GLoCALL 2011 - Effective implementation of a class blog in the traditional classroom setting

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October 28-29, Manila, Philippines

 

Effective implementation of a class blog in the traditional classroom setting: Toward more learner-centered EFL instruction
Mari Yamauchi

Keywords:

blogging, learner-centeredness, focus-on-form

Abstract:

Japanese university students not majoring in English have few opportunities to use English outside of the classroom, and tend to see English not as a tool for communication, but as just another subject to study. In this research, an online environment has been used to compensate for this disadvantage of EFL contexts and to provide a platform for students to share their writing and to post comments outside the classroom.

According to previous studies using Moodle which were conducted in 2010, this platform was not considered very user-friendly, especially by those students more accustomed to mobile phones than computers. Also, attitudes toward language and selection of topics might be implicated in student participation in online activities (Yamauchi 2011, Yamauchi & Uchida 2011).

Based on these findings, the following major modifications were incorporated in 2011.
i. A class blog was used as a platform, which allowed the students to post by email.
ii. Student blogging was explicitly integrated with class work.
iii. Topics and target language objectives were selected from the initial class survey, a Can-Do list adapted from CEFR, and students’ posts.
iv. Focus-on-form instruction was given before and after posting on a particular topic.

This presentation elucidates the above points and discusses the results to show what differences those modifications have made in student participation, and how student blogging, if successfully implemented, can motivate students to use English both in and outside the classroom.

References:

Presentation Slides:

M Yam

M Yam


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