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Weblogs: a tool for EFL interaction, expression, and self-evaluation
Claudia Trajtemberg Androula Yiakoumetti
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Student-Initiated Interaction
Encouraging comments on friend’s blog Comments including own opinions Product of atmosphere of collaborative learning Considerable learner’s autonomy
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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
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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
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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
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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
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