Technology is just a tool.
In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them,
the teacher is most important
Bill Gates
There exist different teaching approach strategies that can be used in foreign language teaching: communicative, reading, audio-lingual approaches, cognitive, memory-related strategies, etc. In this article we are going to research the benefits and drawbacks of blogs in teaching a foreign language.
Blog (short for Weblog) is a Web site that often resembles an online journal. It contains reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the author [5]. Due to its easy creation and a minimum of IT skills required, it is a good personal interactive e-diary/journal for a language learner. Blog is a free-of-charge, open-to-public writing space.
There exist three types of blogs:
- tutor blog (it gives daily reading practice related to the learner interest and may have links to online sources for further reading and self-study, reminds learners about homework assignments);
- class blog (it is like a free-form bulletin board for learners to post messages, furthers the development of research and writing skills, may provide a virtual space for an international classroom language exchange);
- learner blog (may be used for reading and writing classes. These blogs help tutors know the interests of their learners for later discussion of these topics at classes) [3].
The use of blogs in the educational process has a number of advantages. Blogs:
- help learners improve their computer skills (such as keyboarding skills, Internet searching, etc.);
- motivate learners to use a foreign language in their daily lives;
- help learners improve language skills;
- provide functional communicative experience and enable learners to voice their inner ideas;
- encourage online learner verbal exchange;
- promote creative works (writing a story, essay, poetry, etc.);
- motivate learning process;
- make learning more student-centered;
- provide lecturers with a quick access to students writing for its future analysis and assessment;
- enhance the sense of community in a class;
- stimulate out-of-class discussion [1, 7, 8].
A blog is a great example of a contextualized learning environment. It provides a contextual background for learners to develop their social and communication skills and share their experience [6].
However, there are certain disadvantages to the use of blogs in teaching a foreign language. They are:
- it is necessary to have a special classroom with access to the Internet and a technician to keep the computers and network working properly;
- both lecturers and learners must be computer-literate before starting to use blogs;
- it is time consuming to keep the blog up-to-date;
- lack of personal communication;
- in general, learners work independently without a lecturer’s assistance [2].
To make a blog-based class successful requires a lot of preparation. Success presumes that:
- class material is organized in a blog;
- class blog is viewable by all learners;
- learners have their own blogs for posting assignments;
- learners can edit their writing and the teacher can add comments to the writing;
- the blogging service must be free [4].
On the whole, the success of teaching and learning depends on the tasks a lecturer uses, his ability to relate well to different groups of students of different ages and ability levels, his empathy with learners and his creativity. A blog, if properly used, helps develop reading and writing skills, vocabulary knowledge, cultural awareness, and promotes intercultural communication. However, a lecturer should integrate blog learning with other useful teaching strategies, such as role plays, discussions, project work, etc., which together provide a low-stress environment for learners and give them opportunities to interact and use a foreign language for communication.
References:
1. Blogging for ELT. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/blogging-elt (accessed April 17, 2015).
2. Blogs in education. URL: http://teachinglearningresources.pbworks.com/w/page/19919542/Blogs %20in %20Education (accessed April 17, 2015).
3. Campbell A. P. Weblogs for use with ESL classes. http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Campbell-Weblogs.html (accessed April 17, 2015).
4. Creating a writing course utilizing class and student blogs. http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Johnson-Blogs/ (accessed April 17, 2015).
5. Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary. URL: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blog (accessed April 17, 2015).
6. Two ways to contextualize. http://coerll.utexas.edu/methods/modules/technology/02/twoways.php
7. Warschauer M., Turbee L., & Roberts B. Computer learning networks and student empowerment. System. 1996. 24 (1), p. 1–14.
8. Webquests and blogs: web-based tool for EFL teaching. http://www.apac.es/publications/documents/Webquest_weblog_paper.pdf (accessed April 17, 2015).
