Blog Post #3

 


In Terese Thonus’s publication, “Serving Generation 1.5 Learners In the University Writing Center,” she discusses pedagogical practices that best benefit ELL students. She discusses her time spent working with ELL students and their prior knowledge and instruction when it comes to writing. Thonus discusses the foundation of skills writers need to be successful in an American academic environment. However, she sheds light on ELL’s possibly struggling with the five skills: the ability to “(a) verbalize what they [ELLs] want to write, (b) express themselves clearly and correctly in English, (c) reply to questions about writing, (d) perceive what sounds right on paper, and (e) focus on and value organization and development more than sentence level correctness” (17). Following, Thonus proposes that teachers must understand and become aware of the students cultural and linguistic heritage and offer explicit direction. This is where digital literacy can come in to support ELL students.


Digital literacy within the classroom refers to students having the ability and access to technology to display and communicate learning. Not only is it important in the classroom, but becoming digitally literate will provide an individual with the skills to live, learn, and work in a society where technology is increasing constantly. When using digital platforms, students can work through the skills above that Thonus identifies as struggles for ELL students. For example, ELL students could create a blog that supports skill b: ‘express themselves clearly and correctly in English.’ When completing the blog, not only are they able to express themselves clearly and correctly, but they are learning how to creatively communicate their learning. Thonus’s article focused mainly on writing conventions for ELL students, but the skills she provides can be related to all categories of learning which can be improved when classrooms focus on digital literacy.



Thonus, Terese. "Serving Generation 1.5 Learners in the University Writing Center." TESOL Journal 12.1 (2003): 17-24. Web. 12 Sep. 2013. 

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