Integrating Technology in Teaching Writing

Nowadays, we can see the rapid rising and development of the information and technology which has offered a better pattern of teaching English. The generation has become the digital natives which have grown up using the technology in most aspect of their life. Furthermore, the Internet itself has changed with the rapid spread of participatory tools and sites facility of social networking, interactive learning games, collaborative writing and editing. These tools provide opportunities for students in writing and construct knowledge as well. For example the types of technology which can be used in the classroom include the Internet, computer-assisted tutorial materials, computer simulation and interactive multimedia packages. By integrating technology in teaching writing, not only the students will get the advantage but the teacher as well. This is because the implementation of technology provides instant access to up-to-date content and very flexible to be used in teaching and learning process.

As we all know, Internet provide more academic resources which can help the teacher to find a suitable and appropriate technological tools based on the student needs. For example, the teacher can use online discussion group in teaching writing because this feature able the collaborative work of the students where the teacher will become the instructor. Here, the students can exchange their idea and doing a discussion without have to meet up which give them convenient as they can do it outside the classroom anytime and anywhere they want. Moreover, by using online discussion, it helps the shy students to feel more comfortable and secure especially in giving their opinion and idea compare to face-to-face interaction. Besides that, the students also will improve their writing when participating in the discussion as they will contribute their idea and become more responsible in doing their work especially when their friends are showing a good feedback in the discussion.

Apart from that, writing through social networking sites for example Facebook can encourage the students to practice themselves to write to the audience. In addition, the Facebook have a special feature where the students can have their own group discussions which allow others people to join the group and help in the discussion. This is very good approach as it can broaden the student knowledge and motivate them especially when they get a good response through a comment from their friends who will encourage them to be more active and boost up their confident in writing more. Furthermore, by using social networking, the students can expand their worldview which will open their mind as they can communicate with people around the world. By doing so, the students can share knowledge as they are exposed to different culture of learning with people of different background all around the globe. Besides that, the students also can use Blogs to store their work online through e-portfolios which give advantages for them to revise their work in progress anytime they want. Moreover, they also able to view their friends work by using Blogs.

By using technology in teaching writing, it able the teachers to save more time on guiding the students rather than taking extra time explaining to them. This is because, teachers can use slides to teach the students and these slides can be prepared before entering the class. Moreover, by using the power point, teachers can use visual aids in their presentation for example pictures, songs and videos so that the learning environment is fun and more interesting. This is because; the students tend to get interested in learning with those visual aids which can enhance their creativity and give them an idea on the topic that they will learn for their writing. Other than that, teachers also can introduce to the students on using the web-based tools for the students to improve their writing as the website have a suitable applications which provide a strategies and guidance that is very helpful to the students.

In a nutshell, integrating technology in writing does give impact on the aspects of learning by the students and it plays a very important role in inspiring the students to improve their writing skills. That is why; it is recommended to the teachers to use technology in teaching writing to the students as there is a lot of benefit that can be getting from using technology in teaching the students. Moreover, classrooms which employ technology in educational ways may look very different from one another as they may be based on different technologies. Thus, teachers have a responsibility in choosing the right technology which is suitable for the writing process so that the students will become more motivated in the learning and interested in participating in the learning process.

Assessing students’ writing

This time, I was marking this essay with my other group members and we decided to give the students 10/20. We give the students that marks because the essay have a correct flow and quite good. Furthermore, the students show some understanding of the topic that he or she writes. Although the students used appropriate language but there are still noticeable accuracies in the essay especially the using of grammar and the spelling errors. Moreover, the students did not use capital letter after full stop.

So, here are some of the ways to comment students’ writing and criteria for assessing students’ writing that Miss Yoon has taught us.

Some ways to comment students’ writing:

1.      Try not to mark all error.

2.      Examine errors and determine the causes of error.

3.      Use symbol to indicate the error.

4.      Use positive comments.

5.      Choose any sentences for students to correct.

6.      Provide reason for editing.

7.      Ask the students questions.

In order to access the students’ writing we have to determine types of the text, the essay genre and the amount of time allowed for each writing task of output. Besides that, we also have to take consideration on the assessment criteria such as:-

1.      Relevance and adequacy of content

2.      Organization

3.      Adequacy of vocabulary for purposes

4.      Grammar

5.      Punctuation

6.      Spelling

7.      Appropriateness of language to context, function and intention appropriateness of layout.

Mini test- Question 2

Question 2

You are teaching the theme “Environment” to a form three class with intermediate level of proficiency. Describe one activity on how to integrate the following thinking skills into your lesson.

(A) Analysis

I use the picture to guide the students to do an analysis on how to reduce the impact of Global Warming because i think by using picture, it can help the students get an idea to construct their essay.

