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igorG
Joined: 10 Aug 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: asia
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 Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:04 am Post subject: Writing Classes and Computers in China |
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Dear all,
I am writing to ask for help related to computers.
My students are either going for higher education or nowhere, and I am currently getting them ready in all the areas necessary. One of the aspects of the preparation in my program is the academic writing which is causing plenty of issues.
One of the main problems, that I am facing, is the computer (s). In school, we are using a poorly programmed English version, and I am having difficulties to get my students proofread and edit their essay assignments in an acceptable form. What I am coping with is the students� numerous structural errors, misspelling etc. I am not looking for a perfection which few of us can master, although I am hoping for fewer mistakes and more legible sentences from students.
So, I have requested an appropriate English version in our school�s computers as well as in my students� home computers or laptops. What I am upset about is that my students understand me better than my superiors in the school. It appears that my schools� management�s comprehension is hampered by issues beyond the language.
To keep my appeal non-confrontational I can deal with students and perhaps their parents individually; however, such an approach will only solve the trouble partially. We practice on school�s computers too, and I also teach Computing.
Should anyone have ideas or experiences dealing with such issues, please offer some solutions here on this forum.
I thank you all in advance for your replies.
Sincerely yours,
Igor |
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7969
Joined: 26 Mar 2003
Posts: 5782
Location: Coastal Guangdong
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| Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:49 am Post subject: Re: Writing Classes and Computers in China |
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| igorG wrote: |
| I am writing to ask for help related to computers. My students are either going for higher education or nowhere, and I am currently getting them ready in all the areas necessary. One of the aspects of the preparation in my program is the academic writing which is causing plenty of issues. One of the main problems, that I am facing, is the computer (s). In school, we are using a poorly programmed English version |
Not sure what the problem is with the computers and how it relates to proofreading. Something to do with the spellchecker or grammar checker in MS Word that's installed on the computers?
| igorG wrote: |
| So, I have requested an appropriate English version in our school�s computers as well as in my students� home computers or laptops. |
I take it you are referring to software?
| igorG wrote: |
| I am having difficulties to get my students proofread and edit their essay assignments in an acceptable form. What I am coping with is the students� numerous structural errors, misspelling etc. I am not looking for a perfection which few of us can master, although I am hoping for fewer mistakes and more legible sentences from students. |
Proofreading (or a lack of) has been the bane of my job for awhile now. Students typically like to get their written work done as fast as possible so they can move on to more interesting things. To counter that there are a few steps you can take to help them understand the importance of proofreading.
1. Offer a lesson on how to proofread. I have a .ppt file I use for this purpose and it helped improve the written work somewhat. The lesson should offer up the most common mistakes made and what to check for - a list basically.
This related thread from last year might be of some help:
Proofreading Checklist
2. More time.. Earlier on I collected written assignments within 24 or 48 hours of assigning them. This was too short/rushed so I now give them a full week to better prepare the assignment before handing it in.
3. Additional exercises. I bought an inexpensive proofreading activities book (Find the Errors: Proofreading Activities by Nancy Lobb) when I was home last time. I reproduce (and slightly modify) some of the activities from the book and give them as in-class activities. It at least gets the students tuned in to finding common errors and helps reinforce the idea that they should be proofreading everything they write.
4. Ease up on the marking. I read an article recently (don't ask where, I can't remember) where the English writing ability of foreign students in Canada and the US was being called into question. One professor at one particular school stated that since the students speak with an accent we should also accept that they're going to write with an accent as well. I've softened my stance on marking lately, and as long as the written work is in logical order, can be understood, and there aren't too many glaring errors I don't worry if they used the wrong article here or there, or if there are minor spelling errors. You'll never get them up to native level.
5. Repeat. I repeat over and over that proofreading is essential. Eventually it starts to sink in. |
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Miles Smiles
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1294
Location: Heebee Jeebee
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| Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 7:50 am Post subject: |
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If they are good speakers, tell them to write in the same way in which they speak. Many students-- Chinese and American--- freak out the moment they must commit their words to paper. Telling them to write as they speak will lower their anxiety level. Most are already aware of their speech problems. They can tackle their writing problems in the same manner.
I hate to say it, but the teacher must (in the beginning) spend a LOT of time "correcting", not grading. That means hours spent with the red pen. Don't assign a grade until the class is up to speed and producing intelligible essays.
Start with the paragraph form, then introduce the concept of thesis (something which no Chinese student seems to understand), then introduce them to a five-paragraph essay. (If you don't know what i am talking about you can find a few pretty good examples--- and a zillion horrible ones-- online).
For proofreading: start the class with proof reading each others' work. put the work on the board.
