Wattpad - A Cultural Artefact

Two Ideas on how I would use Wattpad in my NZ classroom

Both these lessons incorporate all the key competencies in the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Whariki.

Before we start both tasks, students will discuss digital citizenship through the discussion of the following posters.

1) I would like to get my ELL students to write a non-fiction book on Spelling. The idea behind this is that Wattpad stories are criticised by teachers for their lack of linguistic accuracy- spelling, grammar and punctuation.

First, I teach the top 10 spelling rules.

Then, I get each student to research and specialise in one or two spelling rules. Each of them designs a Wattpad page about the rules assigned to them.

Then I collate all the pages into one book.

Together, as a class we correct some spelling errors on some Wattpad stories (with the writers permission).

We start a spelling service for Wattpad writers in return for votes on our spelling book.

2) I would like to get my junior English students to write fan fiction.

Scaffolding

First, I would survey the students to find out if they already join a fandom or write fan fiction.

Then I would get the students discuss and focus one fandom or fan fiction to write.

I select 3 possible Wattpad stories as models to focus on and we study how the story is written. (Click the Story Notes button) I explain my selection process and students come up with class guidelines on how to select model texts.

Students are grouped into threes given a different story element to change in any one of the stories.

Students present their stories and get more ideas and feedback from the whole class. Students upload their stories online and invite a beta reader to give them feedback.

The writing task

Better students are encouraged to write their own fan fiction on any subject of interest while weak students could work in pairs. Students are encouraged to follow the same steps:

a) select a suitable model text

b) change one or more story elements

c) seek in-class feedback and ideas

d) revise and post work online

e) ask for feedback from readers and fandom followers

f) respond to comments with gratefulness

g) correct draft

Evaluate

We reflect on the writing task and the process. Students give feedback on how it could be done better and if they wish to invite others in the school community to view their work in other spaces such as the school library.

A space which in the future may look like this :) 

Just joking.

Not.

;-)

Reference

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.