(B) Application

By conducting this activity, i think it will open their eyes about their responsibilities towards the earth which at the same time will let them apply it in their everyday life.

Based on the above picture, write an essay about how to reduce the impact of Global Warming, and elaborate your essay by using the notes given in the picture. Your essay should not be less than 120 words.

Mini test-Question 1

Question 1

We were asked to construct two instructions for two different activity based on the given picture and here is my answer:

Activity 1

A group of students from Peninsular Malaysia will be coming to your school under a Students Exchange Programme. As the secretary of the Perfects Board, your teacher asked you to write an article providing tips and instruction on the places in Sabah based on the information in the picture. Your article should be more than 150 words.

Activity 2

Your friends have just arrived at Kota Kinabalu and are planning to stay at the Kota Kinabalu Gaya Hotel but they are not clear with the direction to go to the hotel. Write a short paragraph on the direction to the Kota Kinabalu Gaya Hotel by using the information provided in the picture. Your words should not less than 120 words.

Essay correction-Honey Comb Story

Read the essay distributed. Decide what to do with the errors. Are you going to use written comments, talk to the writer or use checklist? Will you encourage peer editor before the next submission? What is your follow-up activity to deal with the most common errors found in your essays?

This is my first time correcting other students work so after reading the whole essay, I found that the students have a problem with the use of punctuation, preposition, and there are some spelling errors. Besides that, the students also have some grammar problem where some of the words used in the essay are not suitable but overall there is a flow of idea in that essay which i can understand after reading through.

To overcome this error, I will talk to the writer and use written comments because I think by doing so the students will know what their mistakes are and at the same time I will explain to them so that they are more clear with the mistakes and able to use a correct vocabulary and grammar. For the written comment, I will use circle a as symbol for the incorrect grammar, question mark to represent hanging sentences, and underline the sentence or words for the unclear sentences. Instead of giving written comment, I will talk to students and give them opportunity to explain their works.

Moreover, I also will encourage them to do peer editing before the next submission because this is a good way for them to help each other which can boost up their confident and motivate them as well. Moreover, in my opinion the students are more comfortable to talk to their friends on how to correct their mistakes that they always do in their essay.

The next follow-up activity that I will do to deal with the most common errors found in the essay is that I will use gap-filling or correcting the sentences activity and pick any random sentences with more error that is commonly made by the students and ask the students to rework together to correct it in a group so that they can help each other to correct the mistakes.

Example of correcting the wrong sentences activity:

1.        Wrong: One day, I with my friends played football in garden. (Question)

            Right: One day, my friends and I played football in garden. (Students answer)

2.      Wrong: My prends scolded me and sended me to the hospital.

         Right: My parents scolded me and sent me to the hospital.

3.      Wrong: every week we were playing foodball, that day we were fatigued.

          Right: Every week we were playing football, that day we were fatigued.

4.      Wrong: We suffered a shock put down the broom, we ran to home.

         Suggested answer: We experienced a shock, put down the broom and we ran home.

   

Inside the Haiti earthquake

Reflection:

“Inside the Haiti Earthquake “game is one of a serious game that I ever played and I think this game was very informative. In this game, I am able to choose to take any role that I wish to be. There are three roles in this game that is an earthquake survivor, an aid worker and a journalist. When playing this game, I start to think how lucky is I am now because I do not have to face all these problems here in Malaysia. This game able me to put myself in the shoes of those who are at that situation and to be honest when I played this game I can felt like I am there because this game is very graphic and all the picture and video in this game is real. This games show the devastation of the earthquake and how difficult is for aid distribution to be done successfully among so many starving people who are desperate for food. Furthermore, becoming an aid worker is not an easy job as they have a big responsibilities which you cannot imagine as they are among the important person who can save lives of thousands people in the earthquake. Whereas, for the journalist he have to face pressure to get a story from the editor and the donor groups. Being a journalist also have to create the perfect scene for that story and will kept being pressured to choose  a good story about the situation of the earthquake which is quite biased and only reveal partial truths. In my opinion, this game is very suitable to be use in the learning process as it can open the students’ eyes about what actually happen during the earthquake where they can imagine themselves as the earthquake survivor which have to face difficulties in order to get the aid and food. Moreover, the students also able to become the aid worker which is not an easy job and carry a big responsibility in giving aid to the survivor. Apart from that, the students will be exposed to the job as journalist and from that they can see what actually happen and did the media’s job really tell the truth? The will find it by themselves as they play this game.

How to use this game for learning?

I will ask the students to play the games first. Then, the students have to select only one of the characters in the games. Next, I will ask the students to construct an essay that describes the role of the character that they choose in that games in not less than 120 words.