Working Collaboratively in Second/Foreign Language Learning

Description

Since the introduction of communicative language teaching, collaborative learning has played an important role in the second language (L2) classroom. Drawing from sociocultural theory, which states that human cognitive development is a socially situated activity mediated by language, studies in L2 pedagogy advocate the use of tasks that require learners to work together. Collaborative dialogue encourages language learning, and research shows that the solutions reached by students in this process are more often correct with a lasting influence on their language comprehension. This volume includes twelve chapters that illustrate the benefits of collaborative dialogue in second foreign language classrooms. The volume considers key issues dealing with collaborative tasks and implications for language teaching. Foreword Contents Introduction Collaborative writing: Promoting languaging among language learners The efficacy of collaboratively completing form-focused tasks: A research synthesis What exactly is mutuality? An analysis of mixed-age peer interactions on classroom tasks in German secondary school classrooms “Together we do better”: The effect of pair and group work on young EFL learners’ written texts and attitudes The effect of collaborative writing on individual writing strategies: A case study of two L2 English writers Learner interaction in blended collaborative L2 writing activities Computer-based collaborative writing with young learners: Effects on text quality Online collaboration through tasks for L2 pragmatic development Participation and interaction in wiki-based collaborative writing: An Activity Theory perspective Factors mediating small-group interactions during synchronous web-based collaborative summary writing using Google Docs Index