Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

The online world of [second language] writing; a world of [second language] writers online!

Diane Slaouti

School of Education

University of Manchester

diane.slaouti@manchester.ac.uk

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Writing and computers

Technologies: tools for writing; tools for communication

L2 writing: process and product; writing as a socio-cultural skill; writing and creativity

The changing world of writing and texts: e-literacy; multi modality

Pedagogic approach: writing process; socio-cultural contexts; collaborative practice

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

L2 writing perspectives

White and Arndt (1991: 5) describe how writing:‘is not pre-conceived. Writing in a process approach is divergent, with as many different outcomes as there are writers. In a typical product-oriented approach, on the other hand, writing will converge towards a pre-defined goal, with a model text being presented to form the focus of comprehension and text manipulation activities.’

Diane Slaouti, University of ManchesterHayes, J. R. and Flowers, L. S. (1980)

Language

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

E-literacy

Becoming literate is not just a matter of learning how to decode and put to paper letters and words, but rather a matter of mastering processes which are deemed valuable in particular societies, cultures, and contexts… Literacy is a shifting target, and we have to prepare students for their future rather than our past.

Electronic literacy thus involves what has been called information literacy-the ability to find, organize, and make use of information-but electronic literacy is broader in that it also encompasses how to read and write in a new medium.

(Shetzer & Warschauer, 2000).

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

E-literacy

(1) computer literacy (comfort and fluency in using hardware and software);

(2) information literacy (the ability to find, analyze, and critique information available online)

(3) multimedia literacy (the ability to interpret and produce documents combining texts, sounds, graphics, and video); and

(4) computer-mediated communication literacy (mastery of the pragmatics of synchronous and asynchronous CMC).

Warschauer (2002) Writing moves (1) from essay to hypertext, (2)

from words to multimedia, and (3) from author to co-constructor.

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Evolving views of computers, writing and language learning

computer applications as tools for writing

computer as facilitator of collaborative practice

computer as catalyst for writing, as social facilitator (McCloughlin and Oliver, 1999)

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Thinking about tools

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Computers and writing processPennington (1996) suggests a cause-effect cycle in which we

see writing events linked to a series of stages through which the developing computer writer will pass: Writing easier Writing more Writing differently Writing better

These general stages see development in: cognitive/affective effects, ‘which incorporate the learner’s

concept of writing and attitudes towards writing process effect, which ‘comprise the learner’s way or manner

of writing’ product effects which ‘are the learner’s written texts

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

The case of email and the WWW

Hello ?How is your studying ?My name is Maizorig and I came from Mongolia .The Mongolia is between Russia and China . Mongolia is very big country but just two and half million people live in this country .I’am fifteen years old . I have a brother . He goes to Unversity of Mongolia . My father is doctor . Now I live with my mother in students’ flat . I came in Manchester just seven months ago . I am realy happy in writing to you mail .What are you studying in Unversity of Manchester ? I would like to know more imformation abuot you . Please send me more imformation about you Your truly Maizorig . J .s.p : Sorry about my English .

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

The case of email and the WWW

Message 2 Today I am so happy because of your message. I

came from Mongolia which is located between Russia and China. My country has a 2 and half million people. Mongolia is ex-comunnist country and since 1990 everything has changed. Mongolia is three times begger than France and if you go there you will feel like in Scotland. I live in capital city and every summer I go to my grandmother’s home who lives in countryside. I have black and short hair. Not tall and look like funny. I am fifteenyears old and this may I will be sixteeen.My hobbies are ride a horse, read about history like World war-2, play table tennis and go to trip. .

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Hello again. I am so happy that sending information about me for you. I hope that you will have an interest in my shot story.MY HISTORY

I was born in the Mongolian countryside. Mongolia is an ex-Communist country which is located between China and Russia. Mongolia is three times bigger than France. In fact I don’t know about the first few years of my childhood. Sometimes my parents tell me some memories of my childhood. We moved to the capital city and since that time I can remember something about me. My father and mother were doctors. I have one brother and he is 20 years old now. My grandmother lives in the countryside of Mongolia. Every summer I go to the countryside for help her. In the countryside everything is nice. It is a beautiful and natural place with fresh air. I like to ride a horse when I am in the countryside. I came to High School on 26th April. That day I met my new friends and new school at first. I met head of year and I went to my first lesson with my new friend. First time my English was not good and I had extra English lesson with someone. In my country a pupils were between 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM and after school they will go some clubs. In contrast in England pupils has lesson from half past nine to half past three. It was boring for me. I met very kind teachers at Ducie and if I have problem they are ready to help. In Mongolia there are a lot of changes since 1990. In my opinion in the next ten years changes will slow down and we will see the results. I hope that everything will be OK. Maizorig

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Tools and process

Kroonenberg (1995) makes the following claims for email in relation to speaking:

Thoughts and arguments first composed in writing on email give students reflection time prior to engaging in oral work... the quality of the argument is enhanced and thinking is more creative than without this kind of preparation.

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

The case of email and the WWW

Nov-Dec

Feb-Mar

April-May

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Nov-Dec

Feb-Mar

April-May

Period of communication

Teacher to pupil

Pupil to teacher

Ahmed, Somali, 13

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Developments in writing environments

Multimodal writing: text, pictures, sound in generic tools eg WP, Powerpoint, desktop publishing eg Publisher; and specific applications eg Storymaker

Integration: greater interactivity beyond the text itself (eg hyperlinks);

Writing utilities both integrated and online: spellcheckers, thesaurus, dictionaries, grammar checkers;

The Web as publishing domain

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

A changing online world

Web2 and social computing Blogs; Wikis; Collaborative writing environments eg

Writeboard (http://writeboard.com ) See an example here http://123.writeboard.com/cc0553df693e343a7/v/compare/2082246/2082244 )

Blokis; http://www.bloki.com/ Social bookmarking eg YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE ; Del.icio.us http://del.icio.us/

Social mapping eg Frappr;

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Socio cognitive perspectives

Learning is conceived as a social process, an interaction between the learner and the world around

Vygotsky emphasised the way in which individuals are supported or scaffolded to a higher level of thinking;

Language is key to cognitive development; it is through language that we are able to solve problems and to learn (McCloughlin and Oliver, 1999)

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

defined as a process in which two or more learners need to work together to achieve a common goal, usually the completion of a task or the answering of a question

is manifested in the actions a learner takes when working with others and can be evidenced, for example, as a willingness to listen to others’ ideas, suggestions and opinions so that they can be discussed and integrated into further actions, such as decisions about how to complete a task. (Beatty and Nunan, 2004)

Collaborative practice

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Collaborative practice and exploratory talk

‘A communicative process for reasoning through talk in the context of a specific joint activity’ Mercer and Wegerif (1999) Discussion, negotiation, justification of

options Sharing of information to come to a

resolution Discourse illustrates a reasoning

process

Diane Slaouti, University of Manchester

Writing: creative processes – creative technologies

Alison’s mummy

Our fairy stories

Moviemaker

Storymaker