LOGO

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

1. Questions in comments

Triggered responses from most

students

2. Witty & humorous comment

Students are motivated to respond

in a relaxed & joking manner

3. Giving examples from personal

interests

Triggered a sense of belonging that

motivate students to leave comments

Student-Initiated Interaction

1. Encouraging comments on friend’s

blog

2. Comments including own opinions

Product of atmosphere of

collaborative learning

Considerable learner’s autonomy

Self-Expression

At the beginning

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