Word Processing Word Processing Activities in the EFL Activities in the EFL

ClassroomClassroom

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TESOL Spain 2002

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Why use a word processor? Models of the Computer Basic Word Processing Skills10+1 Word processing activities More activities Even “techier” activities Websites on writing Things to think about References

OverviewOverview

Jason Firestone firestone@esade.edu

Why use a word processor?Why use a word processor?

= Same activities as print-based materials More possibilities offered by text manipulation Well-presented work Digital copy allows for easy editing, formatting, copying, file

transfer Reinforces ICT skills being learned elsewhere in the curriculum More motivating than writing by hand Assists the writing process:

makes revision easier helps overcome blocking increased language awareness

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Property Early-stage model Late-stage model Status Machine Medium

Function Fixer Facilitator Sensory Feedback Stimulus to Writing Stimulus to

Thought Workspace Notepad Exploratory

Environment Typing Capability Typewriter Text Generator

Mechanical Assistant

Transcriber Creative Tool

Local Text Changes

Error-Corrector Editing Tool

Block Text Changes

Organization Aid Revision Aid

Saving Files Final Text Storage Current Text Storage

Printing Files Task Completion Redrafting Aid

Models of the Models of the ccomputeromputer

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• Loading and saving text• Editing: correcting, deleting and inserting text• Moving blocks of text around the screen• Printing

• Reviewing toolbar• Highlighter pen• Comments• Tracking changes

Basic word processing skillsBasic word processing skills

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• Punctuation

• Word order

• Sentence order

• Find the mistakes

• Personalising a text

• Summarising

• Organising vocab

• Sequencing

• Jigsaw writing

• Standard letter

• Student text correction

10+1 Word processing activities10+1 Word processing activities

Jason Firestone firestone@esade.edu

• Use of search and replace• Editing: Revise a text (own or other student’s)• Sentence completion: Give students open-ended sentences or cloze

exercise to complete• Name the parts: Paste in a picture with arrows pointing to various

objects; students type in the names of the objects or parts (e.g. body, car, house)

• Describe a picture: Teacher or students find (clip art or on the web), copy and paste a picture; then write a paragraph describing it

• Dictation (closed or open): students type as teacher or peers dictate. • Perfect paragraph

More activitiesMore activities

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• Listen and type: Teacher records questions; students listen and type their answers

• Listen and record: Teacher records questions; students listen and record answers

• Listening comprehension: Teacher records questions; students listen, choose answers, and discuss their answers

• Oral interviews: Students record questions into a file and exchange files. The next student records the answers.

• Describe a movie: Teacher pastes a QuickTime movie into a word processed document. Students watch and type a description

Even “techier” activitiesEven “techier” activities

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Student Keypal Clubhttp://www1.oup.co.uk/elt/internet.english/keypals.htmlExChange ESL magazinehttp://deil.lang.uiuc.edu/exchange/Writing Argumentative Essayshttp://www.eslplanet.com/teachertools/argueweb/preface.htmAdvanced Composition for Non-native Speakers of Englishhttp://www.eslbee.comOnline Writing Labhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/internet/resources/index.htmlGuide to Grammar and Writinghttp://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm

Websites on writingWebsites on writing

Jason Firestone firestone@esade.edu

• What the purpose / objective is• What the students’ language level is• What grammar, vocabulary to use, highlight• What kind of text is appropriate (i.e. lexical density)• How we use the text (i.e. focus on form vs meaning?)• How difficult the task is• What the context is – does it relate to anything else done in class?• How long it will take to complete the task• Will it lead into other tasks?

Things to think aboutThings to think about

Jason Firestone firestone@esade.edu

White, R. & Arndt, V. (1991). Process Writing. London. Longman

Pennington, M. (1993). Modelling The Student Writer’s Acquisition of Word Processing Skills: The Interaction of Computer, Writing, and Language Media. Computers and Composition 10 (4).

Phinney, M.(1989). Computers, composition, and second language teaching. In M.C. Pennington (Ed.), Teaching languages with computers: The state of the art (pp. 81-96). La Jolla, CA: Athelstan.

ReferencesReferences

You can find this You can find this presentation on the webpresentation on the web

http://www.geocities.com/jason_firestone

Thank youThank you

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