Sonja Kuri

Den (schweren) Weg zum professionellen Schreiben mittels Scaffolding erleichtern. Ein Bericht zu einem Online-Tool der angewandten Sprachwissenschaft

Introduction

Den (schweren) weg zum professionellen schreiben mittels scaffolding erleichtern. Ein bericht zu einem online-tool der angewandten sprachwissenschaft. WRILAB2: Online-Tool der Angewandten Sprachwissenschaft. Erleichtert professionelles Schreiben (Deutsch L2/FL) durch Scaffolding auf Moodle, fördert selbstreguliertes Lernen.

Abstract

www.WRILAB2.eu/ is an online tool of Applied Linguistics to promote professional and literacy competences in German, Italian, Slovenian and Czech as second and foreign languages. According to the Scaffolding Theory, WRILAB2 provides learners with materials and strategies to support a self-regulated learning process based on their level of knowledge and competence; it thus creates a framework and offers tools for developing professional writing skills. This contribution focuses on some crucial aspects of the EU-project, particularly regarding its technical implementation by means of the Moodle-platform. More specifically, it discusses how the resources of this open-source learning management system were exploited to carry out the project, moving from Linguistic and Writing Research Theory to the adoption of the Scaffolding approach. Special attention is paid to the conception and impact of instruction and mediation texts, the so-called prompts, on the basis of the twelve German-language Moodle units. Finally, the positive and critical aspects of the tool are compared.

Review

This paper presents an insightful report on WRILAB2.eu, an online tool designed to facilitate the often challenging journey towards professional writing skills in multiple second and foreign languages (German, Italian, Slovenian, Czech). The project's foundation in Scaffolding Theory is a significant strength, promising a learner-centric approach that adapts to individual proficiency levels and promotes self-regulated learning. The abstract effectively highlights the tool's ambition to provide a structured framework and resources for developing essential literacy competencies, making it a relevant contribution to applied linguistics and language pedagogy, especially in the context of digital learning environments. A key focus of the contribution lies in the technical implementation of WRILAB2.eu, specifically detailing the exploitation of the Moodle-platform's open-source resources. This practical aspect is crucial, demonstrating how theoretical linguistic and writing research, alongside the Scaffolding approach, translates into a functional online learning system. The paper's intention to delve into the conception and impact of instruction and mediation texts, referred to as "prompts," across the twelve German-language Moodle units is particularly valuable. This level of detail offers potential insights into effective pedagogical design within digital scaffolding, bridging the gap between theoretical frameworks and concrete application. The concluding comparison of positive and critical aspects of the tool signals a well-rounded and honest evaluation, which is vital for academic reporting. Such an assessment would likely provide valuable lessons for future online language learning tool development. While the abstract outlines a comprehensive scope, a deeper exploration of the empirical evidence supporting the "impact of instruction and mediation texts" and how the multilingual aspects were managed technically and pedagogically would further enrich the discussion. Overall, this report promises to be a highly informative piece for researchers and practitioners interested in technology-enhanced language learning and the practical application of scaffolding principles.

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