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November 06, 2005
entering the language(s) (collaborative writing 16.1/30)
Murray, Denise E. "Collaborative Writing as a Literacy Event: Implications for ESL Instruction." In Collaborative Language Learning and Teaching. Ed. David Nunan. New York: Cambridge UP, 1992. 100-17.
1 sentence summary: writing takes place collaboratively and in communities; therefore, ESL students need to learn to write collaboratively in the same ways other learners/writers do, so as to gain legitimate entrance to these communities.
passages:
101. collaborative writing "can be divided roughly into two types: those in which the majority of the interaction occurs on paper and those in which the text is constructed through oral discussion"; most workplace editing & critique (classroom too) takes the place of textual commentary on existing texts, which has negative consequences as people feel harshly critiqued by textual changes to their texts. [i wouldn't really even classify that as "collaborative" writing, considering the power-differential implied, and she's calling that half of what the term encapsulates?]; collaborative writing based on oral discussion, on the other hand, is "what heath calls a 'literacy event'"
103--> to work, collaborative, conversational "literacy events" require of participants that they share a common goal (sometimes collectively negotiated) (103), that there's a gap in information between participants so they have things to contribute (104), that there be a small number of participants to begin with (110), that leadership exists but the leader doesn't dominate & drown out other voices (111), that participants are willing to share time not only equally but unequally if someone has a significant problem or contribution that needs more attention than others (112), that they can distance themselves from the textual product--both emotionally and by creating time for reflection (113).
114-6. pedagogy: teachers have to guide students in choosing leaders, sharing time and energy, creating and understanding common goals, & distancing themselves productively from texts (several activities are described)
Posted by ttobryan at November 6, 2005 10:58 AM