An annotated bibliography: Stockwell’s (2012) response to Ballance’s (2012) commentary.

 

Stockwell, G. (2012). Working with constrain in mobile learning: A response to Ballance
                      Language Learning & Technology, October, 2012. Volume16, Number 3,
                      pp.24-31. Retrieved October, 2012, from    
                      http://llt.msu.edu/issue/october2012/stockwell.pdf

 

Provides  clear statements to clarify Ballance’s (2012) doubts on the implementation of the use of mobile phones in the language class. Gives a detailed explanation of the multiple applications of pre-smart and smart phones, focusing on particular system’s characteristics, such as the push and pull modes that can be used when working with these mobile devices. States figures of percentage of learners who use mobile phones in their classes and suggests mobile apps that can be adopted and developed. Responds to controversial issues like the use of mobile phones not only in the classroom but also outside it in order to promote learners’ autonomy, enhance weak learners’ performance and also take profit from “dead time”.

 

References

 

Ballance, O.J. (2012). Mobile language learning: More than just “the platform”. Language Learning & Technology, October, 2012. Volume 16, Number 3, pp. 21-23. Retrieved October 2012, from http://llt.msu.edu/issue/october2012/ballance.pdf

 

Stockwell, G. (2012). Working with constrain in mobile learning: A response to Ballance. Language Learning & Technology, October, 2012. Volume 16, Number 3, pp. 24-31. Retrieved October, 2012, from http://llt.msu.edu/issue/october2012/stockwell.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ballance's (2012) article on mobile-assisted language learning (MALL): its outline. 

 

·         Purpose: To provide an overview of the use of mobile phones in the language    classroom.

 

·         Thesis: Mobile assisted language learning can be adopted to supplement today’s learning resources if the activities are adequately designed.

                                         

·         Audience: Language teachers interested in implementing the use of  mobile phones in their classes.

 

I. Technology in language learning

         A.  CALL

                                        1. Origins

                                 2. Usefulness

                             B.   MALL

                                         1. Applicability

                                         2. Flexibility

                     II. Possible problems in implementing MALL.

 A.      ACTIVITIES

 

            1.  Adequately designed for the platform used.

            2. Uniqueness. Activities not adequate for being completed using pen  

             or pencil.

 B.      COST

            1. Students cannot afford smart devices

            2.  Students may lack Wi.Fi connection

 C.      TIME

      1. The use of “dead time”

             a. adequate activities

                   b. platform usefulness

 

 

Reference

Ballance, O.J.  (2012). Mobile language learning: More than just “the platform”. Language Learning & Technology, October, 2012. Volume 16, Number 3, pp. 21-23. Retrieved October 2012, from   http://llt.msu.edu/issue/october2012/ballance.pdf

 

 

A critique of Bailey’s (2006) book: Academic Writing: A handbook for international students

 

This book is a practical tool for international university or college students who need to improve their academic writing skills. The book provides explanations and exercises of the new style conventions, references and layouts to take into account when writing academically. Bailey (2006) states that the book  “is a flexible course that allows students of all subjects and levels …to practice those aspects of writing which are most important for their studies” (p. I).

Academic Writing: A handbook for international students is divided into four parts under the names of: the writing process, elements of writing, accuracy in writing and writing models.  In each section Bailey (2006) introduces valuable information and some practice to make students become aware of the elements, such as paraphrasing, text organization and source citing, that are necessary to consider when organizing, writing and editing an academic piece of writing.

The volume also makes a valuable contribution to train students in the various skills that are needed for most types of academic writing. In the second section the students are trained at defining terms, making generalizations about subjects, giving examples, comparing and quoting, among other topics. As regards accuracy Bailey (2006) states that students “should aim to steadily improve their accuracy in order to make their work as clear and readable as possible” (p.119). Therefore, he devotes part three on focusing on basic grammar knowledge which may concern to an academic texts writer.

The author has devoted a section of the book to present several writing models to make students feel confident with various possible formats for different types of texts. Each model is briefly introduced, followed by an example and some related exercises to solve. Even though Bailey (2006) suggests that the book provides maximum hands-on practice and can be used for self-study, more explanations would have been necessary for the level of the international learners it was claimed to be for.

The book is complemented with a writing tests section that can be implemented to assess different aspects of learners writing performance. Especially noteworthy is the inclusion of tests keys, as students can use them in the classroom or for self-assessment. However, tests are placed at the end of the book and they are not lengthy enough to cover all the topics proposed by the author. Had Bailey (2006) placed a more complete test after each section, the assessing phase would have been more fruitful.

On the whole, Bailey (2006) has accomplished in designing a book to provide further practice for non- native students in courses which are taught in English. He has recognized the students’ variety of needs in academic writing and intends to provide a useful resource book to help them foster the challenging written demands of their courses. However, Bailey’s (2006) book would have been more convenient for self- study if he had included more explanations and self-assessment tests in each section to allow students gain the utmost benefit from it.

References

Bailey, S. (2006). Academic Writing: A handbook for international students. (2^nd. ed.) Taylor  & Francis e-library.  Retrieved October 2012, from

  http://npu.edu.ua/!e-book/book/djvu/A/ii_kgpm_27.pdf

 

The Wikipedia website and academic settings.

