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Relay Writing Tasks in the EFL Classroom: When Second Language Learning Encounters Collaborative Interactions

Received: 11 October 2021     Accepted: 1 November 2021     Published: 10 November 2021
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Abstract

This study presents how EFL learners benefit from the classroom relay writing as a pre-activity in collaborative writing tasks that involve various simultaneously collaborative interactions. An intact 42-student class of freshmen majoring in accounting is divided into four groups. Each group is assigned with a relay writing task with the first sentence available only. The sequential writer of each group writes while checking the previous single sentence. Each group accomplish the task by three steps: individually independent sentence relay writing, in-group text reading, adjusting and reshaping, and between-group text appreciation and evaluation. The composition process is audiotaped and all texts (including both the first and final drafts) are collected and analyzed. And a random interview is followed. The data showed that 1) the writing turned out to be more vivid and inspiring when the participants only know the first sentence and the final drafts appeared in a more logic way with less grammatical and lexical errors, indicating the powerful effect of dialogues between group writers; 2) it could be even more successful when there is a relay writing task as a pre-activity as each individual was assured to make contributions to this writing task no matter how passive or subservient he/she is when involved in a group task; 3) The collaborative writing could be more fulfilling when there were initiator-participants scaffolding the whole task. Furthermore, by observing the accuracy and fluency of the written texts, the pedagogical implications of simultaneous in-group and between-group interactions are illustrated.

Published in English Language, Literature & Culture (Volume 6, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ellc.20210604.11
Page(s) 97-101
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Relay Writing, EFL Learning, Collaborative Interaction

References
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[2] Antón, M., & DiCamilla, F. (1998). Socio-cognitive functions of L1 collaborative interaction in the L2 classroom. Canadian Modern Language Review, 54 (3), 314–342.
[3] Damon, W., & Phelps, E. (1989). Critical distinctions among three approaches to peer education. International Journal of Educational Research, 13 (1), 9–19.
[4] Donato, R. (1988). Beyond group: A psycholinguistic rationale for collective activity in second-language learning. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Newark: University of Delaware.
[5] Ede, L., & Lunsford, A. (1990) Singular texts/plural authors. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illonois University Press.
[6] Elabdali, R.. (2021). Are two heads really better than one? a meta-analysis of the l2 learning benefits of collaborative writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 52 (2), 100788, 1-16.
[7] Fernández Dobao, A. (2012). Collaborative writing tasks in the L2 classroom: Comparing group, pair, and individual work. Journal of Second Language Writing, 21, 40–58.
[8] Idoia, E., & Oskoz, A.. (2010). Collaborative writing: fostering foreign language and writing conventions development. Language, Learning and Technology, 14 (3), 51-71.
[9] Kim, Y. (2008). The contribution of collaborative and individual tasks to the acquisition of L2 vocabulary. The Modern Language Journal, 92, 114–130.
[10] Li, M., & Kim, D. (2016). One wiki, two groups: Dynamic interactions across ESL collaborative writing tasks. Journal of Second Language Writing, 31, 25–42.
[11] Li, M., & Zhu, W. (2017). Good or bad collaborative wiki writing: exploring links between group interactions and writing products. Journal of Second Language Writing, 35, 38-53.
[12] Neumann, H., & McDonough, K. (2015). Exploring student interaction during collaborative prewriting discussions and its relationship to L2 writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 27, 84–104.
[13] Shehadeh, A. (2011). Effects and student perceptions of collaborative writing in L2. Journal of Second Language Writing, 20 (4), 286–305.
[14] Storch, N. (2013). Collaborative writing in L2 classrooms. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
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[16] Storch, N. (2002). Patterns of Interaction in ESL Pair Work. Language Learning, 52 (1), 119–158.
[17] Storch, N. (2001). How collaborative is pair work? ESL tertiary students composing in pairs. Language Teaching Research, 5 (1), 29–53.
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[19] Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher mental process. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
[20] Watanabe, Y., & Swain, M. (2007). Effects of proficiency differences and patterns of pair interaction on second language learning: Collaborative dialogue between adult ESL learners. Language Teaching Research, 11 (2), 121–142.
[21] Yi, Y. (2008). Relay writing in an adolescent online community. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 51, 670-680.
[22] Zhang, M. (2018). Collaborative writing in the EFL classroom: The effects of L1 and L2 use. System, 76, 1–12.
[23] Zhang, M. (2019). Towards a quantitative model of understanding the dynamics of collaboration in collaborative writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 45, 16–30.
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  • APA Style

