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Digital literacy includes technical, cognitive, and social skills for using technology. It facilitates collaborative learning and critical thinking through multimodal tools, transforming the teaching and dissemination of ideas. The article analyzes technologies in writing instruction under sociocultural and multimodal theoretical frameworks.

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Learning is a social process whose key tenets are human interaction and culturally mediated activity (Vygotsky, 1978). The dialogic process involved in writing makes it not only a means of communication, 45 NYS TESOL JOURNAL Vol. 5, No. 2, July 2018 but also a form of social action (Prior, 2006). Writing practices established through a collaborative dialogue enable mediated learning and the negotiation of meaning (Lantolf, 2000), and the use of technology can afford collaborative and interactive practices in various instructional environments.

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The pedagogy of multiliteracies encompasses linguistic diversity and multimodal communication practices. Multimodality informs the meaning-making experiences. Digital technologies strengthen multimodal possibilities, influencing the way in which communication, learning, and social interactions take place (Lotherington & Jenson, 2011).

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These tools encourage interaction between students and teachers, allowing the creation of multimodal and collaborative content:

1. Blogs: They facilitate creative and collaborative writing, with blogs (such as EduBlogs and KidBlog) and fan pages being popular examples.

2. Fan sites and social media pages: Sites such as Mugglenet can support writing teaching by encouraging student engagement. Students can post testimonials, favorite quotes, and new narratives related to book characters, historical figures, or authors (Unsworth, 2008; Morton-Standish, 2014).

Movie-making and digital story tools: Tools such as MovieMaker, iMovie and Animoto are popular in literature for empowering students to create and publish stories online. Other interactive and multimodal storytelling and presentation tools include VoiceThread, Prezi, Book Creator, and Little Bird Tales, among others.

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These tools automate or improve the correction and feedback process, saving teachers time:

1. Automated writing evaluation (AWE) tools: Tools such as Grammarly, Turnitin and WriteToLearn provide instant feedback on grammar, style and structure.

2. Annotation tools: VideoANT enables video annotation and feedback, facilitating peer review directly onto the video. Video and written annotations appear side by side in the same document, which enables users to reflect on their scripts and improve their communication skills.

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USING TECHNOLOGY TOOLS INWRITING INSTRUCTION

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USING TECHNOLOGY TOOLS INWRITING INSTRUCTION

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These tools help students structure ideas and better plan their writing:

1. Mind maps and graphic organizers: Popplet is the most widely cited tool found in the literature. It allows users to create mind maps, timelines, graphic organizers, and many other ways in which to visually organize information.

2. Online storyboards: Another excellent tool for the creation of digital outlines of narratives is the use of online storyboards such as StoryboardThat and Storyboard Pro.

3. Organization and notetaking tools: Tools such as Padlet, Corkulous, and Notability facilitate the recording and organization of ideas and multimedia resources.

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Technology in the Writing Class: Uses and Abuses

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Technology in the Writing Class: Uses and Abuses

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During the 1980s, the advent of computers in North American schools generated great optimism about their potential to improve the writing process for students. However, in the 1990s, researchers took a more tempered view of computer-assisted writing, recognizing its limitations. Despite this, computers facilitate the writing process and reduce anxiety, especially in ESL writers, and are now considered essential in education, forcing a rethinking of writing instruction.

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Technology in the Writing Class: Uses and Abuses

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RESEARCH TRENDS IN COMPUTER-ASSISTED WRITING INSTRUCTION

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RESEARCH TRENDS IN COMPUTER-ASSISTED WRITING INSTRUCTION

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Empirical research on the effects of technology on ESL writers' processes, texts, and attitudes is sparse. Since 1996, there has been an increase in technology options and resources, as well as articles on how teachers have used tools such as e-mail and online discussions in their writing courses. Although new technology options are presented to literacy teachers, we are currently unable to empirically assess their impact on students or their written production.

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Nonetheless, detractors (and proponents who are less enthusiastic about computers) pointed out that some studies have yielded less positive results. At the same time, as Pennington (2003) noted, most studies reporting negligible or negative results of word processing were conducted in the 1980s, when the technology itself was far less user-friendly and available, and when students, their parents, and their teachers were completely unfamiliar with it.

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What Are the Effects of Word Processing?

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What Are the Effects of Word Processing?

