AWARENESS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN PREPARING

DISCOURSES LIKE NOTICE WRITING

ANJITHA MATHEW

ABSTRACT

The present study is to estimate whether the school students have an awareness about
writing discourses like Notice. A Notice is a written or an oral statement that contains the
particulars of holding a meeting. This study has revealed that most of the students are
not fully aware of the format of writing a Notice.

KEYWORDS: Discourse, Notice.

INTRODUCTION

Language exists in different forms-songs, dialogues, poems, descriptions, plays,

stories, letters, etc. These are normally used in discourses or situations. A discourse means
connected language in speech or writing. If a teacher provides teaching- learning experiences
to his/her pupils, his/her teaching may be called Discourse-Oriented Teaching/Pedagogy. The
discourse-Oriented teaching is in accordance with the constructivist pedagogy suggested in
the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005. Learners can construct new knowledge
from the concepts they already know-from their life or from the media like the Radio, T.V,
Print media, Electronic media, etc.

Discourse literally means written or spoken communication. Students express

themselves through discourse. Discourse helps a student to make him or her understandable
to others. It also enables him to develop his knowledge and understanding. So discourse
enables a student to write or, to speak more than a single sentence. There is coherence and
cohesion between a numbers of sentences. Discourse involves the study of both form and
function. Form helps the written aspect and function helps the spoken aspect. Written text
contains a theme and sentences are interwoven, while the spoken language might focus on
theme plus opening, and developing and closing sentences.
The teacher provides suitable discourses to the pupils in such a manner that pupils
practice learning all the four language skills in an integrated manner. He/she functions as a
facilitator.

Languages are generally taught and assessed in terms of the four skills: listening,
speaking, reading, and writing. Listening and reading are known as receptive skills while
speaking and writing are known as productive skills. All language learners will need to
develop their skills in each of these areas, and your language classes should incorporate
activities related to all these skills.

Discourse literally means written or spoken communication. Students express

themselves through discourse. Discourse helps a student to make him or her understandable
to others. It also enables him to develop his knowledge and understanding. So discourse
enables a student to write or, to speak more than a single sentence. There is coherence and
cohesion between a numbers of sentences. Discourse involves the study of both form and
function. Form helps the written aspect and function helps the spoken aspect. Written text
contains a theme and sentences are interwoven, while the spoken language might focus on
theme plus opening, and developing and closing sentences.
The teacher provides suitable discourses to the pupils in such a manner that pupils
practice learning all the four language skills in an integrated manner. He/she functions as a
facilitator.

Languages are generally taught and assessed in terms of the four skills: listening,
speaking, reading, and writing. Listening and reading are known as receptive skills while
speaking and writing are known as productive skills. All language learners will need to
develop their skills in each of these areas, and your language classes should incorporate
activities related to all these skills.

NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE

A notice is a written or an oral statement that contains the particulars of

holding a meeting. When a circular is served among the members of the meeting to attend the
meeting, it is called a notice. It is letter of invitation that carries the request to the members to
attend a meeting. A notice includes time, place, date and agenda of a meeting. The notice
should be sent by the proper authority in due time so that the members can attend the meeting
in time. So, notice is formal written or formal information, notification or warning about a
fact or an invitation to the concerned person for attending the meeting. Students should know
the importance of a Notice and should also be able to write the Notice in the correct format.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The title of the study is Awareness of Secondary School Students in Preparing

Discourses like Notice Writing.

OBJECTIVES OF THE SURVEY

The objectives of the survey are as follows:

a) To find whether the students have awareness about writing discourses like Notices.
b) To provide practice to students in writing discourses like Notice.
c) To develop a sense of responsibility to be of service to the community.

HYPOTHESIS

The students are not aware of the format or structure of preparing a Notice.
Many students are aware of the importance of writing Notices.

METHODOLOGY

Looking at the nature of the study, a survey method was adopted.

TOOLS, TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURE

In order to make the analysis, the investigators used survey method. There were a
total of 20 students and the investigator divided them into two groups of 10 members each. At
first the investigator gave a brief description on what a Notice was. The questionnaire was
really useful in order to get a clear idea about the students awareness about Notice writing.
ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY

Students who had seen a Notice 100%

Students who knew the importance of Notice 100%

Students who had made Notice for an event 100%

Students who knew the format of a Notice 10%

Students who knew that Notice should be a precise one 100%

Students who found it difficult in making a notice 10%

Students who like to read Notice 100%

Students who have received Notice 100%

Students who are interested in writing Notice 100%

Students whose teacher taught them about writing Notice 70%

Students who know the difference between a poster and a notice 80%

From the above table it is well cleared that almost all the students had seen a notice
and they know the importance of a notice. All of them had at least tried to prepare a notice for
an event but only 10% of the students were aware of the format of writing a notice. They all
know that notice should be a precise one but 10% of the students found very difficult to
prepare a notice. From the survey i came to understood that all the students presented there
like to read notices and they even had received notices but only 70% of the students were
interested in writing notices.

FINDINGS
 From the survey conducted, it is clear that the students have an idea about what a
notice means, but they are not well aware of its format or structure. The investigators class
had given them a detailed understanding about the way of writing a notice.

EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

Writing is one of the most important learning skills in English. Writing is for
communication of ideas in written form. It is the visual representation of speech. Students
must definitely be able to develop their writing skills. The awareness of the various
discourses will definitely help the students to make an understanding about the different types
of writings and Notice writing is one among the discourse. An understanding of the notice
will help students in preparing Notices on various events and also help them to keep in mind
the various steps that should consider in the preparation of Notice.

CONCLUSION

The survey helped us to understand that the students are not fully aware of writing a
notice. The survey also helped the investigator to make the students understand the
importance of Notice writing.

REFERENCE

https://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edcomm.pdf
Mridula, K. Ramakrishnan, T, V. Sivarajan, K. English Language Education, Calicut:
Calicut University, 2014.