1. Reading & Discussing Literature Online Chris Lima 46 th IATEFL Annual Conference - Glasgow 20 March 2012

2. Overview The Reading Group The questions The ideas The interactions Some findings Relevance & implications Questions

5. The questions How do people respond to texts read in the group? What stories do they tell about their participation in the group? In particular, to what extent and in what ways are such responses and narratives related to: The contact with the literary texts? The group interaction? The online environment?

6. The ideas Reader-response theory (Iser - Fish - Barthes) Social-construction of knowledge (Vygotsky) Intertextuality (Kristeva) Dialogism & Heteroglossia (Bakhtin) Literature can help to promote language learning Brumfit- Widdowson Reading and writing about stories can facilitate reflective practice - Schon Computer communication technology can help to promote language learning - Lamy & Hampel Literature and new media technology can be compatible

7. The data Posts on the Group forum Online survey Framed narratives Discourse analysis Statistical analysis Posts themes other posts narratives Literary texts

8. The interactions

9. Some findings An individuals online forum voice is frequently a combination of many other voices. Responses to literary texts are highly shaped by the language of the text itself. Fictional narratives frequently generate readers narratives. The most frequent response to literary texts are transformations. The most frequent response to other members posts are appropriations. The text read Group experiences Previous readings Personal experiences Other readers comments Professional experiences

10. Relevance & Implications To better understand how teachers created their textual discourses about texts. To better understand how teachers create meaning, build understanding and share knowledge in online professional communities. To re-evaluate the use of literature in teacher education and language learning development.

11. professional self-confidence language awareness and development IT skills development change in classroom reading practices development/change in approaches to literature in ELT Involvement in other professional initiatives intercultural competence Relevance & Implications

12. References Bakhtin, M. M. (1981) The Dialogic Imagination. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. Bakhtin, M. M. (1986) Speech Genres and Other Late Essays. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. Barthes, R. (1977) Image Music Text. London: FontanaPress Brumfit, C and R. Carter (1986) Literature and Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Fish, S. (1982). Is there a text in this class? Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Iser, W. (2000). The range of interpretation. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. Kristeva, J. (1980) Desire in Language. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Lamy, M.N. and R. Hampel (2007) Online Communication in Language Learning an Teaching - Research and Practice in Applied Linguistics. Basingstoke: Palgrave. Schön, D.A. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Widdowson, H. (1982) The use of literature. TESOL Convention plenary address. Detroit: Hines and Rutherford. Vygostky, L. (1962) Thought and Language. Boston: MIT.

13. Thank you M.C.B.Lima@open.ac.uk