Spotlight on the 1995
SIGTel
Online Award Winners
DOR-WEST Project
Carmelina
Crupi
and Natalie McNamara
York University
Faculty of Education
4700 Keele St.
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Canada
Westview
Centennial Secondary
School
755 Oakdale Rd.
North York, ON M3N 1W7 Canada
École
secondarie
Dorval
Montreal, Quebec Canada
Paragraph Summary of
Lesson Plan
The DOR-WEST PROJECT involves a series of conferences between
students at Westview
Centennial Secondary School in Toronto and École secondaire
Dorval in
Montreal. The conferences are based on six subject areas including
countries
of origins, recreation, discrimination, future goals, storytelling,
and my neighborhood.
Each conference deals with a universal thematic unit such as identity,
change,
choices, relationships, and conflict.
Objectives of
Lesson
The DOR-WEST PROJECT is based on an interactive pedagogy that values
collaboration
and meaningful communication as tools for learning. It is designed to
match
English as a second language (ESL)/English as a second dialect (ESD)
students
from two diverse student populations in order to expand their
knowledge of various
cultures and increase their overall fluency in English. In addition,
the program
is created to raise students' reading and writing proficiencies and
develop
strategies for critical thinking.
Hardware/Software
Needed
- ClarisWorks (any word processing program will suffice)
- First Class Communications (any telecommunications conferencing
software
will serve the purpose)
- Macintosh Classic II—graphical interfaces of any kind work
well for
visually oriented ESL/ESD students
2400 Baud Modem
Print Resources Needed
or Recommended
- Bringing Literacy to Life, by Wrigley and Guth
- Computer Application in the Teaching of English, by
Kathleen Jaycox
- Mindweave, edited by Anthony Kaye and Robin Mason
- "Self-Development through Interactive Writing," by David Press and
Chris
Blantern
Importance (Role) of
Telecommunications
in this Plan
The DOR-WEST PROJECT is designed to combat technophobia and encourage
students'
to participate in their own learning. The absence of voice that many
ESL/ESD
students experience creates frustration and confusion. The use of word
processors
allow students to transcend typical language barriers such as
vocabulary, grammar,
and neatness. The immediate and personal contact of telecommunications
increases
students' eagerness to participate and share their insights and
knowledge with
their peers.
Curriculum Area(s)
Involved
- Literacy: functional versus entertainment purposes
- Computer science: word processing and telecommunications
- Cultural studies
- Current events
Grade Level(s)
Targeted
In ESL/ESD instruction, the classes are divided on the basis of
fluency rather
than age. Westview's ESD 4 level students are recently arrived
Caribbean students
who experience some Creole interference in oral and written production
of standard
English. Dorval's ESL Secondary 5 students speak English fluently and
may have
studied English before emigrating to Quebec. It is important to
recognize, however,
that a project such as DOR-WEST can be modified to suit any
classroom.
Class Management
Strategies
The participants involved in DOR-WEST have been briefed on the
requirements
and objectives of the project. Students have signed contracts agreeing
to participate
in a responsible and reasonable manner. During the weekly lab seminars
two student
teachers are present to offer assistance in editing and utilization of
computers.
Class Time
Required
- One 75-minute period for final editing and posting of students'
written
work
- Independent lab times, approximately 2–3 hours a week, are
provided
by student teachers for posting messages beyond the minimum
requirements of
the project.
Procedures/Activities
To begin with, each student is required to submit a brief welcome
message which
serves to introduce them to the rest of the conference. Next, students
are encouraged
to develop ongoing correspondence with their peers at the
corresponding school.
Finally, they must write at least two formal compositions focusing on
the following
topics:
- Countries of Origin: encourages an awareness of identity,
multiculturalism
and tolerance.
- Discrimination: provides a forum to discuss personal experiences,
opinions,
and concerns.
- Future Goals: a conference where students may articulate choices,
dreams,
and aims for the future.
- My Neighborhood: an arena to discuss community, relationships and
concerns.
- Storytelling: encourages an exchange of both oral and literary
traditions.
- Recreation: a forum for sports, music, and other personal
interests.
Method(s) for Evaluating
Student
Achievement of Objectives
Student evaluation takes the form of a portfolio assessment. The
students'
entries to conferences become, in essence, their writing folders which
are evaluated
chronologically across the whole academic term. As well, participation
is taken
into consideration.
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