the role of blogs in l2 writing contextualization and expository reach

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The role of blogs in L2 writing contextualizatio n and expository reach Lee Arnold Seigakuin University Seventh Symposium on Writing Centers in Asia 2015 Kawagoe-shi, Saitama-ken Japan

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The role of blogs in L2 writing contextualization and writer expository reach

The role of blogs in L2 writing contextualization and expository reach

Lee ArnoldSeigakuin UniversitySeventh Symposium on Writing Centers in Asia 2015Kawagoe-shi, Saitama-ken Japan 1

Enhancement of meaningfulness in learner writing assignments

Development of learner expository reach

Contextualization of assignments for learners into writing projects

Exploitation of Internet and Web 2.0 for learner writing publication

Key issues in writing pedagogy

One way to begin re-thinking what writing pedagogy can be is to re-assess to whom learners write, and for whom they write

The logical progression is to create contexts for learners to write to2

A breakthrough of greater authenticity and depth that learners achieve with their writing compared with where they have previously written

(Y)ou are proficient in a language to the extent that you possess it, make it your own, bend it to your will, assert yourself through it rather than simply submit to the dictates of its form (Widdowson, 1993, quoted in Hanauer, 2011) Expository reach

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Blogs and learner writingBlogs have expanded possibilities in computer- and web-based TEFL writing given ease of use to learners and teachers alike (Blood, 2002)

Can play affirmative role for learner evaluation and reflection on writing assignments (Dieu, 2004) and tutorial support functions (Johnson, 2004)

May also cultivate learner writer voice (Bloch, 2007) and creation of learner writer-reader community (Sollars, 2007)

May form inexpensive and instantaneous means of creating contexts that learners can write to and for

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Four classes of predominantly first-year literature and culture majors in two private universities

Wide range of levels from high-beginner to low-advanced

Some variability of level within individual classes

Strong sense of cooperation among learners in all classes

Profile of writing classes5

Presentation by Matsuda (2013) demonstrated approach in creating context for an assignment

Learners were asked to write about people they admired such as family members or friends

Learners told their work would be gathered into book that each would contribute a chapter to

Adapted approach to same assignment with my learners by telling them their work would be selected for blog page collection called The Small Book of Big People

Contextualizing a typical assignment

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Samples: The Small Book of Big PeopleI esteem Haruki Murakami for his writing ability. For example, he writes the books that are composed of a unique statement and metaphor. They attract readers. When I read his books for the first time, I was also attracted to them. Norwegian Wood was especially attracted me in the book written by him. This book made me a little sad and caused a strange feeling. I want to be a novelist. I want to imitate his writing ability and be a novelist like him.

I respect Taylor Swift who is singer in America. She has blond hair, blue eyes, red rouge lip, and cute. Her songs are pop, ballad, and they cheer up me when I felt down. She writes songs herself and based on her experience. For example, We Are Never Getting Back Together is one of her big songs. It has a bright and poppy melody! The song is popular with young people. When I listen to this song, it gives me energy. Another one is I Knew You Were Trouble. The song is gloomy and with painful lyrics.

There is a meaning that unexpected things happened and heartbreaking. When I feel down and listen to these songs, I am encouraged. Especially, these songs are my favorite songs! I want her to be known by a lot of people, because she isnt well known by older. So I hope that every generation loves her.

I do not have a person now that I respect, but in the future I want to be be a person that many people respect.

I have a dream that nobody has. My dream is to be someone that can change something in this world, this world with many problems and many dirty things, and many selfish people, but with many more things that are very beautiful.

I dont know how to be a great person that is capable of changing the world, but I came to this university to search that, to search how to evolve.

So now, I am not a person that can be in this book, but in ten or twenty years I hope to be one of the big people.

Samples: The Small Book of Big PeopleI respect my friend of my high school days. He was greatly honored by the many people. He always was serious for everything. He belonged to soccer club and practiced very hard. For instance he got up at 5:00, arrived at our school and ran around our school every morning in spite of he have practice after school. He had never missed his morning training. If I am he, probably Im tired of morning training because I have to practice after school. Then he usually prepared for class after finish his training. So I think his schedule was very busy. I couldnt imitate his daily routine.

Then he has a lot of friends because he was very friendly and gentle. So I respect him and want to model my life after him.

My exceptional person is an office worker in cram school of my working place. The place name is Rinkai seminar. Everyone called her Chansan, but she is Japanese. She looks madam and brown. She was used to secretary. So she is very steady and everyone relies her on. Of course me too. Many students and teachers love her. Though she does not get money, she still works overtime because she always thinks about students. If I am same her situation, I never do it. And she supports me for my dream. For example, she negotiated to get to know to work part-time in my place where I wanted to work in the future. After all, I cant work there, but I deeply appreciated to her.

