Threaded Discussions:
Providing Discourse-Level
Grammar Practice
Donald Weasenforth
Collin County Community College
dweasenforth@ccccd.edu
Sigrun Biesenbach-Lucas
American University
sblucas@american.edu
Christine Meloni
Northern Virginia Community College
meloni@gwu.edu
TESOL 2005
30 March 2005
Key Issues of Effective Use of
Instructional Technology
 Refined approaches to technology uses
– Tailored use of specific features of specific
technologies
 Changes in instructional practice
– Contextualized grammar instruction
– Discourse-level practice
– Focus on form within communicative context
 Assignment design
Matching Technology and Pedagogy
 Threaded Discussions
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Accessible
Threaded, linked
Asynchronous
Archivable
 Grammar Pedagogy
– Meaningful language
production
– Purposeful language
production
– Authenticity of context
and language
production
– Contextualized
language practice
– Interactive,
communicative
exchanges
Matching Technology and Pedagogy
 Threaded Discussions
–
–
–
–
Accessible
Threaded, linked
Asynchronous
Archivable
 Grammar Pedagogy
– Negotiation of meaning
– Subsidiary role of
grammar
– Noticing
– Recycling
– Testing in context
– Providing meaningful
feedback
Assignment Design
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Instructional setting
Sequencing
Timing
Recycling
Grouping
Topics
Assessment
Training
Integration in course
Meaningful Language Production
 Connection between grammar structure and
communicative function
First responses to Don’s prompts – typical
information when getting to know one another (cf.
small talk)
– I have been being here in the US almost for 8 months.
The reason I have been here is the US will give me a lot
of knowledge and degrees. … My future plans are to
become an ESL teacher and a computer programmer.
– I arrived into the US at the 2001 the February. I am here
for continuing my study. I have learned things that are
related to the American type of living, as well as how to
be a well independent person. I am planinig to be a
chiropractic in the future. I am not certain yet weather i
would choose the US for the rest of my living or not.
Meaningful Language Production
 Form-function connection going beyond teacherprompted phrases - expressing opinions and facts about
a topic
 I’d like to say THAT I’M A SUPER SMART KID , but first at all
I’m not a kid, and second I believe THAT I’M NOT SUPER
SMART. It is a fact THAT I NEED TO WORK MORE, because at
my age I won’t learn as fast as I used to when I was a teenager.
 Also I’m amazed THAT SOME KIDS USED SCHOOL JUST
FOR THEIR SOCIAL LIFE, and most of the time I wonder IF
THESE KIDS UNDERSTAND THEIR PARENTS EFFORT TO
GET THEM A GOOD EDUCATION. In my opinion, I think THAT
FAMILY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO PUSH CHILDREN
THROUGH ACADEMIC SUCCESS. It is the fact THAT
PARENTS ARE CLOSEST TO THE KIDS. I agree with HE LI
THAT REWARDS AND PUNISHMENT PLAY A MAJOR ROLE.
Purposeful Language Production
 Students use language to accomplish
communicative purposes, not to manipulate
grammar structures
– If you have some ideas , please tell everybody about that
. [soliciting opinion]
– Thanks a lot for agreeing with my feelings , Ms Yoko
[expressing gratitude]
– As you know, we aren't native speakers, so you should
take your free time to learn English. Try to view English
learning as a hobby. [giving advice]
– In my last discussion, about the Japanese future plan, I
gave you a wrong information. NOT from 2006, BUT in
five years. I'm sorry. [self-correcting]
– I'd like to share my feeling about this controversial issue.
[expressing purpose]
Authenticity of Context and
Language Production
 Discussion board postings – authentic communicative
activity in academic context
Student’s responses to points in each other’s postings
– I have a question. What does mean for you to be a well
independent person?
– Do you want to be ESL teacher in America or in your
country?
Emotional reactions to topics: example gay marriage
– I don’t care that Gays should be allowed to marry.
– It is absurd and weird to think about a marriage of the same
sexes. I don't know how people support this issue.
Authenticity of Context and
Language Production
Response to Don’s response, where tangent leads to
authentic elaboration
– I think, online communication it’s a great idea to brush up
on writing English. So far, I haven’t written many online
letters. Actually, I attend on Tuesday a course in a library
“Small talk”. For me, it’s very useful. First of all,….
Admitting one’s own weaknesses and obtaining
support from classmate
– Actually I am lagging behind in English writting. When I
want to write something, grammer and lack of vocabulary
squeeze my hand.
Authenticity of Context and
Language Production
Authentic context for specific language phrase
– Yes, Elena. That issui is interesting, because communication is important. Right. I didn’t know about your kids.
Good for you!!!
– The wheather has become very nice, hasn't it?
Conveying ideas to classmates is more relevant than
grammar and mechanics
– I like N.Y. only to visited. But, I didn’t like the people.
Becausem are so rud, unfrieds sometimes. Fore example
when you are in the subway everyone have been worried
about time, wether, terrorist attack or something else. The
people never smile. Mayeb, I was so homesick in that time.
That situaticion was unconfortoble to me. In contrat with
Dallas the people are more frienly, more happy, also Texan
have a good matters.
