Technology to Teach Writing
For second language acquisition (SLA) learners, one of the capabilities in learning language is writing beside listening, reading, and speaking. In writing, students’ capability in reading is also integrated because when someone read a lot of books, his/her writing is good because from reading, the reader has schemata about the content and the form to write writing. Writing is also a process. If we feel not good at writing, we can try and exercise our writing to develop what we write and how we write because there are so many kinds of writing such as poem, academic writing, popular writing and etc. Everyone has their own passion in what kind of writing because different types of writing will influence the content, the way writer write, the form, the language and also the reader of writing.
As teachers, they have to teach the student about writing. It started with developing students’ interesting in reading. By reading, the students will have many kinds of knowledge to make it in writing. For me, write what you are thinking is not easy because their some certain ability in writing and how you deliver the message structurally and how you can grab the attention of your reader (even only your teacher). One thing that must be considered by the teachers, they cannot always guide all students to teach how to write. Every student has their own way to write and I think there are not mistake in writing, only misunderstanding of what students want to share.
This problem is solved by technology. Technology can help teacher to teach the students what they want to write and teacher only the guide when they do the process of writing. Actually, there are four kinds of approach to teach writing with using technology. They are form- focused approach, process-focused approach, content-based approach and reader-dominated approach. Let’s discuss about that.
Firstly, form-focused approach is the paradigm about writing which is emphasis the accuracy in form, composition, and pattern of writing. The example of technology which is used in this approach is ESL Blues, Grammar Safari etc. The strengthen of this approach are the students are exercise to write with correct grammar and structural in arrange the sentence in writing like to know about how write introduction, topic sentences, supporting details, transition, and conclude the paragraph. Unfortunately, I think in this approach really concern about the way of writing but the language which is used in this approach can not apply in real life because the language is too formal and really structurally and for the beginner in writing is too difficult to learn writing in this way.
Secondly, process-focused approach is the paradigm about writing which emphasis the learned-centered task because the students are trained to write, to evaluate and re-write their writing. This approach is really concern about the process which is needed by the students to make a well-writing. There are seven process of writing which have to trough of the students such as, prewriting activities, writing the draft, responding the writing, revising and editing, evaluating, developing skills, and showing or publishing work. The examples of technology are writing Den, General Writing Concerns, etc. For me, I like this approach because this approach give chance to the students to edit their writing, develop the knowledge about what do’s and don’ts in writing and also give time to the students to show their best writing. This approach also has weakness, this approach need a longer time to write because there are so many stages which must trough by the students, so the task of teacher is hard to control the students during they write, edit, and re-write the writing itself.
Thirdly, content-based approach is the paradigm which emphasis of personal meaning, content, and academic expectation. This approach forces the students to find out rich content from literature review, so the students can develop their ability in critical thinking as a student. The example of technologies are CNN News, World Head Lines etc. I think this approach is really good for college students to write their script because this approach really concern about rich content so the students can conclude and give their argument about the literature but this approach is not easy for the beginner in writing.
The last one is reader-dominated approach is the paradigm which concern about reader expectation which is academic community. The examples of writing of this writing are writing an essay with comparing, contrast, analysis etc. The example website is Englishforum.com, Englishclub.com, etc.
Over all, I think every approach has their own strengthen and weakness. I think, as a teacher, they have to concern about what kind of students they teach. So, they can choose or combine the approach writing to the students and do not teach depend on the technology because technology is only a tool but the operator and controller is still the teacher.