She has four people in her family with her husband, daughter, and son. She is housewife. Her daughter was good basketball manager. She guided an interscholastic athletic meet for basketball player. Therefore many offers came to her from the company. Chansans son is good basketball player. He participated in an international athletic meet. I think that after all it is her power that was brought up by such children. I want to become a wonderful person being like her sometime.

Learners motivated by prospect of blog publication

Overall learner level in low-intermediate range but contextualization may have spurred expository reach among some

Publication of writing validates Sollars (2007) on role of blogs for learner writer community

Analysis9

Blog audio-visual upload of music and imagery ideal for learner writing creativity and grounded in Ashers Total Physical Response (1969) and Gardners theory of multiple intelligences (1983)

Further support in Morrows (1977) definition of authentic materials and Breens (1985) criteria for use in TEFL

Room for teaching of creative expression in language pedagogy advocated by Kramsch (2009) and Hanauer (2011)

Was inspired from research literature to devise two blog-contextualized creative writing projects for my learners with music and imagery (Words on Music and Places & Traces)

Audio-visual blog content and creative writing

Kramsch (2009) holds that instrumental orientation of conventional language pedagogy ignores learners desires for expression of subjective lives

Hanauer (2011) asserts that more authentic language develops when space for learner expression becomes part of language classroom

learners wrote stories to four pieces of instrumental music

similarly wrote stories to four images

learners told both projects would be published as blog page collections

Posted videos and re-posted images after with links to Wikipedia articles

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Samples: Words on Music This song is like a feeling of a young mother going somewhere to abandon her children, she doesnot have money to feed her children, so she will abandon her children in front of a house that looks like with a rich family inside, with a family richer than her, so probably the children will have a better life. For me this song demonstrate the unstable feelings and thoughts that she had when she go to abandon her children. At the beginning she feel that she is doing the right thing, with her act her children will be more happier in other family maybe her children can achieve something great! But in the way to the place she get regretful, she think about her living with her children, with many problems that her children causes but which makes her happy.

Once upon a time, there was the princess. The princess learned piano for a long time. So she practiced it. But one time, she was interested in one person. She saw him through the window. But she didnt meet him and talk with him. So she did not know him very well. And he did not know her at all. But she fell in love. After a while, her dad introduced her to the person who dad wants her to marry with. She did not decide to her destiny. Because her parents right was strong. And she has ever stood. But this time is special for her. So she decided to run away from her house in her mind. She played the piano in her house at last. She remembered her life. Sometimes, she did not want leave with her parents. But she ran away from her house.

Samples: Words on Music In a certain house, thief comes up. The thief gets closer to the room on his tiptoes. When he goes into the room, there is a girl. She is a cute and beautiful girl, and fall asleep. The man falls in love with her at first sight. For a while, she wakes up and surprises him. And he forgets an original purpose and kidnaps her.There is a girl who goes on an adventure. She is going to be in a very good mood, but she heard a strange noise. She was lonely. Just then, the figure of grandfather emerged in front of a girl, and he introduced his house near here. This house were five dwarfs, they welcome to her. For example, they played the music, and cooking. But, after a short time, she missed his mother, and she was cried. It cant be helped, they gave her a night, and she was escaped by them next day.

An explorer searches for a treasure. A treasure sleeps in the grave. He devotes his life to it. He fined a clue of treasure. He went to Egypt. Then he solves cipher of treasure. He fined treasure at last. It is beautiful nature. There are many animal and fruit. And many animals are an endangered species. Though the treasure was not treasures, he feels very much.

The sea water is the bright incomparable sky-blue. Its a beautiful day for the beach. Crowds are heading to the ocean shore. Beach towel dot the sand with color. Plastic buckets and balls roll round in the breeze. You can swim, you can wade or just rest. There are lots of things to do. It seems that people bring all the activities to the beach. But the sandy shore is a busy place even without tourists.

Look! There is an abandoned pirate ship on the sandy shore. Do you want to know more about the abandoned ship? Let me tell you.

Long long ago, a young man became a pirate after he ran away from home and joined the crew on a privateering ship. One day, he dreamt there be treasure on the sandy shore. So the next day he began to dig. He dug until the hole was deep and the dirt pile was high. He kept digging and sighed Im tired, I cant dig anymore. Then he spied something. But he only found a pirate ship. He was quite disappointed. When he wanted to give up his friend told him lets get in the ship, maybe the treasure is buried in it. Finally, they got a small box and a little treasure. They took the treasure away but left the abandoned pirate ship on the sandy shore. Now, we can see it on picture.

