Extra-Dimensional In-Class Communications: Action Research Exploring Text Chat Support of Face-to-Face Writing

Two experienced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers transformed a traditional pencil-and-paper writing classroom that focused on sentence writing mechanics for Taiwanese graduate students by incorporating in-class text chat to augment students' regular classroom regime. This blended-style classroom afforded the teachers enhanced monitoring and guidance of students during the writing process. Students practiced sentence writing, offered peer support during learning, and interacted in real-time practice of sentence patterns taught. The incorporation of text-chat into the traditional classroom increased the amount of interaction amongst students as well as between students and teachers. Findings revealed that students often supplemented their in-class text chat on-line writing with spoken discourse but seldom utilized other on-line technologies available. This action research investigating technological innovation in a writing course facilitated the identification of emerging issues within EFL academic writing classes mediated by in-class chat-rooms, namely: peer support, self-correction and punctuation.