The difficulties of teaching literature in foreign languages and how can using blogs be a motivator for learners.

1. The use of blogs in
teaching and learning:
the case study of a
literature module
ANNIE GIRARDIN-HALPIN
ASSOCIATE TEACHER
UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK

2. Literature: a challenge in teaching
foreign languages
A welter of reasons for, or benefits
of, teaching literature in the FL
classroom have been proffered by
a variety of authors. (Sell)
Cultural
enrichment
motivation
Linguistic
model
Language
acquisition
and
Language
awareness
Interpretative
abilities
literature in foreign language courses
Convenience

3. Literature in foreign languages
Difficulties for learners Students need to read for
themselves, think critically
about what they read, and
then express and develop
their responses through
discussing and writing Nance,
Kimberly A. Teaching Literature in the
Languages, Prentice Hall, Boston, 2010
• Linguistic competence
• Scarce prior exposure to
literary works
• Reluctance to express
one’s opinion
• Heavy reliance on lecture
notes
• Lack of critical and analytical skills

4. QUESTIONS FOR TEACHERS/LECTURERS
 How can we teach students to be
independent, critical, logical and analytical
in their thinking?
 How can we encourage them to devote
time to self-learning?

5. Using Blogs as a motivator
Definition of a Blog
in a language learning context
“Short for weblog, a blog is […] a venue in which
they [language learners] can reflect, comment,
question, review and communicate – outside
the classroom in an authentic environment.”
Pinkman 2005, p.13.
 And for our purpose, helping them to read and
follow the literary text.
 Educational tool

6. Example of classroom blogging
in UL
 4th year students
 2 modules
1. FR4147 (1st semester of 4th year –
various courses)
2. FR4928 (2d semester of 4th year –
Business students with French)
 Literature component of the module – 1
hour out of 4 contact hours
 12 weeks semester – 30 %

7.  Book studied
 Meurtres pour mémoire, Didier Daeninckx
 Crime fiction genre
 215 pages
 11 chapters
 Descriptive
 Lots of cultural references
 Historical facts
 Classroom discussion in the target
language

8. Difficulties for students
 Linguistically and culturally challenging
eg.: Said et Lounès garèrent la quatre-
chevaux à la Villette, boulevard Mac-
Donald, juste après l’arrêt du PC puis ils se
dirigèrent vers la bouche du métro.

9. Before introducing the blog
Assessment of the literature component
 Oral presentation in class about an extract
(on chapter studied that week) 10 %
 End of semester essay or commentary of
an extract in class 20 %

10. Disadvantages of oral
presentation
 Class time consuming
 Less time to explain a complex book
 Individual student involved once in the
semester
 Less motivated students will only work for
this presentation and be passive for the
rest of the semester

11. Introducing blogging 3 years ago
 Individual blog
 Students have the choice of the blog
platform, but are encouraged to use
wordpress.com
 Students give the blog’s link to the
lecturer who will post them on SULIS
 Students are encouraged to comment on
their classmates’ blogs

12. Students’ blogs’
links
on SULIS

13. INSTRUCTIONS FROM LECTURER
 Write 10 posts in French during the semester
(diary?)
 100 words per post (1000 words for the
semester)
 Summarize briefly the chapter discussed in
class
 Reflect and analyse a point
◦ Characters
◦ The crime genre
◦ How the author criticizes the society
◦ Analyse the style
◦ Comment on an extract etc.
 Add pictures, audio/video documents

14. Marking and feedback
 The blog is assessed at the end of the
semester
 1.5% per post = 15%
 Feedback – regularly
◦ On blog as a comment
◦ In class

15. Examples of good blogs
 https://christinafellis.wordpress.com/
 https://celinelaing.wordpress.com/
 https://13157779blog.wordpress.com/blo
g/

16. Survey sent to students

18. 26 ANSWERS

23. 13 positive vs 6 negative comments
It has helped me to gain a
better understanding of the
book. These blogs were
extremely helpful when writing
the essay at the end of the
semester…
At the time it seemed like a pain, but
I have never known a book so well by
the end
I like the fact that it's online-
usually my French copies end up
shoved in a box never to be seen
again..
I prefer this to a presentation
because it keeps me interested in
reading the book and not worrying
about standing in front of the class.
I think this
assessment is great
for improving your
French. It is a good experience as it
makes you learn the material
over the semester instead of
learning it all at the last
minute.

24. It was far too time consuming and no
learning advantages
Really stressful for fourth year
students and a lot of time consuming.
I prefer discussing the book in class
and doing presentations. If some
students don't work or study much
that way it's their fault.
It's very time consuming - it's only one
section of our French module, yet it
takes hours every week to read the
book, answer the questions, go to
class and then write the blog.

25. Peers’ comments

26.  Plagiarism? Concerns?
 Would it be better to do “collaborative
blogs”?
 Allow bloggers to contribute to the
development of ideas in the blogosphere,
rather than looking at academic literacy?
(Bloch, 2007)

27. Design a blog
 Wordpress.com
 Blogger.com
 Blogspot.ie

28. Bibliography
 Anna Karlsson, How can blogging in foreign language education
improve pupils´ writing skills? Research paper, Malmo University
 Using Blogs in the Foreign Language Classroom: Encouraging Learner
Independence Kathleen Pinkman Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan
 Why teach literature in the foreign language classroom? Jonathan
P.A. Sell Universidad de Alcalá
 Abdullah’s Blogging: A generation 1.5 student enters the
blogosphere, Joel Bloch, in Language learning and technology, Vol.11,
No.2, June 2007, pp. 128-141