Abstract:
This investigation aimed to examine the impact of a 12-week voice blogging course on
L2 Kazakh speaking performance among Russian-speaking upper secondary school
students in Kazakhstan. The participants (n = 84) were randomly allocated to an
experimental group engaged in weekly voice recording and posting via WhatsApp
outside of class time and a control group that received the same regular classroom
instruction but without extracurricular speaking practice. The oral performance of both
groups was assessed in terms of complexity, fluency, and accuracy indices before and
after the intervention. A questionnaire was administered to the experimental group to
elicit their perceptions of the audio blogging course. The learners in the experimental
group demonstrated higher complexity and fluency in their post-test narrations than
the control group. However, no significant effect was found on the accuracy of speech.
The participants reported a positive attitude toward the completed course and
expressed willingness to recommend voice blogging to others. These findings suggest
that audio blogging can be an effective and engaging method to enhance L2 speaking
skills, but it may require additional support and feedback to address accuracy issues.
The findings advocate the promise of voice blogging as a helpful approach for
enhancing L2 oral skills.
