Using blogs for stimulating interest, spurring motivation, and creating

community in L2 writing: an ongoing study

Lee Arnold

Seigakuin University

Introduction

• Blogs have expanded possibilities in computer- and web-based writing in TEFL given ease of use to learners and teachers alike (Blood, 2002)

• Blogs may also develop learner ability to evaluate and reflect on classroom writing assignments (Dieu, 2004) and promote both learner autonomy and engagement (Pinkman, 2005)

• Blogs may additionally help cultivate individual learner writer voices (Bloch, 2007) and create sense of learner writer-reader community (Sollars, 2007)

Blog support for learner writing

• Audio-visual capabilities of blogs exploitable for learner support in L2 writing

• Such capabilities typified by material and activities with music and imagery

• Such material and activities could enable learners to tap greater breadth and depth

Music and imagery in L2 writing

• Rationale in TEFL writing grounded in Asher’s Total Physical Response (1969) and Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (1983)

• Further support lent by Morrow’s (1977) definition of authentic materials and Breen’s (1985) criteria for use in TEFL

• Studies with music in TEFL focus on use of songs in listening or macro-skills classes with little on instrumental music or even role in writing

• Almost no research to date appears to be written up on use of visual art as motivation or stimulation for learner writing

Research questions

• Can blog-based activities with music and imagery yield greater expository reach in my learners?

• Can contextualizing my learner writing with blogs encourage greater sense of community in my writing classes?

Project background

• Sought out activities with music and imagery easy to set up and easy for learners to explore with in writing

• Reached for blog-supportable material that could contextualize learner writing into eventual publishable work and strengthen class cohesion

• Selected instrumental music rather than songs to allow learners greater imaginative range without distraction from lyrics

• Chose photography with unique back stories over reproductions of art as counter to abstract nature of music

Profile of writing classes

• Two classes of mainly first-year literature and culture majors in two private universities

• Levels from high beginner to low-intermediate with some in high-intermediate range

• Strong sense of cooperation on class activities among learners across all classes

Methodology

• Played four short pieces of music on CD without titles or information and asked learners to write stories about each in 1-3 paragraphs in notebooks

• Blog posted four photographs of places without background information and had them write stories about each in 1-3 paragraphs in notebooks

• Asked them to type up one story on music and one on imagery in Word to submit to two collections in which excerpts would be blog-published

• Posted videos and re-posted images for them after with links to Wikipedia articles on artists and photos but urged them not to change their content

Collection samples: Words on Music

This song is like a feeling of a young mother going somewhere to abandon her children, she does not have money to feed her children, so she will abandon her children in front of a house that looks like with a rich family inside, with a family richer than her, so probably the children will have a better life. For me this song demonstrate the unstable feelings and thoughts that she had when she go to abandon her children. At the beginning she feel that she is doing the right thing, with her act her children will be more happier in other family maybe her children can achieve something great! But in the way to the place she get regretful, she think about her living with her children, with many problems that her children causes but which makes her happy.

Once upon a time, there was the princess. The princess learned piano for a long time. So she practiced it. But one time, she was interested in one person. She saw him through the window. But she didn’t meet him and talk with him. So she did not know him very well. And he did not know her at all. But she fell in love. After a while, her dad introduced her to the person who dad wants her to marry with. She did not decide to her destiny. Because her parent’s right was strong. And she has ever stood. But this time is special for her. So she decided to run away from her house in her mind. She played the piano in her house at last. She remembered her life. Sometimes, she did not want leave with her parents. But she ran away from her house.

Collection samples: Words on Music

This has a negative image. The boy was very fat. When he was walking, he stuck in a hole. He was fat so he didn’t get out of a hole. He was writhing in pain. Many people assisted him but he did not get out. He reflected on what he had done for the day. He decided that go on a diet.

I will now write about the second piece of music. This music strong image is holiday morning. I woke up in bright natural light, and I thinking I hope today is a good day too! I will cook a breakfast, and I will be getting ready. When I’m ready, I eat a breakfast. After, I go out with my friends! I will go shopping, lunch, and play the Karaoke! I’m looking for this time.

In a certain house, thief comes up. The thief gets closer to the room on his tiptoes. When he goes into the room, there is a girl. She is a cute and beautiful girl, and fall asleep. The man falls in love with her at first sight. For a while, she wakes up and surprises him. And he forgets an original purpose and kidnaps her.

