Using Learner-Produced Texts

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There are many benefits of using writings written by learners (Parrish, 2004, pp.142-144; Peyton, 1993, pp.60-62):

  • Learners can relate to the texts easily and are engaged in reading and writing in a meaningful way. This motivates to express their thoughts and feelings.
  • Using learner-produced texts allows learners to see that their thoughts and experiences are worthy sharing with others. This empowers them to take on an active role in their community.
  • Writing drafts and reading texts written by their peers allow learners to actively think about what good writing is.
  • When revising their drafts, learner writers think about language use, grammar, punctuation, and discourse in a meaningful way.
  • The peers' writings are good models to show emergent readers that they can also become successful writers.
  • Emergent readers need to read extensively in order to acquire the language. Using learner-produced writings provides a substantial quantity of texts that are linguistically and psychologically suitable for them.

References:

Parrish, B. (2004). Teaching adult ESL: A practical introduction. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
----- This section of the textbook provides examples to illustrate how learner-produced texts can be used in the classroom.

Peyton, J. (1993). Listening to students' voices: Publishing students' writing for other students to read. In Crandell, J. & J. Peyton (Eds.), Approaches to adults ESL literacy (pp.59-73). Washington, DC & McHenry, IL: Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems.
----- Apart from benefits, Peyton suggests guidelines for producing and publishing learner texts.