I don't know the level of the students in question, but this works for students whose speech is good but whose writing skills are undeveloped. |
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igorG
Joined: 10 Aug 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: asia
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| Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: Writing Classes and Computers in China |
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| 7969 wrote: |
| igorG wrote: |
| I am writing to ask for help related to computers. My students are either going for higher education or nowhere, and I am currently getting them ready in all the areas necessary. One of the aspects of the preparation in my program is the academic writing which is causing plenty of issues. One of the main problems, that I am facing, is the computer (s). In school, we are using a poorly programmed English version |
Not sure what the problem is with the computers and how it relates to proofreading. Something to do with the spellchecker or grammar checker in MS Word that's installed on the computers?
| igorG wrote: |
| So, I have requested an appropriate English version in our school�s computers as well as in my students� home computers or laptops. |
I take it you are referring to software? |
Yes and yes. I'd like them to be able to see their basic errors underlined with red or green, and then I'd want them to have some choices of words/sentences for corrections on their computers. My superiors have claimed that students have such options on their laptops and that our school computers have it too; however, I have been lied to. Today, when I purposely typed a sentence with a wrong word order (I with my mother go at weekends to the movies) to prove they were wrong and when it was accepted by their word processing program, I received some mixed responses from my students and superiors. They all seem to play me they have little clue to what I really want and why. The management and students have apparently been under the impression that websites or something to correct writing before essays are submitted can be used. Well, I am sure there are plenty of such choices and google most certainly has solutions. However, why they cannot be simply professional, I just don't know. If yearly tuition fees are over 100 Gs, there ought to be a professional computer with an appropriate English version to work on. Expecting the students to do their research, and then do their paraphrasing with some appropriate spell check, word use, word order etc under such circumstances is just incompetent. |
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igorG
Joined: 10 Aug 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: asia
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| Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Miles Smiles wrote: |
| I hate to say it, but the teacher must (in the beginning) spend a LOT of time "correcting", not grading. That means hours spent with the red pen. Don't assign a grade until the class is up to speed and producing intelligible essays. |
I hate to say it, but you are so right. This is exactly why students for higher education abroad must have computers with more appropriate English language program. Then, you actually get time to teach them too. |
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golsa
Joined: 20 Nov 2011
Posts: 185
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| Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: Writing Classes and Computers in China |
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| igorG wrote: |
| I'd like them to be able to see their basic errors underlined with red or green, and then I'd want them to have some choices of words/sentences for corrections on their computers. My superiors have claimed that students have such options on their laptops and that our school computers have it too; however, I have been lied to. Today, when I purposely typed a sentence with a wrong word order (I with my mother go at weekends to the movies) to prove they were wrong and when it was accepted by their word processing program, I received some mixed responses from my students and superiors. |
By default, Microsoft Word does not check grammar. How does a professional "computing" teacher not know this? |
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igorG
Joined: 10 Aug 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: asia
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 4:30 am Post subject: |
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I thank you for your contribution, and I am glad you�ve noticed the gist of this thread.
Yes, I am pretty dull. Whatever I want is unclear, perhaps incompatible for my students' local computers, and it is almost as expensive as my services.
Regretfully,
Igor |
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choudoufu
Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 3325
Location: Mao-berry, PRC
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:07 am Post subject: Re: Writing Classes and Computers in China |
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[quote="igorG"][quote="7969"]
| igorG wrote: |
| Today, when I purposely typed a sentence with a wrong word order (I with my mother go at weekends to the movies) to prove they were wrong and when it was accepted by their word processing program,..... |
what's with that word order wrong? i through three online
grammar checkers ran it, no errors found. |
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roadwalker
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 1750
Location: Ch
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:32 am Post subject: |
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| I agree that spell check and a grammar checking program would help, but I wouldn't want to count on them. It could cut down on the amount of errors, butt they're has got two bee a better weigh! |
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igorG
Joined: 10 Aug 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: asia
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:24 pm Post subject: Re: Writing Classes and Computers in China |
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[quote="choudoufu"][quote="igorG"]
| 7969 wrote: |
| igorG wrote: |
| Today, when I purposely typed a sentence with a wrong word order (I with my mother go at weekends to the movies) to prove they were wrong and when it was accepted by their word processing program,..... |
what's with that word order wrong? i through three online
grammar checkers ran it, no errors found. |
To my knowledge, such a word order is not acceptable in formal English. |
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choudoufu
Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 3325
Location: Mao-berry, PRC
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| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:01 pm Post subject: Re: Writing Classes and Computers in China |
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[quote="igorG"][quote="choudoufu"]
| igorG wrote: |
| 7969 wrote: |
| igorG wrote: |
| Today, when I purposely typed a sentence with a wrong word order (I with my mother go at weekends to the movies) to prove they were wrong and when it was accepted by their word processing program,..... |
what's with that word order wrong? i through three online
grammar checkers ran it, no errors found. |
To my knowledge, such a word order is not acceptable in formal English. |
do you mean the actual syntax/grammar rules that must/should be
followed? or the most common word order in american or british
english? english very forgiving with word order is. i ran your sentence
and both of mine through three online grammar checkers. the only
mistake found was the use of a comma instead of a semi-colon.
speak like yoda we could and still proper would we be. |
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igorG
Joined: 10 Aug 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: asia
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| Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:10 am Post subject: |
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I also have to thank you for your great participation on this topic which proves our students are well taken care of. Our countries universities must be proud knowing that we are here.
Amen |
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choudoufu
Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 3325
Location: Mao-berry, PRC
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| Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:47 am Post subject: |
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Most welcome thou art. (*)
(*) This message certified error free by Microsoft Word. |
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