Abdullah's Blogging

Bloch, J. (2007). Abdulah’s blogging: A generation 1.5 student enters the blogosphere.
Language Learning & Technology, 11, 128-141.

The integrated approach toward academic writing through the use of Blogging about the controversial issue of plagiarism for a group of immigrant second language learners enrolled in a college composition course was analyzed. For this to happen, four blog use goals were established. Although the students were using the expressive style of writing, the author’s intended to use that as a stepping stone toward applying that to their academic writing. The student Abdulah found his voice, became an expert and most likely was able to transfer that to his academic writing assignment about plagiarism. This format and its content could be seen as critical literacy The issue of plagiarism was meaningful and relevant because the university they were attending was considering solutions to dealing with this problem as the same time. The students wrote onto a class blog by first introducing themselves (the Western way of communicating). The instructors didn’t expect the students to focus on correct grammar. Instead, they wanted the students to write freely, which happened. The author/ teacher felt that using this mode of writing would help the students to develop a critical perspective and evaluation on a current events topic. I liked that on page 136 the author said that the students’ own language was valued and they were considered experts as their background on this issue was increased, thus allowing them to cite their classmates’ text in their academic writing assignment. The students’ way with words on the blog was analyzed in a way that I felt was useful to me as an elementary teacher. I feel that this article can be beneficial to teachers of any grade working with writing, critical thinking, and/or technology.