MOODLE: A WAY FOR BLENDING VLE AND FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION IN THE ELT CONTEXT?

ABSTRACT

This classroom research explores the probable consequences of a blended Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYLs) course comprised of Moodle applications and face to face instruction in the English Language Teaching (ELT) context. Contrary to previous face to face only procedure,  the course was divided into two segments: traditional classroom instruction where lectures and discussions on how to teach English to young learners were held and the Moodle application where students uploaded their micro-teaching sessions and discussed and criticised one another’s work online. This blended course was also thought to be a potential aid to save time in overcrowded classes.  The procedure was designed in a manner that time to be devoted to micro-teaching sessions in the classroom was expected to be saved and left room for classroom discussions. To gather data, a student readiness scale, a questionnaire eliciting student teachers’ views about the experience and, to bring more depth to the study, semi- structured interviews were used. The results reveal that a blended young learner course has various positive contributions other than time management for the instructor as well as on behalf of the course attendants.