There is a girl who goes on an adventure. She is going to be in a very good mood, but she heard a strange noise. She was lonely. Just then, the figure of grandfather emerged in front of a girl, and he introduced his house near here. This house were five dwarfs, they welcome to her. For example, they played the music, and cooking. But, after a short time, she missed his mother, and she was cried. It can’t be helped, they gave her a night, and she was escaped by them next day.

Collection samples: Words on Music

An explorer searches for a treasure. A treasure sleeps in the grave. He devotes his life to it. He fined a clue of treasure. He went to Egypt. Then he solves cipher of treasure. He fined treasure at last. It is beautiful nature. There are many animal and fruit. And many animals are an endangered species. Though the treasure was not treasures, he feels very much.

This is strange music and a fun mood. I image cats are dancing at open space. Cats stand with two legs. Cats are talking, eating and something drink, and they look human. Today is the cat's dance party!

I imagine many a place with many adrenaline and laughs in the air. Many lights, many people, many feelings, many dramas on the stage and many hopes and dreams delivered for children and teenagers! But also for adults, it breaks the common sense that adults do not have dreams because they lived long time to give up their dreams for "real life." In this place, those type of people can learn that dreams are also real! This place is a circus.

(…) The circus troupe traveled from the town to the town. They pleased visitor. One day, a boy came to the troupe and said. ‘’Please join me!’’The boy became a member of troupe from the day. The boy left his parents and go to next town. And he became top of clown.

Collection samples: Words on Music

Analysis

• Less textured musical composition and instrumentation brought out most imaginative and generally lengthier writing

• Greater density in composition and instrumentation resulted in overall shorter and more impressionistic writing

• Such density may have hindered range of imaginative expanse and choices in vocabulary and description

• Learners nonetheless found project engaging in how blog support brought virtual outreach and context through publication

Collection samples: Places & Traces

The sea water is the bright incomparable sky-blue. It’s a beautiful day for the beach. Crowds are heading to the ocean shore. Beach towel dot the sand with color. Plastic buckets and balls roll round in the breeze. You can swim, you can wade or just rest. There are lots of things to do. It seems that people bring all the activities to the beach. But the sandy shore is a busy place even without tourists.

Look! There is an abandoned pirate ship on the sandy shore. Do you want to know more about the abandoned ship? Let me tell you.

Long long ago, a young man became a pirate after he ran away from home and joined the crew on a privateering ship. One day, he dreamt there be treasure on the sandy shore. So the next day he began to dig. He dug until the hole was deep and the dirt pile was high. He kept digging and sighed “I’m tired, I can’t dig anymore.” Then he spied something. But he only found a pirate ship. He was quite disappointed. When he wanted to give up his friend told him “let’s get in the ship, maybe the treasure is buried in it.” Finally, they got a small box and a little treasure. They took the treasure away but left the abandoned pirate ship on the sandy shore. Now, we can see it on picture.

Collection samples: Places & TracesThis house is in the U.S., and something bad happened in this house. This house has a scary story behind it, and now, nobody use this house, because many people know that story.

In 1985, the Moretzs moved in this house. They came from Canada. The family had a teenage son and parents looked too old, but they looked happy and very kindness, so neighbors are liked they and son made many friends in new high school.

One day son took high school friends in his house, and they played some games and talked with them. It was just looks fun and they had a good time, but next day son lost any friends, because one friend saw strange something, but it will never get clear, because the friend gone somewhere.

The Moretzs house was sometimes strange. Sometimes the house looks empty, no lights and very silent. In Jun 6th 1986, it just happened. Someone screamed. It heard at the Moretz house in the midnight, and it was very noisy, so neighbor went to Moretz house and said to they “What happened!? It’s 2 o’clock! Please be quiet!” but they still noisy, so neighbor called police. Then police knocked door but they did not answer, so police kicked door and looked around house, but the Moretzs were not in there. They are never appeared.

This trouble get difficult and mystery. In 2001, the police found the letter in the house. The letter was behind shelf. It written “Don’t find us. And don’t open the box. Andrew.” Who is Andrew? The friend who was gone? Or son? It does not still clear. Also box does not find yet now.

If somebody lived in this house, maybe something strange happened. Also nobody live in this house now.

Collection samples: Places & TracesI think this place was the USA, but a bad thing happened in there. This building was the most famous hotel in the USA. A lot of people stayed here and enjoyed many activities around there but this hotel became a target of terrorists!! One day bombing happened at there!!

