1. Peer Feedback through Blogs in Second Language Writing: A Case of a Vietnamese EFL Classroom Phuong T. T. Nguyen Ho Chi Minh University of Pedagogy – Vietnam GloCALL 2010 Kota Kinabalu - Sabah

2. Introduction Blogs is a useful tool through which languages can be taught and learned (Campbell, 2003; Dippold, 2009; Penrod, 2007, Pinkman, 2005; Soares, 2008) Research has also been done to explore the effects of blog utilization in L2 writing (Dippold, 2009; Pinkman, 2005).

3. However, ▫insufficient attention has been paid to blogs and their influences on language teaching/learning. ▫studies about the use of blogs in L2 writing are limited, especially in the context of Vietnamese EFL classes.

4. Literature Review 1.Peer Feedback in Second Language Writing 2.Studies on L2 Writing through Blogs

5. Peer Feedback in Second Language Writing The impact of peer response on students’ attitude negative attitude (Amores, 1997; Zhang, 1995) positive attitude (Jacobs, Curtis, Braine & Huang, 1998; Mendonca & Johnson, 1994; Tsui & Ng, 2000)

6. The relationship between peer feedback, revisions and better quality of writing positive impact (Mendonca et al, 1994; Miao, Badger and Zhen (2006); Rollinson, 2005, Villamil & Guerrero, 1998)

7. In short, most researchers contend that peer feedback: ▫ results in positive attitude among ESL/EFL learners. ▫ is welcomed by learners in their writing revisions and in some way, leads to better quality of their revised drafts.

8. Studies on L2 Writing through Blogs BLOGS Learner independence (Pinkman, 2005) Learning attitude (Soares, 2008; Dippold, 2009) Peer feedback to L2 writing through blogs (Dippold, 2009; Pinkman; 2005; Wu, 2006)c

9. positive attitudes towards peer feedback on blogs Peer feedback to L2 writing through blogs (Dippold, 2009; Pinkman; 2005; Wu, 2006)

10. However, few studies deal with the question of whether peer review on blogs results in revision in students’ final drafts. Most researchers did not discuss either whether the feedback on blogs was oriented to students’ revision or if the comments posted really contributed to students’ writing.

11. Research Questions 1.What do EFL students think of blogs as a tool to practice L2 writing? 2.Are the comments posted by students revision- oriented? 3.When the comments are revision-oriented, do they result in revision in students’ final draft?

12. Method Participants 11 undergraduate students taking a course of English for International Tourism English proficiency level: pre-intermediate (except 2 participants who were less competent than the others)

13. Instruments Students’ drafts for two writing topics (related to tourism and focused on the argumentative genre) The comments they posted Their responses to a questionnaire in which students answered 3 questions 1.What do you think of using blogs to practice writing in English? 2.What were you thinking when giving comments to your friends? 3.Did you use your friends’ comments in your final drafts? Do you think they were helpful to you?

14. Procedure Input was presented in class. Students posted their first draft on their personal blogs Students made comments on their friends’ drafts. Students made changes to their final draft and posted it on their blog. 2 days 5 days 2 days *After finishing 2 topics, they were asked to respond to a questionnaire (with their drafts serving as stimuli).

15. Data analysis RQ 1 students’ responses to the first two questions in the questionnaire were analyzed qualitatively. RQ 2 students’ comments are coded and counted as revision-oriented and nonrevision-oriented (Liu & Sandler, 2003). RQ 3 1.Students’ 1 st and 2 nd drafts were scrutinized  identify any evidence that students had incorporated their peers’ feedback in their final drafts 2. Students’ responses to the questionnaire  gain insights into students’ revision process

16. Results Research question 1: What do ELF students think of blogs as a tool to practice L2 writing? The students ▫Stated that blogging was a very “new, interesting” and “useful” way to practice writing in English ▫Felt motivated to write in English and give feedback to their friends’ drafts ▫Reported that when they were engaged in the giving feedback process, they had to think of their own writing ▫Claimed that they learned a lot from their friends’ responses

17. Two students expressed their lack of confidence when giving feedback to their friends’ drafts, claiming that ▫(1) they were not familiar with blogs and ▫(2) they got tired of checking the dictionary. Lien:It’s a good and useful way to get more knowledge and learn more about grammar when writing and getting feedback. However, I’m not quite familiar with blogs, so it can be difficult sometimes. Also, I think it can be difficult for some people whose English is not so good, because they’ll have to check the dictionary all the time. It can be very tiring. To sum up, I think people who really like English should take part in this activity.

