“This May Create a Zero-lingual State” - Critical Examination of Language Ideologies in an English Learning Blog

Oct 15, 2026

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Study examines language ideologies circulated within a Korean blog functioning as a collaborative online English-learning community, addressing a gap in CALL research on learners’ social engagement and meaning negotiation. Centering on the blog owner’s ideas and followers’ responses, the article analyzes online posts and comments using Gee’s situated meanings within a virtual ethnographic framework. Results indicate Korean bloggers subscribe to monolingual ideologies amid ideological awareness in Korea.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Theoretical Framework: Language Ideologies and Bilingualism Models

calico journal (online) issn 2056–9017 Article “This May Create a Zero-lingual State”: Critical Examination of Language Ideologies in an English Learning Blog Rayoung Song Abstract Given the importance of the blogosphere for autonomous language learning, many studies on computer-assisted language learning (CALL) have vigorously investigated the use of blogs in language learning. Noticeably lacking in these endeavors are investigations of language learners’ social engagement with others in online spaces to define and negotiate their own meanings of language and language learning. To fill this gap, this study investigated the language ideologies disseminated in a Korean blog that has become a collaborative online English-learning community. Focusing on this blog owner’s ideas and her followers’ responses, I explored the language ideologies disseminated and negotiated in conversations on language learning and using. This is part of a larger virtual ethnographic study. I analyzed online posts and comments using Gee’s situated meanings. Findings suggest that the Korean bloggers subscribe to monolingual ideologies because they are acutely aware of the ideological contexts in Korea surrounding English and are critical about their own language learning and using practices. The current study asserts that the blogosphere can create opportunities for language learners to contest existing knowledge and voice their opinions on issues that matter to them as language learners and members of a society. Keywords: CALL; language ideologies; blog; English learning Introduction Online spaces have become an indispensable venue for knowledge sharing and opinion building. In particular, the blogosphere allows an individual to Affiliation The University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA. email: rsong@educ.umass.edu calico journal vol 36.1 2019 59–76 [https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.35113](https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.35113) ©2019, equinox publishing 60 “This May Create a Zero-lingual State” share information and to engage in discussions with others in writing. Given the importance of the blogosphere for autonomous language learning, many studies on computer-assisted language learning (CALL) have vigorously investigated the use of blogs in language learning (see Reinders & White, 2016; Wang & Vasquez, 2012). However, much research on CALL has not paid attention to the crucial role of the blogosphere in this democratic social engagement for language learning. Rather, the overwhelming majority of the research has focused on the cases in which blogs were employed as pedagogical tools for teaching specific linguistic skills such as writing (Aljumah, 2012; Chen, 2016; Zhang, Song, Shen, & Huang, 2014), or enhancing social development such as identity (Bhavana, 2009; Sun & Chang, 2012) and intercultural skills (Elola & Oskoz, 2008; L. Lee, 2011; Melo-Pfeifer, 2015). Moreover, in most of these studies, the use of blogs was initiated by teachers or researchers rather than learners. Noticeably lacking in these endeavors are investigations of language learners’ social engagement with other learners in online spaces to define and to negotiate their own meanings of language and language learning. An examination of this metalinguistic discussion, which has been initiated by the learners themselves, can provide crucial insights into how ideas about language shape learners’ agentive language learning in these free online spaces. Such insights will contribute to a critical examination of CALL in understanding the opportunities for and limits of the democratic process of knowledge sharing and opinion building within the blogosphere. To fill the gap, this study investigated the language ideologies disseminated in a Korean blog that has become a collaborative online Englishlearning community. Focusing on this blog owner’s ideas and her followers’responses, I explored the language ideologies disseminated and negotiated in conversations on the mean

FAQs

What gap does the study address in CALL research?

It highlights limited attention to how language learners socially engage with others online to define and negotiate meanings of language and language learning.

What data and analytical approach does the study use?

It analyzes online posts and comments from a Korean English-learning blog and applies Gee’s situated meanings, grounded in a larger virtual ethnographic study.

What do the findings suggest about the Korean bloggers’ language ideologies?

They tend to subscribe to monolingual ideologies, reflecting heightened awareness of ideological contexts in Korea and critical stances toward their own language-learning and language-using practices.

Oct 15, 2026

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