Harnessing writing in the wild: Practical applications of affinity spaces for English language instruction

Abstract

In this article the author explores ways in which affinity spaces (Gee, 2004) can be adapted for English language instruction. Affinity spaces attract participants who enthusiastically share their passions, such as popular culture, video games, or literature. Researchers have found that affinity spaces contribute to improvements in reading (Steinkuehler, Compton‐Lilly, & King, 2010) and writing (Black, 2007) literacy of both native English speakers and English language learners. Previous research has explored applications of these spaces in language instruction, including incorporating topics from popular culture in courses and engaging students in online writing (Sauro & Sundmark, 2016). Other adaptations have used the online content of affinity spaces as materials for language analysis in the classroom (Thorne & Reinhardt, 2008). This article breaks down the characteristics of affinity spaces (Gee & Hayes, 2012) and proposes them as a framework aimed to harness the benefits of affinity spaces for English language classroom adaptation. These practical applications include student‐selected course activity topics, sharing student writing online, and taking on leadership roles in an online environment.

Domesticar la ‘selva digital’: El fanfiction a examen a través de la mirada de una fanfictioner

“…Tabla 4: Sugerencias para el desarrollo de la competencia lectora y escritora, literaria y aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras a partir de las características del fanfiction y los espacios de afinidad en línea. Fuente: Ampliación y adaptación de Halaczkiewicz (2019). El alumnado puede explorar los espacios del fanfiction con una guía de observación en línea, nutrida con capturas de pantalla anotadas, y escribir pequeñas descripciones de lo que hallen para nutrir de contenido la web sobre esta práctica, por ejemplo, en Wikipedia.…”

Podcasting for peace: Resettled refugee youths' self‐sponsored counter‐storytelling practices

“…Within this English as an additional language (EAL) context, the NYHU podcast presents an opportunity to harness the largely “untapped potential” (Lindenman & Rosinski, 2020, p. 17) of nonacademic writing within formal educational contexts. As Halaczkiewicz (2020) suggested, ESOL educators can and should draw upon such self‐sponsored multimodal composing practices to further develop English language skills in academic contexts. Accordingly, we focus on Asifa and her peers' counter‐storytelling (Martinez, 2020; Solórzano & Yosso, 2002) for peace in the NYHU podcast as a case study in self‐sponsored composition with important implications in ESOL education.…”