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AN EXPERIENCE TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL THROUGH MULTIMODALITY

Abstract

Creative writing provides new options for students to motivate English language learning allowing them to use it meaningfully to interact with the world. Thus, this research experience attempts to integrate multimodality principles into creative writing as an opportunity to encourage eighth graders’ EFL learning at a public institution in Tunja. This research project follows action research features where a pedagogical intervention is conducted: four workshops were designed conveying creative writing activities using simultaneously image, video, text, sound, speech. Afterwards, they were uploaded to EDMODO learning space. Instruments used were surveys, students’ artifacts and focus groups. A process of planning, testing, observing and reflective cycle was followed. Data collected was analyzed following the grounded theory approach. Results indicate that by integrating creative writing along multimodality and E-learning environments, English learning becomes meaningful for them as a means of real self-expression and communication during the Covid-19 pandemic; their motivation is enacted when English permeates digital spaces in order to share thoughts and ideas in a creative way by using songs, pictures, drawings, and their own voice along their texts. Therefore, multimodal creative writing activities in virtual spaces demonstrate to be joyful strategies to foster motivation to learn and use English language, and they can be applied in the upcoming future in online and hybrid EFL classrooms.

 

Keywords

Multimodality, Edmodo, Online Classrooms, ICTs, education during COVID-19, creative writing

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Author Biography

Sandra Yannet Silva Vivas

full time professor at Languages School at Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia. She holds a M.A in Applied Linguistics to the Teaching of English Language from Universidad Distrital Francisco Jose de Caldas. Besides, she is a PhD in Education candidate. She has attended and participated in events focused on ELT.

Daniela Alexandra Yepes González

Full time professor at Instituto Internacional de Idiomas UPTC. She is studying the M.A in Language Teaching at Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia. She belongs the research group
TONGUE that is ascribed to the Modern Languages school in the UPTC. Besides, she has
attended, participated and organized events focused on ELT.

Lina Marìa Calixto Ariza

Full time English teacher and, specialist in Educational Management from Universidad
Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia. Currently, she is studying the M.A in Bilingual Education at
Universidad de la Rioja


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