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Effects on the Writing Process: Planning, Revision, Collaboration Studies of computer-based writing have shown that, although some suggest that word processors may inhibit planning, others emphasize that this reflects a change in writing style. Advantages include increased motivation to revise, greater awareness of the writing process, and faster writing, while disadvantages include anxiety due to unfamiliarity with the hardware and focus on superficial features.

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Studies indicate that L2 learners write more and produce longer texts with computers, which tends to correlate with better quality. However, the informality of the medium can lead to experimental texts, and teachers should avoid distracting students with secondary aspects. Technology can improve writing, but it does not guarantee a positive transformation without careful consideration of its potential problems.

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: Students, especially ESL students, derive great affective benefits from word processing, improving their attitudes and motivations for writing in English. In addition, writing on a computer is faster and easier, which can encourage writers to produce more text.

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Several researchers have examined the differences between class sessions conducted in a computer lab setting and those conducted in traditional classroom environments (Bernhardt et al. The findings of these studies, coupled with evidence from other reports, reflect clear differences between writing instruction in traditional classes and computer lab sessions.

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Beyond Word Processing: What Are the Effects of Other Types of Technology on L2 Writing?

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Beyond Word Processing: What Are the Effects of Other Types of Technology on L2 Writing?

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Although word processing is the most widely studied and used computer application in composition research and teaching, there are other computer-based writing tools. These include interactive and adaptive software, such as the University of Texas' Daedalus program, which guides students through various aspects of the composition process, such as invention, organization, and revision of texts, as well as offering text analyzers to check spelling, grammar, and style.

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There are technological tools that help analyze texts, such as spelling and grammar checkers, which can identify errors and provide quantitative data about the text. However, these tools are limited, as they apply fixed rules without understanding the context. This can be problematic, especially for learners of English as a second language (L2), who tend to rely on them without questioning their suggestions. Studies show that this can lead to shorter texts, with fewer revisions, and a reliance on software feedback. Therefore, teachers should teach students to use these tools critically and not let them become a crutch.

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Online-Utility.org
Utilities for Online Operating System

Free software utility which allows you to find the most frequent phrases and frequencies of words. Non-English language texts are supported. It also counts number of words, characters, sentences and syllables. Also calculates lexical density.

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Text Analysis Online Program. Finds most frequent phrases and words, gives overview about text style, number of words, characters, sentences and syllables.

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PEDAGOGICAL ISSUES IN COMPUTER-ASSISTED WRITING INSTRUCTION

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PEDAGOGICAL ISSUES IN COMPUTER-ASSISTED WRITING INSTRUCTION

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Considering these issues, ESL writing teachers who wish to use computers as an integral part of their writing courses have several practical decisions to make.

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PEDAGOGICAL ISSUES IN COMPUTER-ASSISTED WRITING INSTRUCTION

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Structuring Instruction Within the Computer Setting

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Structuring Instruction Within the Computer Setting

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Once a teacher decides to use a computer lab for classroom instruction, whether for all or part of the class time, experts agree that lab time should be carefully planned. Although instructors can and probably should allow students unstructured free writing time in the computer lab, they can take steps to use computer lab time for maximal benefit.

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Computers as a Supplement to Classroom Instruction

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Computers as a Supplement to Classroom Instruction

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In this model, teachers may also integrate various other technological components that we have already discussed:

• Requiring use of the Internet for research for assigned writing projects

• Giving students feedback via e-mail

• Requiring students to give and receive peer feedback online

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Computers as a Supplement to Classroom Instruction

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Web-Based Composition Courses

Many institutions offer online writing courses, where all material is posted on a website and interaction occurs through virtual media. However, many experts believe that face-to-face instruction is more effective for writing, although they acknowledge that online courses can be useful for students with time or access constraints. In addition, they see online instruction as a good complement to traditional courses.

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Grammar and Style Checkers and Other Dangers

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Grammar and Style Checkers and Other Dangers

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It is probably naïve, especially in university settings where correctors are available on campus networks, to prohibit their use. Teachers should confront this problem openly, discussing with students the problems and disadvantages of grammar checkers. Although L2 writing experts are less cautious about the use of spell checkers and thesauruses, students can use them more effectively if teachers point out their advantages and limitations. The same is true of electronic dictionaries and thesauruses, whose use may be more frequent because of their ease, so it is advisable for teachers to teach students how to use them correctly.