Let's blend learning!

We all know the traditional approach to teaching, the teacher standing in front of the classroom interacting with the students. This method has prevailed over the years; however, in the last decades a new component has been added to the relationship – the internet – and this gave rise to a new approach called blended learning.

In Blended Learning: Creating LearningOpportunities for Language Learner, Debora Marsh (2012) states that as language teachers we have always used a blend of teaching approaches since we have combined different methods and strategies to maximise learning. What is new is that the new technologies have invaded our students’ lives; we can find them inside and outside the classroom, and we should profit from them. ‘The Internet, in particular the emergence of Web 2.0, represents a powerful medium to teach and learn foreign languages’ (Marshal, 2012).

But, what is blended learning? The Universityof Western Sidney (2013) defines it as ‘a strategic and systematic approach to combining times and modes of learning, integrating the best aspects of face-to-face and online interactions for each discipline, using appropriate ICTs’ (p. 5). This short video explains this same thing in a very clear and interactive way (and it is narrated with a cute French accent!). Besides, it has asecond part where the benefits of this approach are dealt with.

Debora Marsh also presents the advantages of this way of teaching. I will include here the 3 strengths I consider more important, but you can read the whole list in her book. Blended learning provides:

·         more personalized learning support.

·         flexible study, anytime or anywhere, to meet learners’ needs.

·         a place to practice the target language beyond the classroom.

I consider the last one particularly important in a foreign language context as the one we have in Argentina given the fact that, before, the classroom was the only place where the student could practice the language receiving feedback from a teacher. Now, learners can practice at home whenever and wherever they want and teachers can use their results to plan the subsequent lessons.

I earnestly believe that, despite the lack of resources in many Argentinian schools, we should capitalize from the ones we have and start trying to create a balance between face-to-face and online learning. Students will appreciate our efforts to include new and engaging ways of teaching and learning and will be motivated to participate and actively respond to the proposed tasks and activities. Let’s give it a chance and blend learning!