    Fang He. (2021). Relay Writing Tasks in the EFL Classroom: When Second Language Learning Encounters Collaborative Interactions. English Language, Literature & Culture, 6(4), 97-101. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20210604.11

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    ACS Style

    Fang He. Relay Writing Tasks in the EFL Classroom: When Second Language Learning Encounters Collaborative Interactions. Engl. Lang. Lit. Cult. 2021, 6(4), 97-101. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20210604.11

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    AMA Style

    Fang He. Relay Writing Tasks in the EFL Classroom: When Second Language Learning Encounters Collaborative Interactions. Engl Lang Lit Cult. 2021;6(4):97-101. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20210604.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ellc.20210604.11,
      author = {Fang He},
      title = {Relay Writing Tasks in the EFL Classroom: When Second Language Learning Encounters Collaborative Interactions},
      journal = {English Language, Literature & Culture},
      volume = {6},
      number = {4},
      pages = {97-101},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ellc.20210604.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20210604.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ellc.20210604.11},
      abstract = {This study presents how EFL learners benefit from the classroom relay writing as a pre-activity in collaborative writing tasks that involve various simultaneously collaborative interactions. An intact 42-student class of freshmen majoring in accounting is divided into four groups. Each group is assigned with a relay writing task with the first sentence available only. The sequential writer of each group writes while checking the previous single sentence. Each group accomplish the task by three steps: individually independent sentence relay writing, in-group text reading, adjusting and reshaping, and between-group text appreciation and evaluation. The composition process is audiotaped and all texts (including both the first and final drafts) are collected and analyzed. And a random interview is followed. The data showed that 1) the writing turned out to be more vivid and inspiring when the participants only know the first sentence and the final drafts appeared in a more logic way with less grammatical and lexical errors, indicating the powerful effect of dialogues between group writers; 2) it could be even more successful when there is a relay writing task as a pre-activity as each individual was assured to make contributions to this writing task no matter how passive or subservient he/she is when involved in a group task; 3) The collaborative writing could be more fulfilling when there were initiator-participants scaffolding the whole task. Furthermore, by observing the accuracy and fluency of the written texts, the pedagogical implications of simultaneous in-group and between-group interactions are illustrated.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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    T1  - Relay Writing Tasks in the EFL Classroom: When Second Language Learning Encounters Collaborative Interactions
    AU  - Fang He
    Y1  - 2021/11/10
    PY  - 2021
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20210604.11
    AB  - This study presents how EFL learners benefit from the classroom relay writing as a pre-activity in collaborative writing tasks that involve various simultaneously collaborative interactions. An intact 42-student class of freshmen majoring in accounting is divided into four groups. Each group is assigned with a relay writing task with the first sentence available only. The sequential writer of each group writes while checking the previous single sentence. Each group accomplish the task by three steps: individually independent sentence relay writing, in-group text reading, adjusting and reshaping, and between-group text appreciation and evaluation. The composition process is audiotaped and all texts (including both the first and final drafts) are collected and analyzed. And a random interview is followed. The data showed that 1) the writing turned out to be more vivid and inspiring when the participants only know the first sentence and the final drafts appeared in a more logic way with less grammatical and lexical errors, indicating the powerful effect of dialogues between group writers; 2) it could be even more successful when there is a relay writing task as a pre-activity as each individual was assured to make contributions to this writing task no matter how passive or subservient he/she is when involved in a group task; 3) The collaborative writing could be more fulfilling when there were initiator-participants scaffolding the whole task. Furthermore, by observing the accuracy and fluency of the written texts, the pedagogical implications of simultaneous in-group and between-group interactions are illustrated.
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Author Information
  • General Teaching Department, Nanning University, Nanning, China

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