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the classroom and may facilitate cooperative activities even beyond the classrooms. The major
benefit of applying blended instruction is to overcome the shortcomings of online instruction and
exploit various instructional process and delivery strategies in order to increase learners’
satisfaction as well as boosting the learning outcomes.
Teachers and students communicate virtually via e-learning and this is the predominant
feature of such a learning process, different from traditional classes in which instructors and
learners engage in face-to-face interaction. Generally, all the terms which describe distance
education via computer technology have a unique significance that is learning takes place while
teacher and learner are separated. It is assumed that engagement in e-learning and virtual classes
hinders e-learners from community interaction. By adding the human interaction to online
learning, the educators have considered the human need for socialization which in turn will help
the process of learning [Sethy, 2008]. This sense of belonging to a community which its absence
in online learning may disturb improvement of common emotions and feelings among learners
and instructors. Online or web-based learning environment offers the effectiveness and the
flexibility that cannot be guaranteed in a classroom environment while face-to-face classes
provide the social communication that students need for learning. So, the integration of these two
environments into blended format reserves the advantages of both learning platforms. Hence, it
can be concluded that one of the principal benefits of blended learning is providing a sense of
community among learners.
Vocabulary is the backbone of any language. Without extensive vocabulary knowledge,
even those who show mastery of grammar might experience the failure to communicate. Many
foreign language learners know the feeling of not being able to remember the right word
instantly in a conversation because of the limited range of vocabulary they know. This feeling of
inadequacy often hinders further development of the language. On the other hand, vocabulary
does help language learners to form sentences and express themselves in meaningful ways.
Mastery of vocabulary can only be achieved with the teaching strategies that appeal to
various learning styles. Recent studies have proven many benefits of different technology-based
instructional materials for effective verbal and written communication [Pazio, 2010]. Therefore,
many higher education institutions today are using blended learning as a supplementary means in
developing students’ vocabulary knowledge. Blended learning approach in teaching foreign
language has become a matter of considerable interest to language teachers all over the world.
As opposed to pure e-learning which refers to using only electronic media to learn, blended
learning supplement traditional face-to-face teaching and learning environment with different
kinds of technology-based instruction.
Blended learning focuses on optimizing achievement of learning objectives by applying
the right learning technologies to match the right learning styles to transfer the right skills to the
right person at the right time. Teaching vocabulary through web-based tools is not totally a new
trend. We have always used a “blend” of teaching approaches in order to provide as rich a
learning environment as possible for our learners. What is new is the “expectation” of our
learners to use technology in and out of the classroom as part of the learning process.
So, learners can expand their range of learning strategies and thus develop greater
flexibility in their ways of approaching language learning. Thus, various instructional materials
including videos, blogs, online forums and other digital tools provide students opportunities to
practice the language outside the class.
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