Subsidiary Role of Grammar
 Emotional engagement with and strong opinions about topics
 Complex ideas realized in complex grammar structures
 Students use grammar structures to support their
communicative purposes, not to demonstrate mastery
– Alright , what would I do in order to stamp out this hard solvable issue
if I were the UN's Representative General ?
– First of all , I have to find out what main reason cause terrorism . And
then, I would ask many countries related to this issue to attend some
meetings to discuss the best way to overcome it. Second,
…Disarmament is one of many points I would first raise for
discussion and find an answer for it .
– From my Asian viewpoint , I think that a marriage is a linking of two
unknown families, and then those families will keep their alliance by
bearing descendants in order to maintain the continuity of the family
line.
Subsidiary Role of Grammar
 Another example: students’ eagerness to voice complex
opinions pushes them to produce complex structures
– Moreover, a heterosexual marriage is regarded as a procreant
connection. Also founded on the tenets of Buddhism, the obedient
children are viewed as good effects, but the bad-manned children are
viewed as bad effects [passive constructions]. There are many, many things
abnormal happening around us , and going to our children's minds
[existential there construction, which splits be and V-ing form]. When in our future
life, the percentage of same-sex marriages makes up a high rate, where
can we find chidren to adopt them because same-sex marriages can't
give us naturally real children except artificially-fecundated ones [use of
present tense in time clause with future reference]? If government allows the same
sex marriage, those people will file for income tax jointly. So government
will lose taxes [real conditional]. If America approve the same sex marriage
like Canada, it will not only loses taxes but also loses the respects from
the other countries [real conditional, and not only, but also construction].
Contextualized Language Practice
 Discourse context
– Extended, interactive discursive contexts
 Instructional context
 Real life context
– Personal interests
– General topics of interest
Focus on Form in Meaningful Contexts
 Form, meaning, use (Larsen-Freeman, 2003)
 Proactive focus on form
 Reactive focus on form
(Doughty & Williams, 1998)
Focus on Form in Meaningful Contexts
 Subject: Verb Tense Review
Your topic for Week 1: When and why did you come to the US? What have you
learned since coming to the US and what are your plans for the future? Be careful
of your use of verb tenses.
 Subject: Discuss Writing Topic, Be Careful of Verb Tenses
Your topic for Week 2: I'm very interested in the topics you have chosen for the
first essay assignment in our Writing class! Discuss with your group the topic that
you are writing about in our Writing class. Share your own information with your
group and comment on your group members' information. BE CAREFUL WITH
YOUR USE OF VERB TENSES!
 Subject: What do you think?
Your topic for Week 3: One of the most serious issues society faces today is
terrorism. There are many related questions: What are the causes/reasons for
terrorism? Is terrorism a new phenomenon? How has it affected society? What
are the solutions? Discuss these questions--and your own--in your group. You
may want to use the following structures: I don't understand why...Do any of you
know what...? I think that...BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR USE OF NOUN CLAUSES.
Interactive, Communicative Exchanges
180 DW
(1)
181 YK
(2)
182 VV
(3)
183 KH
(4)
187 PT
(6)
195 VV
(12)
199 VV
(14)
184 VV
(5)
204 EG
(19)
194 VV
(11)
200 EG
(15)
188 KH
(7)
206 PT
(21)
202 PT
(17)
201 VV
(16)
189 YK
(8)
192 PT
(9)
198 EG
(13)
203 EG
(18)
193 VV
(10)
205 VV
(20)
208 KH
(23)
207 KH
(22)
Interactive, Communicative Exchanges
 Emotional Expression: humor, self-disclosure
 Open Communication
– Mutual awareness: directing comment at individual,
quoting directly, explicit references to content of others’
messages
– Recognition of others’ contributions: explicitly
expressing appreciation/agreement, complimenting
others, encouraging others
 Group Cohesion: explicit references to group, explicit
invitation to respond (e.g., “let me know”), inclusionary
comments (e.g., “like you, I…”)
Adapted definition of “social presence” from Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2001)
Negotiation of Meaning
 “Informational equality”
(Long, 1983)
 Prompting input from others
 Adjusting lexicogrammatical aspects of language
for clear communication
(Van Patten, 2003)
 Task characteristics
 Responsiveness of participants
 Willingness to alter course of communication
(Ko, Schallert & Walters, 2003)
Noticing
 “It is what is noticeable to them that
matters.” (Batstone, 1994)
 Students notice how classmates use
language.
- May I rewrite your own message in my
own writing?
I’m here for IMPROVING my English.
Nice to MEET you, group!!!
Recycling
 Grammar structures are reviewed and used
in a variety of ways.
 Examples of student uses of Simple Past:
- I moved to United States in August 2004.
- I travelled with my brother for 8 days.
- He went back to Thailand a few days ago.
- I worked that day from 1:15 pm to 10:00 pm.
Testing in Context
 Giving Discrete-Point Grammar Tests vs
Evaluating Grammar in Context
- Next week I plan to go somewhere I’d never
gone there. My friend recommended that we go to
santoneo. My friends went there last year and they
said that River walk was beautiful. I couldn’t
remember somewhere else they went there, but it
was interesting for me.
Providing Meaningful Feedback
 Students can ask for clarification. For
example,
- What do you mean same language will be polite
to someone, but not others?
In response to
- why the usage of it [the Spanish language] can
be consider for some groups polite or not polite