Public Internet Forums

Can They Enhance Argumentative Writing Skills of Second Language Learners

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8936775
AutoresMathy Ritchie (Simon Fraser University, autor correspondente), Catherine Black (0000-0001-9631-5258, Simon Fraser University)
Ano2012
Volume45
Fascículo3
Páginas349-361
Data de publicação2012-09-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoForeign Language Annals (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0015-718X • E-ISSN: 1944-9720
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1944-9720.2012.01203.x
OpenAlexW2021852342
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas5
Referências citadas14

Improving university students’ writing skills is always a challenge. In a third‐year French composition course, the researchers introduced the use of public Internet discussion forums to see if that would help achieve the argumentative writing skills goals that were set for this study. The results show that participation in the forums had a positive influence on students’ argumentative skills. The forums forced them to choose a topic, read about it, obtain different points of view, and develop their own, therefore entering a community of practice where language accuracy was important. Students felt that it was beneficial to their intercultural competence and that it had a positive impact on their confidence to use their second language because they were able to interact with native speakers

Argumentative · Competence (human resources · Intercultural Competence · Linguistic competence · Linguistics · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Political science · Public university · Set (abstract data type · The Internet · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Psychology · Social Psychology · Writing and Handwriting Education