Computer Assisted Writing

Warschauer and Healey (1998), state that “the rise of computer-mediated communication and the Internet have reshaped the uses of computers for language learning at the end of the 20^th century”.

It is indeed true, throughout the study and research I’ve done for this second posting assignment, I’ve realized that technology is even more advanced than I knew and most importantly, how useful and constructive it is to language learning. For this posting, it would be its benefits on writing that we focus on.

There are many web based online learning activities that assist in writing. Some of which we use in our everyday activity yet we were just not aware of how it has contributed to the development of our writing skills. Examples of these web based online learning systems are electronic mails, chat rooms, e-forum, e-journal and other avenues that allows non-verbal communication and interaction. Probably one may not see how these activities has anything to do with improving writing skills but in fact it does, whether directly or indirectly. Take the most common writing software for example, the word processor, it is an excellent tool that aids writing process but to be able to make full use out of it during the actual writing process, it requires a good writing skill. A poor typing skill will defeat the purpose of the software itself that is suppose to save time and make it more convenient for a person. And ever asked your self where we might have attained this typing skill? I am sure the answer for majority students would be through chatting because it is a synchronous interaction; therefore, we have gradually picked up the required speed of typing in order to communicate effectively through chat rooms. Later, we will look into more details on how these activities assist writing skills by discussing the available software that offers these activities.

E-Forum

E-forum is now widely used as part of a teaching medium for conducting courses. It is an avenue for communication among peers and course instructors. It permits exchange of ideas which will widen students’ thinking skills and creativity. Besides that, feedbacks and comments that they receive through the forum are also vital as a remedy to their weaknesses in writing.

OTL in ELT, Theme one, ‘Online and Offline Writing Course’ has shown research done that compares students learning in an online environment and off environment. ‘A number of researchers found that students’ participation increased greatly in the electronic mode.’ Part of the reason is that it requires student to be initiative and take the necessary steps to learn in order to not fall behind the class progress. What is benefiting for them is that they are able to learn with their own pace. When it is compulsory to participate in e-forum, it indirectly encourages learning.

E-Journals/ Weblogs

(OTL in ELT, ‘Blogging and Trainee Teachers’ Professional Development’, Malachi Edwin Vethamani)

‘Blogging has brought interest in learners to write. Ward (2004: 8) states that “students are excited about writing again because the whole world is watching their words, and not just their writing teacher”.’

“Writing blogs is a good way for me to express my thought and feelings. I am not braive enough to give my point of view in the class because my English is not good enough. I worried that course-mates may laugh at me. I afraid that lecturer may critic badly on my language in front of my course-mates. I feel save in expressing my feeling by posting blogs.” ~Tan Gaik Khin (www.gktan.blogspot.com)

There is no better way to prove how blogging activity actually helps learners in their writing than to hear it first hand from their own experience and how they feel towards it.

Software

Let’s begin with the most basic software that comes with every computer, ‘Microsoft Word’. I have realized that there are still quite a number of people that uses this software only to type and print but not utilizing other functions that it has. Here’s a summary of what most computer writing program has to offer taken from The Access Center-Computer-Assisted Instruction&Writing, <http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/computeraided_writing.asp>

Word prediction

• Student-specific programs that identify words that student uses repeatedly; when the student types the first few letters, the program lists frequently used words that start with those letters
• speeds up the typing process

Speech-to-text

• student speaks into a microphone and the program types the words
• program must be “trained” to the student’s word pronunciation and speech style
• student must be taught how to use the program
• increased speed from thought to text

Text-to-speech

• student can hear what she has typed to check if it says what she wants it to say
• good for editing

Spell-checker

• helps student identify misspelled words

• automatically corrects words if the teacher set the program that way

Thesaurus

• offers student other words that mean the same as the word he or she is using
• adds variety to student’s writing and increases student vocabulary

Thesaurus is one of my personal favorite utility. As a literature student, there are so many writings to do and the availability of thesaurus just makes up for my lacking of vocabulary inventory. In academic writing, there is a lot of paraphrasing that has to be done to avoid plagiarism and thesaurus has made the job so much easier and convenient.

One problem that often occurs in the writing process is how we’re always distracted by spelling and grammar checking that we tend to lose focus on what’s more important; that is the organization and content. With the functions of the writing software, we can feel safe to pay less attention to the mechanics and concentrate more on conveying our message effectively.

If you actually try to explore the software that assist writing, you’ll find out how impossible it is to list them all out and explain their advantages. Take programs like ‘Inspiration’ for example, writing becomes fun because we can use pictures, change the shape or colors of the circles, change the chart and so on to make our outline a interesting one. Talking from experience, you’ll be in dilemma to decide which software to obtain with all the choices lay out in front of you. J

Here are a few recommended; useful and more advanced software I’ve found:

Concordance®. <http://law.lexisnexis.com/concordance>

Editor Software <http://www.editorsoftware.com>

Inspiration Software Inc. <http://www.inspiration.com/home.cfm>

Examples of URL that host computerized writing activities

Ø Essay Edge.com <http://www.erraticimpact.com/cyberedit/default.htm>

Ø CILL-Centre for Independent Language Learning <http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/default4.htm>

Ø ESL Flow.com <http://www.eslflow.com/AcademicWritng.html>

Ø EFL Laboratory, Writing, <http://amarris.homestead.com/writing.html>

When I was informed that we have to find websites that host computerized writing activities for this posting, I was a little worried at first to be honest because I’m not familiar with such websites and have little impression that I’ve ever come across websites as such. The whole idea was a blur one which left me to wonder what activities they can possibly provide to help train writing skills. What is astonishing is that it is not through the research for this assignment that I have found these helpful websites but it is through a personal experience of finding guides through the net to help improve my academic writing. It is for another course subject, ‘Written Communication’ that has endless essays to be completed. As I searched for guidelines to write the essay, I realized how closely related these subjects are and how useful it is the knowledge we obtain through each of the subject that equip us for another subject. Thus, this assignment has allowed me to gain a valuable insight and a greater depth of the purpose of this course.

As a conclusion, I would say that it is important for learners to manipulate the latest technology in order to improve on writing by using the computer.