Task 2 -Article Review

Title : An exploratory of Language Learning
Journal : Language Learning & Technology
http://llt.msu.edu/vol13num2/sun.pdf
Volume : June 2009, Volume 13, Number 2
pp.83 – 103
Author’s name : Yu – Chih Sun
Designation : In this study, the author uses voice blogs as a platform for a
through study of language learners’ speaking skills.
Background : The data in this study is collected from surveys based on the
learners’ blogging processes, investigating learning strategies and
conducting retrospective interviews at National Chiao Tung
University.

Paragraph 1- Summary of the article
The aims of this research are to use voice blogs as a tool to conduct a broad study of language learners’ speaking skills. The idea of using voice blogs is based on previous studies (Betts & Glogoff, 2005; Bloch, 2007), which have supported the assertation that blogs can facilitate language teaching and learning effectively. This study focuses primarily to enhance learners’ language complexity, grammatical correctness, and fluency (Hewett, 2000 ; Pellettieri, 2000).This study wants to provide a theoretical and pedagogical foundation that the extensive practice on blogs can constitute an integral part of instruction and through blogging students would be able to voice out their thoughts by making them publicly available. The research questions which structures the study are , ‘What are the learners’ learning processes and learning strategies in voice – blog activities?’ and ‘What emerging themes define the perceptions of students’ blogging experiences?’ In this study, the methodology which is used to collect the findings are by surveying the learners’ blogging processes, looking at learning strategies in detail and conducting retrospective interviews. The blog entries would facilitate users ’
reflection on the content of the blog and also to cultivate development of metacognitive strategies to monitor the progress of learning through blogging (Richardson, 2006;Xie & Sharma, 2004).The subjects of this study are 46 college students from Taiwan in two oral communication classes which are taught by teacher-researcher. The first class consists of 24 and the second class consists of 22 students. Out of these 46 students, 15 were female and 31 were male students. The average age of the students is 20.67 years. Only one of the students’ is a freshman, 14 were sophomores, 8 were juniors, 22 were seniors and one of them was a graduate student. These students had been studying English as a foreign language for almost nine years, and almost all of them had never studied abroad in an English – speaking country. The objective of the course was to enhance participants’ oral proficiency in English by giving them chances to practice speaking and to enhance their public presentation skills. The findings from the survey indicate that the self-reported average time that every student spent creating a voice- blog entry ranged widely.24% of students spent less than 5 minutes on every blog posted, 31% of them spent 5 to 15 minutes, 38% spent 15-30 minutes and 7% spent more than 30 minutes. In this study, a lot of students posted their blogs all at once rather than spacing them out throughout the semester. The results from this study reveal students go through many blogging stages like conceptualizing, brainstorming, articulation, monitoring and evaluating. The findings also suggest that blogs constitute a dynamic forum that caters extensive practice, learning motivation, authorship and development of learning strategies.

Paragraph 2 – Your reaction
I find this research very interesting because I think it is very fresh, creative and not to mention, a very ambitious idea. There are a lot of cases where students with very good opinions, are frustrated because they are unable to voice out due to their limitations in terms of speech. By using voice blogs, students are not limited to the confinement of their classrooms, when it comes to sharing their opinions and also argue their points when they have differences. Through voice blogs, students can avoid their anxiety which they tend to feel in their classroom because of their incompetence in the language. Voice blogs also promote independent learning which is very important for students in varsity. Students are allowed to take full control of their learning and they can go as far as their potential would allow them according to their own free will. Through voice blogs, students can think about certain areas for an extended period of time compared to when they are in their classes. When they have more time to think about a certain topic, they will be able to come up with good, prepared answers and also strong references to backup their points. I think this is very important because it helps student to become more confident in their learning and proud when they are able to enhance their speaking on their own. I think the research is well conducted because it did help students to a certain extent. However, this study gives a lot of options and also space to students. So, it is up to them to either use it wisely or misuse it because it allows them the freedom to use it according to their own time. I think, this course would work on students who are focused and are very serious in their education. In the real world, students come in various degrees of focus. I think, this research can be improved by giving it a little bit more structure. For example, students should be given deadlines for every one of their voice blogs, so their progress would be more consistent and their improvement more noticeable. The implication of the research in the teaching and learning of ESL in general is that it can be very effective if some structure is instilled in the course to make sure students are consistent and to evaluate their progress over time and not just slot it at the end of the semester. I think it will work just as well in the Malaysian context because this would be a very good course to be tried and tested on our students to help them gradually improve their speaking.