Samples: Places & Traces

In the ancient age, there was a man who worked in the sea and he brought his passengers from Italy to Israel. His name was Michael. He looked so tough but he had great kindness in his heart. His brown eyes were full of love and many people liked his gentle smile. He was poor but he was happy because all the man around him loved him and God he believed so much loved him, too.

One day, when he was waiting for his passenger in Italy, a beautiful woman came and asked, Would you bring me to Israel? I have to go. She had long blond hair with a glossy sheen, her blue eyes were so fascinating and her thick lips were attractive. She was well dresses in red and it made her more and more wonderful. As soon as Michael looked at the woman, he fell in love with her. Then, he said to God, I love you and my heart must not be changed in the future, but I come to love another now. Do not get angry and let me marry to her with your power.

Eight months later, there was Michael with the smiling woman dressed in pure white in the restaurant near the sea. Michaels father got drunk because of red wine and his wife enjoyed talking with the mother of Michaels new wife. Michaels wish came true because of the special power and love of God. He and his new wife were happier. God was also happier and thought how nice this moment was. ()

Samples: Places & Traces

More sophisticated narrative framing resulted in greater depth and range

Less textured musical composition and instrumentation brought out more imaginative and lengthier writing

Realism of imagery with vagueness of subject context may have enabled more dynamic exploration

Learners found blog links in both projects surprising and stimulating compared to initial impressions of artists and imagery

Best writing demonstrated expository reach

Analysis

ConclusionBlog-contextualized classroom writing assignments geared to yielding creativity can bring forth imaginative and expressive learner writing

Music and imagery may open areas of great emotional response for learner writing

Opportunities for expository reach may be enhanced by contextualizing assignments into projects through blog material upload and activities

Blog-publishing learner writing may not only create such context but also develop peer writer readership

Thank you for listening!

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the samples of music or images uploaded in this presentation. They have been included solely for educational purposes. Image credits: Title and closing slides Pink Lotus (courtesy of seaskylab)/Typing in Keyboard (courtesy of PANPOTE)/Henry Widdowson (courtesy of Osterreichische Gesellschaft fur Sprachendidaktik website)/Chair (courtesy of suphakit73)/Teenage Students Using Laptop (courtesy of Ambro)/Turntable (courtesy of James Barker)/Lines and Shadows (own image)/Arromanches (courtesy of Bulo78) and Woodstock couple (self-reproduced from image by Burk Uzzle courtesy of Laurence Miller Gallery both images from Wikimedia Commons)/All Daily Sekaijin blog screen shots (own images)/seaskylab, PANPOTE, suphakit73, Ambro, and James Barker images from FreeDigitalPhotos.net/Music sound samples pulled from YouTube. All rights reserved to the copyright holders.

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ReferencesAsher, J. (1969). The total physical response approach to second language learning. The Modern Language Journal, 53(1), 3-17.

Bloch, J. (2007). Abdullahs blogging: a generation 1.5 student enters the blogosphere. Language Learning & Technology, 11(2), 128-141.

Blood, R. (2002). Weblogs: a history and perspective. In J. Rodzvilla (Ed.), Weve got blog: how weblogs are changing culture, 7-16. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing.

Breen, M.P. (1985). Authenticity in the language classroom. Applied Linguistics, 6(1), 60-70.

Dieu, B. (2004). Blogs for language learning. Essential Teacher, 1(4), 26-30.

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Hanauer, D. (2011). Meaningful literacy: writing poetry in the language classroom. Language Teaching: Surveys and Studies, 45(1), 105-115.

Johnson, A. (2004). Creating a writing course using class and student blogs. The Internet TESL Journal, 10(8). Retrieved from: http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Johnson-Blogs.html

Kramsch, C. (2009). The multilingual subject. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Matsuda, P. K. (2013). Teaching writing in context. Paper presented at Tokyo JALT, Tokyo, Japan.

Morrow, K. (1977). Authentic texts in ESP. In S. Holden (Ed.), English for specific purposes. London: Modern English Publications.

Sollars, V. (2007). Writing experiences in a second/foreign language classroom: from theory to practice. In M. Camilleri, P. Ford, H. Leja & V. Sollars (Eds.), Blogs: web journal in language education, 15-24. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.

Widdowson, H.G. (1993). The ownership of English. TESOL Quarterly, 28(2), 377-389.

2 BJacques LoussierJ.S.:/iTunes 11.1.5PortiaMiles DavisGeorge Duke/Miller, MarcusTutu1986iTunes 11.1.5