A Study of the Application of Weekly Dialogue Journals in an EFL Junior-High Classroom

• Main Authors: Ho Chia-hui, 何家慧
• Other Authors: Ching-chi Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/93105915103517102509

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 92 === The purpose of this present study is to investigate the application of dialogue journals in an EFL classroom. The recurring themes in student journals are analyzed first. Then, the effects of using dialogue journals on English learning are explored. Moreover, the student responses to the application of dialogue journals are investigated. Finally, the student suggestions about the use of dialogue journals are discussed. The subjects for the present study were 39 seventh-grade students in Kaohsiung Municipal Kuo-chang Junior High School. All the subjects had to hand in a journal every week as a requirement, and the teacher/researcher would give feedback. The journal included four sections: the first section as a record of school life, the second as an extended place for practicing what the subjects had learned in English classes, the third as an open space for them to ask any questions about English, and the fourth as a free-writing area. In order to reduce anxiety, the student journals were not graded. Besides, the subjects could choose to write in either Chinese or English, or even the mixed version. After the 10-week dialogue journal writing, a questionnaire was designed to collect all the 39 subjects’ responses to the use of dialogue journals and their suggestions about the application of this study. All the data collected would be analyzed either qualitatively or quantitatively. Based on the qualitative and quantitative data analyses, the findings of the present study are summarized as follows: 1. The subjects used dialogue journals to record their school life, to release emotions, to voice out their concerns, to show expectations, to clarify their thinking and promote self-reflect, and to build relationship and communicate with the teacher. 2. Most of the subjects held positive attitudes toward the application of dialogue journals. 3. Most of the subjects responded positively to the effects of dialogue journals on English learning. 4. Most of the subjects gave positive suggestions about the application of dialogue journals. According to the study findings, the teacher/researcher made the following suggestions as pedagogical implications: 1. EFL teachers may consider embedding dialogue journal writing into their English curriculum. 2. Junior high school teachers may use dialogue journal writing to promote the interaction with the students and hopefully have a good influence on their learning. 3. Junior high school teachers may consider applying dialogue journal writing to any subject in the content area.