Short essay on Teaching free composition

(a) teaching free composition

One of the aims of teaching mother-tongue is to enable the pupil to express himself correctly in writing on matters of everyday life. He should first master the four fundamental skills-reading, writing, understanding and speaking. The pupil at first must acquire the ability to write mother-tongue correctly. Not only that: he must think something to write about, that is ideas. He must know how to organise the ideas in their proper sequence. In writing composition, three things are involved:

1. Mastary of language.

2. Ideas.

3. Organisation of ideas.

In brief, the pupil should know what to say and how to say it.

There are two types of composition: controlled composition and free composition. In controlled composition, the pupil is given a good deal of help according to the structure and vocabulary items to be used in a particular piece of writing.

But in free composition, the pupil is free to make use of any structure, ideas and language that he likes. So, it is important to mention here, generally free composition type is more suitable for students taking creative work.

This is so, because, using his own language, the students must get complete freedom to write briefly, so that the teacher can easily know the feelings of the pupils.

In developing language skills, free composition is a basic requirement; the simple reason is that free expression only leads to good language development; the child learns to express his own self in his own language and becoming aware about his own language, he can try to modify and improve it. On the other hand, in controlled composition the writing is restricted.

Language is a skill-subject like painting or dancing. In fact, language is a learned skill. With free writing and expression, language can develop.

The important aspect for discussion is the contribution of free composition for developing language skills among the students.

Descriptive writing is usually within the power of the pupils and so a high standard may be surely demanded. Free and thorough discussion of theories is often fruitful for language development especially with lively and independent pupils. An effective mastery of the language gives strength and confidence to pupil’s minds and characters.

When pupils actively try to express in words what they have in mind, they learn to use manipulation of sentence structure and patterns become an unconscious habit and their feeling for linguistic form develops as a natural habit.

Writing composition (free) helps the child gradually to master an increasing vocabulary and to use that vocabulary easily and readily.

The role of the teacher is very important in developing language. The teacher should try to find the talent in language. From the very beginning, the child writes words into sentences on paper, the teacher must always be vigilant about this. Again, he should create an atmosphere which will encourage the free expression of the imaginative powers of the child.

Free composition helps in the child’s full development of personality. But that does not mean that the child does according to his own desire. So, proper guidance must be given in this respect for language development through free composition. It is rightly said-“Free activities only make the internal external.”