Wikipedia: A useful tool to improve academic writing

The article Writing for the World: Wikipedia as an Introduction to Academic Writing (Tardy, 2010) portrays the usefulness of implementing this well-known electronic device as a tool to help students move from writing personal essays to writing academic texts. It focuses on how L2 writing teachers can lead learners to develop academic literacy skills by implementing this collaborative web-based resource as long as they do so within its editing policies and standard.

To compose Wikipedia’s articles, Tardy (2010) states that students “need to develop a good understanding of the website itself, including the general guidelines for contributing, the range of topics covered, and the kind of information that is commonly included in an article” (p. 14). After identifying potential subjects for their own articles, students have to gather information about the selected ones from a wide range of sources; such as blogs, newspapers, corporate-sponsored sites, specific websites or published books. According to Tardy (2010), “once they have located sources, students need to learn to paraphrase and summarize…and students must learn to avoid plagiarism” (p.12). In order to do so, students need to be familiarized with the two different formats of citation on this website: footnotes and general references.

After students have revised and polished their articles as regards content, organization, style and citation, they are ready to tackle the issue of publishing their writing. Taylor (2010) affirms that “Wikipedia provides an excellent opportunity to publish for a global audience” (p.18).  Thus, using Wikipedia as a tool to write formal academic texts can truly provoke students’ potential in writing and give them the additional benefit of raising their awareness about the reliability of this valuable web site as a credible source of information.

To sum up, the use of Wikipedia in academic writing enhances students’ literacy skills. Moreover, Taylor (2010) declares that “ in producing a text for Wikipedia, students gain a real sense of audience and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing their work published on  a high-traffic global website” (p.18).  Producing texts for an audience beyond the teacher gives learners the opportunity to develop many skills of academic research writing through an interesting and manageable experience.

Reference

Tardy, C. M.  (2010). Writing for the world: Wikipedia as an introduction to Academic Writing. English Teaching Forum, 1,   pp. 12 -19, 27.  Retrieved October 2012, from http://exchanges.state.gov/englishteaching/forum/archives/docs/10-48-1-c.pdf

Discourse communities and professional growth.

The importance of discourse communities to acquire academic communicative competences.

To belong to a discourse community in order to grow professionally, members have to be acquainted with some basic criteria. Johns(1990) and Swales (1990) state that a discourse community is composed of a minimum of expert members and a frequently larger number of apprentice members who operate on the basis of implicit and explicit public goals. As part of any community, its members share a common discourse, similar knowledge as well as the same purpose. Participating in a discourse community of a specific discipline is a means to acquire communicative competences. Each member can develop the necessary strategies to become prolific writers to express their knowledge and beliefs.

In discussing the importance of discourse communities in the language teaching world to promote fruitful reflection, it is vital to understand the scope of this practice. “Teacher reflection is considered an important means for developing subject matter, pedagogical, and pedagogical-content knowledge about how to teach” (Hoffman-Kipp, Artiles, & Lopez-Torres, 2003, page 1 ). Thus, if teacher’s reflection is focused on the improvement of classroom practices, it would be a powerful tool to enhance learners’ achievement. Moreover, reflection is also a fundamental factor to create opportunities to share experience and knowledge and also to define and redefine some common teaching practices.

Learning and growing in teaching involve the construction and reconstruction of practical theories and personal practical knowledge (Sanders & McCutcheon, 1986). Hoffman-Kipp et al (2003) assert that teachers should consistently be situated in active learning roles with ample opportunity to discuss new and difficult educational ideas and to apply their learning in their respective classrooms to improve what they do. Discourse communities with their collaborative learning objective contribute towards satisfying teachers’ needs and also they provide the support desired by them.

According to Porter (1992), discourse communities may operate like little ecosystems. As in any ecosystem, members belonging to it will need to be intercommunicated to   make the ecosystem survive. To keep this “discourse ecosystem” alive it is necessary to create and share participatory mechanisms in order to provide information and feedback with the purpose of stressing the participatory and negotiable nature of living and learning in this particular community.

References

Hoffman-Kipp, Artiles, A.J., & Lopez Torres,L.(2003). Beyond reflection: teacher learning           as praxis. Theory into practice, Summer 2003. Retrieved October 2007, from

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_mONQM/is_3_42/ai_108442653

Johns, A. (1995). “Teaching classroom authentic genres: Initiating students into academic cultures and discourses.” In Belcher, D. and Braine, G. (Eds) (1995). Academic writing in second language: Essays on research and pedagogy.(pp.277-292).Norwod,NJ:Ablex.

Porter,J.E.(1992). Audience and rhetoric: An archeological composition of the discourse community. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Sanders, D.P., & McCutcheon, G.(1986).The development of practical theories of teaching. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 2(1), 50-70

Swales, J.M. (1990).Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings.Cambridge,UK : Cambridge University Press.

The Writing Lab &The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. (2012). In-Text Citations:  The Basics. Retrieved from

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resourse/560/02/2012-03-14

WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

Dear colleagues,

I'm Patricia from Rojas, in Buenos Aires province. I'm 46. I'm a translator but I have been working as a teacher at secondary and terciary level for about twenty years.

I really love teaching and I try to improve my practice day after day. However, I have not been able to write academic papers before. I strongly believe that this blog will be a learning tool to grow in this challenging educational field.

I will be very pleased of receiving your contributions which will help me cope with the requirement of academic writing and I am also eager to contribute to build up a discourse community by sharing and learning from each other.

Happy to meet you all!

Patricia.