Integrating Feedback into Prospective English Language Teachers' Writing Process via Blogs and Portfolios.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of blogging and portfolio keeping on a group of pre-service teachers’ writing skill in a compulsory writing course at a tertiary level English language teaching (ELT) programme in Turkey. The study specifically looked into to what extent receiving feedback from course instructor and peers created ownership in writing and also to what extent giving feedback to peers’ writing through blogging and portfolios contributed to a group of prospective English language teachers’ writing skill. The study lasted two academic terms (28 weeks) with two groups; namely, portfolio group (30 student teachers) and blog group (29 student teachers). The blog group posted all their written work on personal blogs while the portfolio group kept personal portfolios for their written work. As part of blogging and portfolio keeping both groups also received feedback from course instructor and peers as well as providing feedback to other peers’ writing. Results of the study may suggest that blogs and portfolios emerge as effective tools to integrate feedback practice into writing process, offering course instructors and students ample time and practice outside ordinary English classes as a foreign language (EFL). The study also shows that the practice of blogging and portfolio keeping and specifically receiving and giving feedback both on paper and online contributes to student teachers’ writing skills significantly on basic elements of writing skill such as process, organization, content, language use, vocabulary, mechanics, and accuracy. In addition, receiving teacher’s feedback was reported as the most favourite type compared to receiving and giving peer feedback. Thus blogs and portfolios need to be integrated into writing classes in order to secure better benefits from writing practice in EFL contexts.