mentions:

.....................................
Paragraph 3mentions:

Activity 4: Match the beginnings and

endings of the sentences. Then
underline similar sentences in the
letter
1. I am writing to apply for
a. The newspaper
2. I saw the
b. The manager of
advertisement in
the theme park
3. I have the experience
c. A job in your
of
shop
4. I worked for a month as
d. A waiter
5. I can send you a
e. Working with
reference from
computers
Mechanical rules: to be practiced at
sentence level and extended to automatic
use in discourse level context

Activity 5: Find phrases in the letter where

the writer has avoided using a short form
Dear Mr. Lee,
I am writing to apply
for .
Formal letter

Formal written
discourse

Dear Mr. Lee,

Im writing to apply
for .
Informal letter
Im
Hes
Theyre
avoided
Informal Spoken
discourse

Post-teaching
Exercises help
Ss to brainstorm the ideas and write
the application letter.
Ss to self-evaluate/revise their paper.

 Read the job advertisement. Imagine

you worked at a swimming pool last
summer. How is that experience
useful for this job?

Write a formal letter applying for

the job.
Check your work:
Have you
used some of the phrases in activity
4?
Started and ended the letter
correctly?
Divided the letter into paragraphs?
Checked your spelling and grammar?

Thank you for

your
Listening!!!