Summary and reflection on the Reading
Lam, W. S. E. (2000). L2 literacy and the design of the self: A case study of a teenager writing on the internet. TESOL Quarterly, 34(3), 457-482
The study examined how a Chinese immigrant teenager, Almon, in writing on the internet on identity formation and literacy development of the ESL learning. Even thought Almon had been in USA
Reflection:
Almon’s case lets me know more and understand more about the real use of technologies if we can make use of them. I find that it is amazing to change one’s attitude of learning on internet. Before I took this course, I recognized I know only a little about technologies. I always blame on my students and friends don’t use the computer too much and we cannot communicate in this part. But after reading more, specially, the case studies by the scholars, I gradually open my eyes and try to ask more about new technologies. I will also try to ask my students use bloggings to learn English. I believe that even the students may not contact teacher everyday, the internet may provide them varied opportunities to learn different language and information to upgrade themselves. They may find more fun outside the classroom.
I'm glad to hear that you are so positive about beginning to use technology in your own classes. It would be very interesting to find out what kind of technological tools your students use to interact online. As they are quite young, they may not have a great deal of experience, and may need quite a lot of help to begin with (with younger learners, a class blog or website where the teacher does a lot of the posting and sharing student work might work best). You may need to introduce new technologies slowly and carefully, and also with the support of the parents, who would most likely have to help their children at home.
ReplyDeleteChristopher, thank you for your suggestion, I have been done a brief investigation about what kind of technological tools my students used to interact online before. I found that most of them would like to use ICQ, QQ, facebook and e-mail to interact online. Some of their parents also like to use that kind of tools as well. However, I do not think the parents would check the online context of the students. You are right, that is the point. The students still young, they have no experience of using those technological tools and the conscious of safety. As a teacher, I know what I could do is I should enrich myself in the technologies area, then, try to use a blog or website to post and share student’s work on it. In addition, introduce them the safety massages, let the students fully apply their technological knowledge in the positive and healthy way. Of course, before to do this, I must get the support of the parents and school. Otherwise, technologies teaching may not be successes.
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