The Role of Collaborative Literacy Practices and Storytelling in Bilingual Development

Abstract

This study employs autoethnography as a narrative qualitative methodology to explore how collaborative writing (CW) with a native English-speaking peer influenced the English language development of a young Korean girl. It addresses an overarching question: How does collaborative storytelling contribute to English language development and inform effective second language pedagogy? Data was collected from 1993 to 2004 and include drawings, letters, books, and emails that document the learner’s evolving literacy practices over time. This study applies the concept of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) to examine how sustained, one-on-one interaction with an American friend enabled the learner to perform beyond her independent linguistic capabilities. Through collaborative writing, the friend served as a more capable interlocutor, providing ongoing mediation that supported vocabulary acquisition, narrative competence, and growing confidence in English expression. The findings reveal the transformative impact of meaningful social interaction on second language acquisition, highlighting the importance of sustained collaboration, early literacy experiences, and responsive pedagogical contexts. This study underscores the value of integrating collaborative writing into English language education for bilingual development.