In reading Alice Trupe's article, I become more apparent on some valuable components of using technology with writing. For example, writing with technology has taught me additional skills from those taught to me through traditional writing. I’ve learned to be more concise, precise, and clear in my writing when using computers; with work e-mails, for example, I cannot ramble on an issue or take the luxury to write an expository report. Instead I have to go straight to the point in a clear fashion. As Alice L. Trupe mentions in Academic Literacy in a Wired World, “since electronically developed genres require briefer texts than traditional academic writing does, they require that the writer make his point(s) quickly, concisely, and clearly. To be concise and precise is not easy. Technology demanded that I acquired these skills.
Still, there are valuable skills that can be learned not only from computerized writing but also traditionalized writing. The following are necessary skill taught and valued by traditional writing:
1. Length - provide as much information as possible
2. Thesis - a sentence that informs the reader the focus of the essay and that sets the foundation for the rest of the paper.
3. Organization and structure - unison thoughts
4. Voice- consider a specific audience
5. Details - support your topic
6. Transitions - allows ideas and sentences to flow organizedly and smoothly
7. Independance - be a able to consruct and back up owns view point
The following are positive skills taught and valued by computerized writing:
1. Brevity - get straight to the point; be precise, concise, and clear
2. Graphics - use visuals to depict thoughts
3. Linking - link to others work
4. Audio capacity
5. Multi conversation - ability to conversate in several topics
6. Multi voices - create different persona's/faces
7.collaboration - use others to depict and back up your point; this allows specialization
I say use and teach all; let's get the best of both worlds!
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OK, I agree that both types of skills should be taught -- the quesstion (and I don't expect you or anybody to have an answer to this right away) is exactly in what sequence, and how to integrate them.
ReplyDeleteThe logical starting place seems to be with genres students are already using, which seems to indicate the electronic genres. It's also important to have them analyze genres and be self-conscious users of them -- knowing their strengths and limitations as Trupe says. One way of doing this is to have them write about the same thing using very different genres.
Hey Luis, I love the way your blog looks. I also teach students with limited English and limited literacy skills.
ReplyDeleteYour awareness of the skills and the types of literacy we should teach is impressive. Sometimes I find that I want to teach what I want to teach and then I have to remember that my job is to teach what the students need.
The different lists of skills are right on!
Getting straight to the point is one of those skills that I find my struggling readers have a lot of trouble with. Today I asked them to write short paragraphs about a particular topic and include 2 supporting sentences. It was very difficult with just an overhead and my red pen to help them even begin to identify the topic.
Your idea about voice and writing for specific audiences really can help students to adopt more academic language, when appropriate, it's something they definitely need help with.
Yep, we gotta use and teach it all-cover all the bases for the different learning styles.