Comments on All quiet on the discussion front by Marina Sapozhnikov, January 1, 2005.
www.techlearning.com/article/3314 Accessed 7/14/10
The author talks about having to encourage ESL students to participate in on-line discussion boards or other interactive forums. She says that these kinds of assignments provide students with time to “carefully weigh, correct and polish each word.” In my opinion I think there are reasons why ELLs are not in a position to weigh, correct or polish.
I have found that often schools that use a “pull-out” model to provide service to ELLs, arrange the time for them to meet with the ESL teacher during computer time, so that they rarely have the same amount of keyboarding experience as their native speaking (NS) peers. I have watched so many students hunt and peck to type a document to meet the teacher’s requirement. This slows down the thinking and composing process.
Many ELLs, when faced with an assignment like a discussion board will need to do this work in school, as often there is no technology available at home. Going to the pubic library is also not an option for all.
Composing in a second language provides an extra challenge to a learner. How many NS students do we know who struggle to put words together to compose a comprehensive sentence, paragraph and opinion for pubic view? Personally, I have been a newspaper reporter, editor and journalist since 1962 and I still want time to review what I write to be sure that it sounds right and makes sense. While I am competent in my second language, my writing and composing skills in Swedish are not nearly as good as they are in English. I have to figure out word order, spelling, idioms, sentence structure and generally accepted forms, which are different in writing than they are in social conversations. All of these factors are like adding molasses to the fluidity of words that have to move from my brain to the paper, or in this case the computer screen. Writing is a difficult task for many. Writing in a second language provides even another bottle of treacle or even maple syrup.
In the second paragraph of the article I think the author is misguided in saying that an online forum will ease the ELLs feeling of being “overpowered” by their NS peers. This is going to depend on the student and his or her character and personality. How s/he feels about the level and competence in English usage will also depend on how long that student has been in the country using the target language.
Sapozhnikov seems to reverse her thinking in the third paragraph and lists a number of reasons why ELLS may not feel comfortable posting on a public communication forum. She takes more of a role of advocacy, in which she encourages the reader to help mainstream or classroom teachers understand some of the challenges faced by ELLs and help them to adapt assignments to make them more accessible for the best possible participation.
I think communication tasks in the language classroom via Web 2.0 options should be viewed in the same way that teachers approach multi-level classrooms. The lesson planner should consider multiple approaches to the task, giving varying levels of support so that each ELL can have access from varying entry points. I agree that locating articles and tasks that relate to the students’ lives and interests is a good starting point.
Very nice. You bring up some very valid criticism. It is difficult to think and type at the same time for everyone, especially children, and even more so in a foreign language. I like the point that in reality ELLs are pulled out from the computer sessions and therefore have less opportunity to develop keyboarding skills. I think the point that is often made about participation in bulletin boards is that many students are more reticent to participate in oral discussions, feeling overwhelmed by others whom they perceive as more articulate (or at least louder or more forceful), and that the writing process is longer and allows for time for thinking and organizing.
ReplyDeleteI like your suggestion about individualized instruction and multiple approaches to the task. I wonder if the kinds of Web 2.0 activities we have been looking at might enable the varying entry points.