Report from Middle Earth: Using Blogs to Bring Fanfiction to the Language Classroom

REPORT FROM MIDDLE EARTH USING BLOGS TO BRING FANFICTION INTO THE LANGUAGE

CLASSROOMSHANNON SAURO & BJÖRN SUNDMARK

MALMÖ UNIVERSITY

Tasks, TBLT &Language Play

“an activity in which a person engages in order to attain an objective, and which necessitates the use of language”

(Van den Branden, 2006, p. 4)

“A rich source of inspiration for the development of such technology-mediated tasks can be found in the language play and language use of online media fandoms…”

(Sauro, 2014, p. 242)

Fanfiction

Source: drimaues.tumblr.com

• An L2 English learner’s development of a textual identity by creating a fan page and through interaction in fan spaces (Lam, 2000)

• Writing development of L2 English writers of fanfiction in anime fandoms (Black, 2006; 2009)

• Bilingual fanfiction writing practices of young Finnish fans of American television shows (Leppänen, et al, 2009)

Fanfiction and Language Learning

CAN FANFICTION BE INCORPORATED INTO ACTUAL CLASSROOM

SETTINGS TO MEET THE LEARNING NEEDS OF

STUDENTS?

THE BLOGGING HOBBIT

Swedish National Curriculum

Secondary (Grades 7-9) Develop English skills for reading/listening to

– “Literature and other fiction in spoken, dramatised and filmed forms” (Skolverket, 2011, p. 34);

Producing– “Oral and written narratives, descriptions and

instructions” (Skolverket, 2011, p. 35)

Upper Secondary (Grades 10-12)• “can use fiction, non-fiction and other forms of

culture as a source of knowledge, insight and pleasure” (Skolverket, 2013, p. 6)

Tasks & Timeline

1. Story Outline & Map of a Section of Middle Earth (6 Dec)

2. Collaborative Story of a Missing Moment from The Hobbit (19 Dec)

3. Reflective Paper (8 Jan)4. Oral Presentation (17 Jan)

Part I: Outline & Map

• develop an outline of major plot points of a collaborative story that consists of a missing moment from The Hobbit

&• create a map of an

unchartered section of Middle Earth in which this story takes place.

Addition

Extension

Alternate Universe

Part II: Collaborative Story

• Build upon the outline and map generate in Part I to write a blog-based collaborative story (role-play story) based on a missing moment from The Hobbit.

• Each writer will select one character and contribute to the story from that character’s voice and perspective.

• Each writer will generate at least 6 paragraph-length contributions to the collaborative story.

Parts III & IV: Reflective Paper and Presentation

1. What did the collaborative role-play writing process require you to pay careful attention to?

2. Describe at least two linguistic features of your character’s style of speaking or thinking that you were careful to include.

3. In what way can creative writing like this influence the development of reading, writing, listening and conversation skills in English?

11 Tales (49,445words)

Attention to Form

It is lying still, yet it spins aroundIt tries to move but its body is boundAll because of the precious it stoleFool us again and they eats it whole.

(from The Mirkwood Mysteries)

Careful Reading

“Usually I just plow through books like these to get a good story, but to suddenly look for “gaps” where we could create another story or to actually put myself in the mind of Bombur gave even more knowledge of the book.”

Collaboration

“First of all, let me start by saying that I am not a fan of creative writing. I enjoy reading but I absolutely loathe writing. With that said, I was pleasantly surprised with this task. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and I also think it is an excellent way of writing because of the help you can get from your fellow group members. … This type of group work generally improves the story both language wise and storytelling wise.”

On Blogging

Original Female Character

Through coal-black sludge, in the thicket you will trudge

With sticky feet, so sticky feetA safe road you allege, dwarves soon

hanging by a threadSeeing hairy legs, little Ori begs!

In the darkness you shall dance, through a pack of monsters prance.

They can’t see you, they can’t see youBut the thing that you carry is not all that

merryNot keen to linger, seeks its masters

fingerHe will see it retrieved, you will all be

deceivedThe Mirkwood will impede you.

(from Down in a Hole)

Look to Fandom

Draw upon texts with an existing fandom and allow their fanworks to guide the parameters of the assignment

Multimedia Texts

Multimedia texts will reach different types of learners, some of whom may not actually read fiction normally.

Find Technology that Fits

Consider:– The affordances of

the particular tool for narrative texts

– What is ubiquitous from your students’ perspective

– What technology they need to learn to use

Next Steps

• How can literary competence be promoted through fiction writing?

• What kind of language development did this project support (sociolinguistic & discourse competence?)