Weblogs: a tool for EFL interaction, expression, and self-evaluation Claudia Trajtemberg Androula Yiakoumetti

Back Ground In the last decade, L2 learning with computer has shifted Blogs can potentially promote collaboration & interaction among L2 participants Experimental studies regarding the interaction strategies are not enough Individual Work Interaction among Learners Student-centered pedagogy

Aim of Article To identify the interaction strategies Teacher-initiated Student-initiated To examine whether blog technology promotes Interaction Self-expression Self-evaluation A sense of language progress

Blogs & Language Learning Blogs are inherently interactive Posting (writing), bloggers’ self-reflection, other bloggers’ reaction Bloggers actively engage with each other’s writing activities Less knowledge learners can learn from advanced learners

Project (At Univ. of Chile) Elective course aimed to develop students’ low-level English Focused on general English Required to carry out 13 tasks on their blogs 16 students, Age 20-22 native Spanish speaker 1 teacher, native English speaker

Teacher-Initiated Interaction Questions in comments Triggered responses from most students Witty & humorous comment Students are motivated to respond in a relaxed & joking manner Giving examples from personal interests Triggered a sense of belonging that motivate students to leave comments

Student-Initiated Interaction Encouraging comments on friend’s blog Comments including own opinions Product of atmosphere of collaborative learning Considerable learner’s autonomy

Self-Expression At the beginning By the end the blog is a course requirement By the end enjoyed writing the blog English became both the medium & object of expression

Self-Evaluation & Sense of Language Progress By looking at their writing week after week Realized own achievements By doing tasks with a clear communicative purpose Developed a sense of progress & self-evaluation Anyone can read students’ writings Motivation to improve their English

The Efficacy of Blogs Transformed activities of reading & writing into more engaging tools for learners Writing in L2 was less threatening Writing English became a real communicative purpose Students’ desire to learn was reignited

Conclusion Blogs are useful in EFL assist in motivating learners… To use language for a real communicative purpose To write in English in a new style Because of its interactivity promote … Self-expression Self-evaluation A sense of language progress