BRAINSTORMING

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BRAINSTORMING
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BRAINSTORMING
What does it mean to brainstorm?

• Brainstorming includes strategies to help you
  find ideas to write.

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Brainstorming
Three Common Brainstorming Activities

• 1) Clustering

2) Listing
3) Freewriting
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Clustering
funny
Take EAP-1584 with Shepardson
kind
Clustering is a prewriting technique used by
writers to produce ideas. When you cluster, you
start by writing your topic in a circle in the
middle of your paper. As you think of related
ideas, you write these ideas in smaller circles
around the first circle. The related idea in each
small circle may produce even more ideas. (p. 48)
tennis
What is clustering why use clustering to write?
How to relax
swimming
traveling
walking
Calling a friend
reading
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Clustering
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Clustering
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(No Transcript)
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Listing
What is listing why use listing to write?
1. When you use listing, you want to start
with the main topic of your essay and write that
word or words at the top of your paper.
Why I Want to Become a Nurse
2. Write down any word or phrase that might
relate to your main topic underneath. Dont
worry about spelling or grammar. Your goal is to
write down as many ideas as quickly as possible.
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Listing
Why I Want to Become a Nurse
Like science Like problem solving Many jobs
available in nursing Good salary Like working in
a hospital Want to help other people
Challenging job Opportunities for
promotion Interested in study of
diseases Interested in study of human
body Flexible hours Will always learn something
new
Write down as many ideas as you can think of?
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Listing
How to be a Successful Language Learner

• Practice speaking with others
• Take classes
• Guess at the meanings of words
• Listen to radio or TV
• Observe others
• Set reasonable goals
• Dont be afraid to experiment
• Study vocabulary in related topics

• Ask others to correct you
• Look for patterns in your errors
• Organize your study time
• Use special techniques to remember new words
• Ask for help when you dont understand
• Review material regularly
• Use a dictionary
• Choose a good textbook

Write down as many ideas as you can think of?
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Freewriting
1. To begin freewriting you want to start with
the main topic of your essay. Write that word or
words at the top of your paper.
What is freewriting and why use freewriting as a
Prewriting strategy?
My Favorite Book
2. Write as much as you can (no lists
please) about your topic. Write as quickly as
you can without stopping to think about grammar
or organization.
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Freewriting
My Favorite Book
My favorite book I dont know where to
start. I read so many books that are interesting
that its hard to choose just one. I guess I
could start by talking about the kinds of books I
really like. I like biographies and
autobiographies the best. I really enjoy reading
about another persons life. One of my favorite
books is called Roots by Alex Haley. How the
author was able to trace his family history all
the way back to Africa was amazing! Another book
I really enjoyed was Carl Sandburgs biography of
Abraham Lincoln. What an incredible president!
There are also some very interesting books about
leaders like Napoleon, Churchill, and Stalin.
Well, I guess that gives me a few ideas about
where I can start on my topic.
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Freewriting
A Problem I Have
I have of course many problems in my life
like everybody has, but right now I am feeling
new problems like the cultural shock. I got out
of my country and came to study in the U.S.A.
One of the biggest problems is to make friends,
to make or have the good old friends I have back
home. Its so hard here- you dont know how to
act, whether you should ask them their telephone
number or wait for them to do it, whether you
should call them very often or not. Are they
bothered by my language problem? Can they not
carry on a conversation with me because they
always talk about local or national subjects
about which I am not informed? This is really
hard and sometimes makes me feel like a stranger
in a group where everybody is laughing and
talking and they supposedly were my
friends. (Spack, R., 1996)
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Freewriting
Things I brought to the U.S.
I have been living in the U.S.A. for about
four years. When I came here, I brought with me
a few books, my favorite T-shirts, and a little
hand-made pillow from my mother. Among some of
the books I brought with me is one called The
Little Prince. It is a very interesting book.
Every time I read it, I find new and different
ideas that I can practice in my life. Some of my
favorite T-Shirts are souvenirs from places which
I had visited in Colombia where I come from and
they remind me of the good times I had. The
little handmade pillow from my mother is a small
cotton square, with five lines around it and my
Christian name on it. Sometimes when I have
difficulties in my courses, I look at it asking
for help like my mother used to give me when I
was living at home. And what I left behind
was a happy family life, my good friends, and a
pretty city in the north of Colombia near the
Atlantic Ocean, where it is always sunny and
windy. (Raimes, 1987)
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Brainstorming

• Lets practice some more!