A Literacy Journey in Second Language Learning Contexts

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Overview• Impetus for Inquiry

• Rationale

• Learning Goals

• The Pedagogy

• Error Correction and Feedback

• Regular Opportunities for Writing

• The Use of Resources

• Student Perceptions and Inquiry Outcomes

Impetus for Inquiry

• Informal observation of the levels of student achievement in second language writing at the end of Year 10.

• Student weakness in the independent production and construction of second language.

• Students lacked confidence to write spontaneously.

Rationale• Writing diaries at a regular time of similar duration

would provide students with the opportunity to reflect on what language has been taught recently in class

• Authentic context

• A mechanism for the practice and reinforcement of language learned

• Non-threatening

• A mechanism for the practice and reinforcement of language learned

Learning Goals

• Increased student confidence, independence, and fluency when writing in the second language

• Increase in complexity and quantity when writing in the second language

• Students prepared to take risks when writing in the second language

Pedagogy• ‘Children are literally driven to learn language by their

need to communicate’ (Goodman, 1986)

• Perotta (1994) supportive of authentic writing contexts such as diary writing.

• Teachers should ‘create opportunities where students spontaneously write for a purpose with a real audience’ (Perez & Torres-Guzmanm, 1992)

• ‘When given the option of journal writing, [second language] students did not seem to question their own ability to start writing’ (Peyton, 1994)

Pedagogy• Students ‘need time to ‘play’ with writing – to develop

more or less at their own pace … Teachers need to be more aware that ‘mistakes are a necessary part of second language development and are critical to language growth. A supportive environment is needed in which children can begin to take risks with written language’ (Perotta, 1994)

• Diary writing is an authentic context for writing in a second language (Perotta, 1994)

Error Correction and Feedback• Second language writing is improved when teacher

feedback occurs in conjunction with student’s self-editing, promoting error feedback as ‘part of a larger strategy of building students’ knowledge and strategy bases, not simply a ‘fix-it’ list for a particular paper’ (Ferris, 2002)

• Error correction is ‘superficial’ (Truscott, 1996), it hinders the learning process, is ineffective, harmful, and should be abandoned.

• Shepherd (1992) attributed the deterioration of the complexity of students’ writing to an avoidance strategy used by students whose work had been frequently corrected

Error Correction and Feedback• Teachers are fixated on error avoidance rather that

promoting a stronger sense of equipping students with strategies to write with independence (Lee, 2003)

• Teachers involved in Lee’s study suggested that providing students with a set of writing guidelines and conferencing face-to-face with students would address the problematic nature of marking.

• Teachers should mark selectively, establish expectations of performance that are specifically developmental to a second language learner, and negotiate with students areas to focus on when marking (Lee, 2003)

Regular Opportunities for Writing• Writing should focus on communication and expression of

meaning (Hamayan, 1989)

• Need to write everyday and teachers should devote time for writing each day providing only occasional feedback ‘still effective for improving language proficiency’ (Hayaman, 1989)

• Personal diaries are an effective strategy in engaging students in meaningful writing (Hamayan, 1989)

Use of Resources

• More attention should be given to how learners can ‘make full use of the dictionary as a tool for active production of the target language’ (Yongqi Gu, 2003)

• The common problem of dictionary use amongst second language learners is ‘not being able to access a word … and lacking the ability to circumvent that word by providing a definition in the target language’ (Baxter, 1980)

Student Perceptions

• Three major themes were identified in the qualitative analysis of students’ free-form written feedback:

• Practicality

• Motivation

• Ownership

PracticalityThe opportunity to practice and reinforce their second language knowledge was ‘useful’ and ‘helpful’

‘I think that diaries are very useful because [they] help me remember vocabulary that I haven’t used in a while. Diaries are useful because they help me practice new language and using verbs.’

‘I think that diaries are a very effective way of helping me remember and learn structures and vocabulary … it is difficult to remember vocabulary and structures when they are not in constant use.’

‘I think diaries have helped my French because it helps my brain get into ‘French-mode’ at the beginning of class.’

MotivationDiaries were identified as being motivating and encouraging of second language learning and use.

‘It makes us want to learn more vocabulary so we are not restricted when trying to write full sentences and making our paragraphs interesting.’

‘It shows yourself your progress and as you become aware of how much language you know, it encourages you to learn more and appreciate what you know.’

‘I do like writing diaries … they get your brain into thinking in French and just getting you ready to work.’

‘It makes you become a lot more adventurous and want to use language.’

OwnershipDiaries enable students to use second language in personal contexts.

‘It encourages me to use more language in everyday life; to describe what I am doing, what I am eating and what I am planning to do.’

‘Diaries are a way in which I can express my ideas in a different language … the diary also helps me to use a wider range of verbs in everyday contexts.’

Outcomes• Provided opportunities for second language output with the

focus predominantly on meaning (Ellis, 2005)

• Regular and sustained use of diary writing strategy significantly improved second language writing output

• Error correction and the use of resources attracted little attention on the part of participants

• Results showed diary writing to be a highly effective free-writing strategy that provides the opportunity to write with spontaneity, develop fluency, and encourage second language learning.