Exploring the Educational Benefits of Blogs to Help Non-Malay Pupils in Malay Language Learning

Language learning environment plays an important role in the acquisition of students’ second language, and its imperative grows more and more crucial when students learn another language (e.g., when non-Malay students are learning the Malay language). Some students have been observed to be unmotivated and even less willing to speak in the intended language due to prevailing learning environment they are entrenched in. In view of this current learning milieu, educators should seek new, novel learning environments that appeal to students, especially the non-Malay students, in learning the Malay language. Blog is one of the alternatives that could be tapped on as ‘blogging’ promotes the ‘authenticity’ sought by teachers to retain students persistently in language learning, as well as to allow students to experience diverse, rich cultures. Therefore, teachers should integrate blogs in their writing classes in well-planned learning activities that would gradually improve pupils’ writing skills, particularly the non-Malay students. Being a new concept as a learning tool in Malaysia, blogs provide many new opportunities for teachers to explore their efficacy in Malay language writing. Premised on this need, this paper discusses some of the affordances of blog in supporting the second language teaching and learning, especially in writing skills.