Incorporating Word Processing Software in 2L

Biographical Notes

Assistant professor at Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California. He
served as a team leader & acting chairperson, and as certified tester. He
conducted a need analysis for Arabic Video Teletraining (VTT) program, wrote
the VTT Arabic tests, and developed the 24 weeks Arabic conversion course. He
is a doctoral candidate at University of San Francisco, with major in Second
Language Acquisition, and minor in Educational Computing.

Abstract

Grammar and spelling can be more meaningful if the explanations regarding them are inspired by the students' own writing. In addition to being able to revise and edit their work more easily with word processing program, students can receive immediate, anonymous feedback on their writing samples and learn about grammar and spelling simultaneously with text-analysis software. This session presents an interactive 2L writing activities that allow students to gradually and interactively acquire and enforce their vocabulary, and examine their grammatical competence while they complete job-related tasks. The design of lesson plans, content and pedagogical goals are shown. Lesson plans are discussed in term for skills (listening, reading, and speaking)
integration and pedagogy rationale behind each plan. Concrete examples of classroom activities are shared. Participants are introduced to a new mode of writing process in the foreign language classroom and learn how to incorporate this computer technology into own language classes.