EFL collaborative writing: text production and online resources

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.