18. One participant was concerned with the questions of identity on when giving feedback through blogs and preferred to be anonymous. Kim:I didn’t comment frankly because I was afraid that my friends would not be pleased. I think we should name our blog so that nobody knows whose blog it is. It would be more comfortable if nobody in the class knew who I am.

19. Research question 2: Are the comments posted by students revision-oriented? The comments were focused mostly on language use (i.e. grammar, vocabulary, and spelling). Content received less attention from the student reviewers, and there was no feedback on organization. TotalRevision- oriented Percentage 633149%

20. Research question 3: When the comments are revision-oriented, do they result in revision in students’ final draft? 90% of the revision-oriented comments posted by the students were accepted either completely or partially. Students employed their friends’ suggestions when refining their essays, especially comments about language use (i.e. spelling, structures, and word use). Comments related to the ideas of the essays were not considered valuable.

21. Discussion Research question 1: The students highly valued the use of blogs as an opportunity for them to practice writing in the target language. The students agreed that: ▫posting their essays on blogs was an appealing way of learning writing (Dippold, 2009; Pinkman, 2005; Soares, 2008). ▫being asked to give comments to their friends’ writing offered students a chance to think critically about their own writing. ▫the feedback helped them have a better way to express their ideas (Dippold, 2009; Pinkman, 2005).

22. However, there are two students (who were at a lower level of English proficiency compared to the other students and unfamiliar with blogging) reported that they were not confident when giving feedback to their friends’ essays.  It is suggested that either low English proficiency level or computer incompetence could have caused the lack of confidence among these students when they reviewed their friends’ essays on blogs.

23. Research question 2: The findings indicate that 49% of the comments posted on the students’ blogs are oriented to the revision process.  It can be concluded that blogs can be a useful way for students to get feedback from other students.

24. However, no comments about organization of the essay were made on students’ sites.  The proficiency level of these student could have been influenced the language aspects focused in their comments. It could have been less challenging for them to look at the “surface features” (Leki, 1990) and content rather than the broader aspects of writing (i.e. organization).

25. Research question 3: Most of the comments about language use brought about revision in the students’ final drafts.  Blogs can be used as a beneficial tool to help students practice writing. However, most comments about content did not secure any improvement in their final production (which is at odds with a conclusion made by Miao et al (2006) who found that students preferred feedback on meaning to feedback on surface features).  Students’ lack of time could have been a factor which made corrections on grammar or word use much easier than revising the content of the first drafts.

26. Implications Blogs should be used more widely in language classrooms as a way to raise students’ intrinsic motivation and bring about more learning in students. In order to make peer feedback through blogs more effective, instructions on how to give feedback are necessary.

27. Limitations Use a set of questions in their study or conduct interviews with their participants  gain more insight into students’ perceptions Use a larger sample size  produce results that can be more generalized

28. Conclusion This study attempts to examine ▫how students react to the utilization of blogs for peer feedback in second language writing, ▫whether the feedback contribute to revision, ▫and whether it secure revision in students’ final drafts. The results show that ▫students found practicing writing on blogs appealing and embraced the comments posted on their site, and ▫the feedback was helpful in helping the students in refining the drafts.

29. Therefore, blogs should be employed as a tool for students to practice L2 writing as well as review their friends’ drafts. However, students have to be instructed on how to give comments so that their comments can be beneficial to L2 writers.

30. References Amores, M. J. (1997). A new perspective on peer-editing. Foreign Language Annuals, 30(4), 513-523. Campbell, A. P. (2003). Weblogs for use with ESL classes. The Internet TESL Journal, 9(2). Retrieved May 30, 2009, from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Campbell-Weblogs.html. Dippold, D. (2009). Peer feedback through blogs: student and teacher perceptions in an advanced German class. ReCALL, 21(1), 18-36. Jacobs, G. M., Curtis, A., Braine, G. & Huang, S. Y. (1998). Feedback on student writing: Taking the middle path. Journal of Second Language Writing, 7(3), 307-317. Leki, I. (1990). Coaching from the margins: Issues in written response. In B. Kroll (Ed.), Second language writing: research insights for the classroom (pp. 57–68). New York: Cambridge University Press. Liu, J. & Hansen, J. G. (2002). Peer response in second language writing classrooms. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press.

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