Observations Regarding Blog Writing Tasks for EFL Extensive Writing

This article explores the use of weekly blog writing assignments in a first-year English as a Foreign Language (EFL) course at a Japanese university. The project aimed to improve students’ writing fluency, paragraph organization, and engagement through structured online tasks. Over one semester, 18 students completed twelve blog entries in three progressive phases that incorporated photos, peer comments, and increasingly detailed rubrics. Results showed that blogging encouraged motivation, self-expression, and interaction among learners. However, many students struggled to organize ideas coherently and often ignored individual feedback. The emergence of AI-assisted writing led instructors to require in-class composition, resulting in more authentic but less polished writing. To address persistent issues, the researchers plan to integrate blog-based essay writing, clearer deadlines, and a rewrite cycle based on instructor feedback. These measures aim to enhance paragraph development, grammatical accuracy, and students’ overall writing competence in academic English.