It was the fine daytime of one day. Five men checked in this hotel. They looked kind, strong and around 30. They opened their trunks in their room. You think there were some goods to stay, but some bombs in there!! They took a walk inside of the hotel till the time of dinner. However, in fact, they went to set bombs. These were time bombs so they set time after they leave there.

Next day, they prepared to leave there. The interphone of the room rang before 30 minutes they left. One of them opened the door, there was a police man. He said that I arrest you. They arrested after all.

Why was the crime found? Since, a girl saw one of them set bomb. She told it to her mother and she told it to hotelman. He called police man during terrorists had a dinner. Police man checked it was bomb. They checked the surveillance camera but did not be careful around them so they were caught.

Collection samples: Places & TracesIn the ancient age, there was a man who worked in the sea and he brought his passengers from Italy to Israel. His name was Michael. He looked so tough but he had great kindness in his heart. His brown eyes were full of love and many people liked his gentle smile. He was poor but he was happy because all the man around him loved him and God he believed so much loved him, too.

One day, when he was waiting for his passenger in Italy, a beautiful woman came and asked, “Would you bring me to Israel? I have to go.” She had long blond hair with a glossy sheen, her blue eyes were so fascinating and her thick lips were attractive. She was well dresses in red and it made her more and more wonderful. As soon as Michael looked at the woman, he fell in love with her. Then, he said to God, “I love you and my heart must not be changed in the future, but I come to love another now. Do not get angry and let me marry to her with your power.”

Eight months later, there was Michael with the smiling woman dressed in pure white in the restaurant near the sea. Michael’s father got drunk because of red wine and his wife enjoyed talking with the mother of Michael’s new wife. Michael’s wish came true because of the special power and love of God. He and his new wife were happier. God was also happier and thought how nice this moment was.

But the happiest time for the two and God was not long. It was four years later that his wife came down with an illness. She had a fever and she felt thirsty all the time. As time passed, her condition was paler and paler. Her beautiful face was full of pain and with tears in her big blue eyes. Michael did not sleep well at night because he thought that his wife might die during his sleeping. He has lost his weight and become thinner and thinner and his eyes lost vitality. Everyone around him could not see his gentle smile they loved anymore. (…)

Analysis

• Realism of photographic imagery with vagueness of context may have enabled play of ideas and exploration of feeling to great dynamic

• Photographs with identifiable figures may have helped some learners realize further possibilities for characterization and depth

• Such possibilities may have brought forth more extensive and realized narrative framing though with some risk to grammatical precision

• Learners found blog links on readings and explication behind images surprising and thought-provoking as contrasts to first impressions

Conclusion

• Support capabilities and publishing functions of blogs can create context and develop interest and cohesion in learner writing classes

• Instrumental music and photography suitable for learner writing projects in building expository capacity with blog support

• Photography may result in more realized narrative sense but careful selection of instrumental music may also boost level of expository reach

• Blog publishing learner writing may motivate learners to write above where they may typically write to

References

Asher, J. (1969). The total physical response approach to second language learning. The Modern Language Journal, 53(1), 3-17.

Bloch, J. (2007). Abdullah’s blogging: a generation 1.5 student enters the blogosphere. Language Learning & Technology, 11(2), 128-141.

Blood, R. (2002). Weblogs: a history and perspective. In J. Rodzvilla (Ed.), We’ve got blog: how weblogs are changing culture, 7-16. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing.

Breen, M.P. (1985). Authenticity in the language classroom. Applied Linguistics 6(1), 60-70.

Dieu, B. (2004). Blogs for language learning. Essential Teacher, 1(4), 26-30.

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Morrow, K. (1977). Authentic texts in ESP. In S. Holden (Ed.), English for specific purposes. London: Modern English Publications.

Murray, L. & Hourigan, T. (2006). Using micropublishing to facilitate writing in the foreign language. In L. Ducate & N. Arnold (Eds.), Calling on CALL: from theory and research to new directions in foreign language teaching, 149-180. San Marcos, TX: Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium.

Pinkman, K. (2005). Using blogs in the foreign language classroom: encouraging learner independence. The JALT CALL Journal, 1(1), 12-24.

Sollars, V. (2007). Writing experiences in a second/foreign language classroom: from theory to practice. In M. Camilleri, P. Ford,, H. Leja & V. Sollars (Eds.), Blogs: web journal in language education, 15-24. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.

Disclaimer

I do not own the rights to the samples of music or images uploaded within

this presentation. They have been included solely for educational purposes.