The effects of voice blogging on upper secondary students’ L2 Kazakh speaking performance

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.