Week 4

“Science and technology multiply around us. To an increasing extent they dictate the languages in which we speak and think. Either we use those languages, or we remain mute.”

 J.G. Ballard

💥1. What are the problems struggling writers have in writing classes?💥

             Struggling writers are often less motivated to write and fails to organize their ideas. They also have problems in expressing their idea through composition and have trouble communicating and understanding their teacher. Additionally, they are a lack of confidence in producing text and insecure feeling about showing their writing to others, in particular to their peers. These problems will be worse when learners have to write in languages other than their native language such as in EFL classes.

💥2. What does 'digital writing' refer to?💥

Digital writing is becoming a standard way of life for young learners. Young learners views computers and technology as a part of their everyday lives. The ways that computers and technology have become basic needs for Generation M have given rise to digital writing as the medium to communicate with each other.

💥  3. What are the three digital writing tools? Give brief descriptions?💥

📌A blog is a discussion, informational article or personal journal, published on the World Wide Web, which is often frequently updated. Blogs allow people to post or exchange information with no constraints on time and space.

📌Instant Messaging (IM))is a form of Internet-based, real time text communication between users on the same system. Normally, IM allows one-on-one communication, although the users can invite a third or fourth person to join an already active conversation.

📌A network site (SNS) is a website or an online service platform in which interest, create a public or semi-public profile, and interact with other users. They also allow users to broadly view their social networks and to make more connections.

💥4. How has digital writing enhanced the teaching of writing?💥

First, many digital writing applications offer an anonymity feature. They provide opportunities for users to use nicknames or pseudonyms. This anonymous identity results in less anxiety and more pleasant classrooms, and therefore can benefit students who might be risk-averting in learning writing.

Additionally, the anonymity feature of digital writing enhances a peer feedback activity as students feel less threatened and less pressured when giving or receiving feedback.

Second in digital writing, learners actually type out what they want to communicate to the group or readers. They can can view their langue messages as they produce them, they are more likely to “monitor and self-repair or edit their messages.

Third, digital writing promotes learners' equity in terms of interaction. All users have an equal opportunity to type their messages and respond to other people's messages. This feature, furthermore, encourages collaborative, which has a positive effect on students' writing proficiency, especially with struggling writers and students who are shy and passive learners.

💥5. What are the things that you should take into consideration to employ digital writing for teaching academic writing?💥

Many English teachers are still concerned that its specific register such as shorthand and emoticons may yield negative impact to many teen users. In particular, digital writing discourse is an informal, speaking style of language which is full of shorthand, abbreviations, and emoticons. This specific discourse register has been continually debated among scholars whether or not it can harm young Generation M learners' academic discourse. English teachers and scholars are worried that these easy-to use symbolic abbreviations will likely deconstruct verifiable grammatical rules.

💥6. Which activity do you like most? Why?💥

I like the fifth activity most. That is Secret Admirer. Students can choose the person whom they are interested by following that person’s timeline on Facebook, Twitter, or other SNS. The students can then follow-up by writing a story about that person. This activity can motivate student because students can choose the person they are interest and follow   that   person   then   write   a   story    in their style without   limitation.