Expressing opinions through blog-ideas of the ESL students

This case study aimed at exploring the use of blog in helping ESL student to express ideas. The study investigated the participants’ responses, perceptions and feelings while and after engaging in blogging, and providing and receiving comments. A class of 30 ESL students participated in this study. Topics were given every week for eight consecutive weeks. Participants were free to log on to the blogs. Data from the blog content and self assessment rubrics were collected concurrently with the study. At the end of the study, participants answered questionnaire. Semi-structure interviews were conducted. Data were coded with initial coding, followed by focused coding. Data from the four sources were triangulated. Three major themes emerged from the study. Firstly, based on the number of entries, it is found that blogging motivated the majority of the participants to voice out their opinions. Secondly, comments in blogging serve important roles to the participants. Thirdly, participants learned new knowledge and skills through blogging. The findings suggested that blogging could be an effective tool for student teachers to express, share and disseminate ideas on various current issues that could be incorporated in classroom teaching and learning.