Collaborative Writing in the Second/Foreign Language (L2) Classroom

Abstract

Although there is no clear consensus among researchers on what collaborative is, it is possible to say that there is a general agreement among researchers that collaborative writing (CW) is a situation in which two or more learners work together on producing a single piece of writing. In addition to this broad definition, researchers have put forward other, more specific definitions for CW.

Appendices

The Research Questions

• 1. Examine the difference between collaborative writing and cooperative writing. Which one is more conducing to L2 learning? Why?

• 2. To what extent do you think that CW depends on the proficiency level of the learners and/or their age group?

• 3. To what extent do you think CW is determined by socio-cultural factors?

• 4. Think of your teaching situation, do you think that CW can be applied in your context? Why? Why not?

• 5. How would you investigate the effectiveness of CW in your teaching situation?

• 6. To what extent can you utilize CW in a traditional, teacher-centered teaching situation?

• 7. What role does technology play in facilitating the utilization of CW in the L2 classroom?

• 8. In what way and to what degree do you think that task-based language teaching facilitates CW?

• 9. How would you investigate whether and to what degree CW enhances students’ higher-order thinking skills such as critical thinking, analyzing, transfer of knowledge, and evaluating?

• 10. To what extent do you think that CW impacts on the other language skills like reading, speaking and listening?

Suggested Resources

Manchón, R. (Ed.). (2009). Writing in foreign language contexts. Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters.

This collection of chapters is solely devoted to theory, research and pedagogy on L2 writing in foreign language (FL), as opposed to second language (SL) contexts. In her introductory, conceptualization chapter to the volume, Manchón states that “…mainstream pedagogical discussions have rarely debated whether or not instructional recommendations for SL contexts apply to FL settings” (p. 2). She also points out that “the SL bias of scholarly work in the field […] means that the bounds of claims of official discourse have not been sufficiently tested across diverse contexts (much less across widely varying EFL contexts)” (pp. 16–17). The volume extends research boundaries on L2 writing from FL to SL contexts. Although the volume does not address the issue of CW in detail, it has motivated a number of researchers to investigate the potential of CW in L2 in various FL contexts.

Shehadeh, A. (2011). Effects and student perceptions of collaborative writing in L2. Journal of Second Language Writing, 20, 286–305.

In part motivated by Manchón’s (2009) volume above on extending research from second language (SL) to foreign language (FL) contexts, Shehadeh investigated the effectiveness and students’ perceptions of CW in an EFL setting in two intact classes at a large university in the UAE. Results of the study showed that CW has had an overall significant effect on students’ L2 writing; however, this effect varied from one writing skill area to the other. Specifically, the effect was significant for the components of content, organization, and vocabulary, but not for grammar or mechanics. Most students who used CW during the 16-week semester of the study found the experience enjoyable and felt that it contributed to their L2 learning. The paper discusses a number of theoretical and pedagogical implications based on the findings of the study.

Storch, N. (2013). Collaborative writing in L2 classrooms. Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters.

This is the first book-length treatment of CW in L2 classrooms. In this book Storch, an internationally renowned scholar in the field of L2 writing, provides theoretical, pedagogical and empirical rationales for the use of CW in L2 classes, both in face-to-face settings and in online mode. The book discusses factors that impact on the nature and outcomes of CW, and examines teachers and students’ beliefs about CW. The book critically reviews the existing literature on CW, obtaining theoretical and research insights from a wide range of intellectual traditions, including SLA, interaction studies, sociocultural theory, composition studies, and L2 writing. Storch concludes the book by outlining a principled and detailed research agenda on CW, thereby encouraging researchers to continue investigating CW in the L2 classroom.

Byrnes, H. and Manchón, R. (Eds.). (2014). Task-based language learning: Insights from and for L2 writing. Amsterdam: John Benjamin’s.

This volume is motivated by the rationale that research within the task‐based language teaching (TBLT) framework can be enriched and advanced by investigating the complex phenomenon of writing. The main purpose of the volume is to foster fuller appreciation of the construct of task in our understanding of learning and teaching L2 writing. The various contributions consider the relationship between TBLT and L2 writing research from a range of perspectives. Although the volume is not specifically devoted to CW per se; nonetheless, it provides important insights into CW, given that one of the main underlying principles of TBLT is students’ pair/group collaborative work in the L2 classroom including CW.

Belcher, D. & Hirvela, A. (Ed.). (2018). Teaching writing (Volume IV). The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching, First Edition. Edited by John I. Liontas (Project Editor: Margo DelliCarpini), Hoboken, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

This encyclopedia volume is part of the largest encyclopedia project in the world to date on English language teaching. It is the Wiley Blackwell 8-volume print (14-volume online) encyclopedia titled The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching. The Teaching writing volume consists of five sections: Core Issues Contexts, Responding to and Assessing Writing, Writing Curricula and New Technologies, and Writing Teacher Preparation and Research. The volume places all aspects and issues relevant to L2 writing, including collaborative writing, into perspective. It considers the theory, research, pedagogy, and practice of all aspects of L2 writing from a wide range of perspectives including cognitive, socio-cultural, and interactional viewpoints.