I have to admit, I have never really thought about the influence that spell check has had on my writing. It has always just been there. I saw it as a harmless advisor that would point out basic mistakes as I was typing. As a mediocre typist, I spend most of my time looking at the keys, so it is nice to have a way to keep track of what I was actually typing. For me, the spell check has always remained a tool though, and not a form of instruction. I have always been able to look at the suggestions and reject them if they did not make sense, or if they went against a style that I was trying to use. Because I have thought so little of my own use of spell check, I have not given it much thought in terms of my students either. This is something that I need to remedy.
I believe that part of my duty as a teacher is to instruct my students in the skills that are going to be most relevant to them. These skills are not limited to what they will need on a test, but should include real-life skills that will really make a difference. As McGee and Ericsson say, I need to become “more than a user of technology.” I need to teach my students how to evaluate technology and how to wield it as a tool and not a crutch. My students need to be able to make decisions on their own in terms of their revision choices. I am sure that most of my students just click the first option that comes up when they check their grammar and spelling, if they check their grammar and spelling. I need to model for them the process that they should take in order to evaluate their options and choose the one that best suits their needs.
I also need to emphasize with my students when it is best to use this tool. In class, I try to lead students through steps in writing that allow them to progress from their initial ideas to a finished product. I can help students to develop ideas, and focus on how they choose to express them while they are in my classroom. When they leave the classroom, however, they are their own. They are at the mercy of their computer. They can become too concerned with grammar and spelling mistakes and forget about their ideas. If they are writing a piece of dialogue, they may be lead away from their own choices and guided by the choices of a programmer. The key is not forcing students to avoid using the tool, it can be a benefit to their writing, but to instruct them on how to use it correctly and as an aid and not a hindrance. It is just another step in educating students in how to interact with their world and not just be moved along by it.
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Nic,
ReplyDeleteI agree entirely with you. While McGee and Ericsson make the elements of MS Word seem like pernicious threats to students, such tools can be a great benefit when used properly. In fact, I will openly admit that I employ them within my own writing on a daily basis, especially since my spelling tends to be atrocious. However, just as you, I have learned to monitor my usage and call into question the possible corrections presented by the program which seem dubious. Having worked in the Writing Room as a tutor, though, I’ve seen firsthand how many students will automatically choose the first option which appears without thinking twice about whether it may or may not be correct. Prior to reading McGee and Ericsson’s text, I mechanically assigned this act as an error on the student’s behalf; however, after seeing within the article just how influential these elements of MS Word can be, I slowly came to realize that the students were doing what they had assumed was correct. Hence, as you stated, we, as teachers of writing, should take it upon ourselves to enlighten students on the dangers and advantages of the program. As you have mentioned, MS Word is a tool which can be employed to better the writing process. We, as instructors, need to realize this and not force students to avoid using such a tool. We must, therefore, instruct them on how to use it the program correctly so that it will serve as an aid rather than an impediment.
Thomas
I agree that we need to give a tutorial to our students on choosing from the options that spell or grammar check may offer. But worse than the computer messages are the ones that I send when I guide them in the revision stage. It is important that they get their piece down on paper first; the content is ultimately the most important. But I have to guard against the knee jerk impulse to help them clean up their conventions before I conference about the ideas in the paper. Sometimes I am worse than the MS Word choices, in suggesting options too quickly or at all.
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