In this presentation, I discuss the creation of a sense of community through blog-publishing learner writing from music listening in a first-year university EFL writing course. I first show the use of four differing pieces of instrumental music as stimulants to learner writing. From there, I display some selections of learner writing from the music that I published on my classes' teaching and learning blog. I culminate the presentation by showing how publication of learner writing and blog support for the music source material increased a sense of learner motivation, showcased unique efforts of creative learner writing, and created a sense of peer-teacher reader community.

1. Utilizing a blog for stimulating
interest, spurring motivation, and
creating community in EFL writing
Lee Arnold
JALT Learner Development SIG

2. Introduction
 An active role for blogs in TEFL writing courses has been
shown in the technical and supportive capabilities they make
possible
 Such capabilities include tutorial support (Campbell, 2003) and
virtual material storage and editing (Johnson, 2004)
 Other advantages have been shown in ease of creation and
maintenance (Pinkman, 2005)
 One overriding advantage comes in its low- to free cost to
institutions and students alike (Fellner & Apple, 2006)

3. Other benefits of blogs
 Blogs can spur more authentic and engaging
communication (Pinkman, 2005)
 Blogs may create context for writing and readership of
peers (Murray & Hourigan, 2006)

4. Profile of writing classes
 Three classes of predominantly-first-year British and American
literature majors in English writing classes at a private
university
 Overall level of proficiency across each class high beginner to
low intermediate with some in high-intermediate range
 Overall atmosphere of classes cooperative and generally
eager for L2 writing development
 High sense of interpersonal cooperation and collaboration on
in-class writing activities

5. Project background and rationale
 Sought basis for project among writing activities that would
maximize expository creativity
 Looked for activity that would be easy to set up and easy for
learners to grasp
 Wanted activity with blog support that would not intrude on
learner writing
 Chose activity with music that could bring project to bear for
learners with community-reinforcing and publishable writing

6. Music in TEFL classrooms
 Rationale for use of music in TEFL classrooms strengthened
through Asher’s Total Physical Response (1969) and Gardner’s
theory of multiple intelligences (1983)
 Bulk of studies performed on music in TEFL focus mainly on use
of songs in oral communication or macro-skills courses with little
on instrumental music or even role of music in writing courses

7. Methodology
 Selected instrumental music as a vehicle for learners to
explore imaginative range in writing without distraction from
lyrics
 Chose four short pieces of music differing in mood and varied
across genres
 Played pieces in classes on CD without titles or background
information on artists
 Asked learners to note down what images or feelings they got
from each piece with time after to write in more detail

8. Methodology
 Informed all learners that their writing would be gathered into a
collection called Words on Music with excerpts published on
blog
 Posted videos and links on blog to Wikipedia articles in
Japanese on artists for learners after the fact
 Asked them if such videos and information changed their
views about music but encouraged them not to change their
writing
 Requested learners to write up their paragraphs as Word files
to send to me with option for them to re-write and edit their
pieces

9. 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.
Words on Music samples:
Miles Davis, “Portia”

10. Words on Music samples: Frank Zappa,
“Little Umbrellas”
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.
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!

11. Words on Music samples: Ronny Jordan,
“After Hours”
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.
This music's strong image is a 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 am ready, I will eat breakfast.
After, I go out with my friends! I will go shopping, lunch,
and play the karaoke! I am looking for this time.

12. Words on Music samples: Jacques Loussier,
“Siciliano in G Minor” (J.S. Bach)
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.
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.

13. Analysis
 Less textured musical instrumentation and composition
brought forth the most imaginative writing
 The more dense the instrumentation and composition the
more impressionistic the writing
 Greater density in such may have interfered with imaginative
processing and vocabulary choice
 Learners nonetheless found the project stimulating in how blog
support brought virtual outreach and satisfaction in publication

14. Conclusion
 Support capabilities and publishing functions of blogs can
create context and develop sense of community for learner
writing
 Instrumental music ideal for learner writing projects in building
expository capacity with virtual support
 Selection of music nonetheless crucial for greater success in
maximizing expository reach
 Blog-publishing writing can motivate learners to write above
where they may usually write to

15. References
Asher, J. (1969). The total physical response approach to second language learning. The
Modern Language Journal, 53(1), 3-17.
Campbell, A.P. (2003). Weblogs for use with ESL classes. The Internet TESL Journal, 9 (2).
Retrieved from: http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Campbell-Weblogs.html
Fellner, T. & Apple, M. (2006). Developing writing fluency and lexical complexity with blogs. The
JALT CALL Journal, 2 (1), 15-26.
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic
Books.
Johnson, A. (2004). Creating a writing course using class and student blogs. The Internet TESL
Journal, 10(8). Retrieved from: http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Johnson-Blogs.html
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.

16. Disclaimer
I do not own the rights to the samples of music
uploaded within this presentation. They have been
uploaded strictly for educational purposes.