Abstract
This paper discusses the use of digital online resources as a means to foster collaborative writing in EFL lessons. Two main online free platforms are suggested and briefly analyzed: Powtoon and Google Docs. The discussion finds theoretic support in the new literacies approach in the studies of the New London Group, Gee and Hayes (2012) and adopts a Bakhtinian orientation to language as social practice. The ideas presented are meant to be explored in EFL lessons in a variety of different learning levels and teaching contexts, ranging from basic to higher formal education as well as language schools. It is both a proposal and an exploratory study which aims at expanding the discussion concerning the processes of teaching and learning how to write in English in Brazilian formal educational contexts.
Highlights
When teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is concerned, the development of writing skills is rarely seen as one of the most discussed issues in academic papers published in Brazil
According to Azzari (2013, p. 09), it was in the 1960’s that the foreign languages got demoted from a prestigious position within school curriculum as a result of Federal
In order to explore and propose a collaborative perspective to the development of writing skills in the EFL lesson, this paper adopts a qualitative approach and it is inserted in the field of teacher research
Summary
When teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is concerned, the development of writing skills is rarely seen as one of the most discussed issues in academic papers published in Brazil. Government decisions concerning national guidelines for Brazilian basic education. Brazil was under a rather post-industrial capitalist oriented military government, which, in the 1970’s, regarded foreign language knowledge as a nonfundamental skill to a “desired” citizen. As some researchers as Azzari (2013) and Rocha (2010) argue, language lessons were mostly centered on teaching grammar and general language structures and skills such as listening, speaking and writing were deemed less important. 12-13), the publication of The National Curriculum Parameters for Modern Foreign Languages teaching in 1998 brought up some change to the aforementioned scenario, it put a premium on a single (specific) skill: reading comprehension According to Azzari (2013, p. 12-13), the publication of The National Curriculum Parameters for Modern Foreign Languages teaching in 1998 brought up some change to the aforementioned scenario, it put a premium on a single (specific) skill: reading comprehension
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
