This presentation will examine pedagogical merits of online text reconstruction exercises (OTREs) and examines their efficacy in teaching argumentative writing (AW) and students’ experience of learning through them. It looks at a specific type of OTRE called WebSequiturs and that application’s unique pedagogical affordances. Quantitative data shows that following OTRE sessions, frequency of the use of selected MDMs in participants’ writing increased. Qualitative data showed that during the OTRE sessions, participants sometimes reached metalinguistic levels of awareness, as evidenced by their utterances. During semi-structured interviews, participants responded, evincing the view that OTREs had played an important role in their developing use of MDMs in their AW. The findings of this study suggest that OTREs are helpful in influencing English learners to become autonomous users of selected MDMs and that they can also guide learners to use MDMs appropriately. These result suggest that universities could benefit from implementing the use of similar OTREs in order to maximise teachers’ effectiveness in teaching AW.
David Gann has been teaching in Japan since 1996, after graduating with an M.A. in English Literature. He later earned a second M.A. in Educational Technology and TESOL from the University of Manchester (U.K.). He recently completed an Ed.D at Open University. He teaches as Associate Professor at Tokyo University of Science. He cofounded and has served as Coordinator of the Critical Thinking SIG (JALT) and is co-producer of Critically Minded Podcast. His main interests include critical thinking instruction and learner autonomy.
There is a short drink/snack/rest break midway through the event.
This is a face-to-face event sponsored by JALT Gunma Chapter.
