O n f e r e n c e

Short paper 
Short Description of the Current Research
As an internet-based educational tool, the blog is a multi-faceted tool employed to 
accommodate all learners. Weblog is a brilliant tool to fuse educational technology and 
writing inside and outside the classroom. Because their format is similar to a personal 
diary, where recounting interesting experiences and events is prevalent, blogs provide an 
arena where self
–
expression and creativity are boosted. Its connections to other bloggers 
establish the same peer
–
group relationships found in real world. Its set template and 
design, where a system is appealing, intuitive and effortless to learn (Cassell, 2002), 
makes it equitable for many age groups and both genders, and simple for teachers to 
employ. Bloggers can access their blogs anywhere and anytime an Internet connection is 
available since a blog opens an opportunity for learning outside the classroom.
 
Many scholars expect the blog sphere to grow (Henning, 2003; Herring, et al., 2004; 
Kumar, et al., 2003). Even current predictions at the size, from one million to almost five 
million (Greenspan, 2003; Henning, 2003) [5] demonstrate the importance of studying 
blogs alongside other computer
–
mediated communication (CMC) contexts.
The blog is a new type of literacy to employ. It is referred to as digital fluency, and it 
refers to the ways people become comfortable using technology as they would any other 
natural language (Huffaker, 2004). Some scholars suggest digital fluency will be another 
prerequisite for sociability, lifelong learning and employment opportunities (Resnick, 
2002). 
Blogs encourage self
–
expression, a place where the author can build up well personalized 
content. Blogs boost interaction among who can comment and give feedback to other 
bloggers, and they can link to fellow bloggers, establishing an interesting network. In the 
classroom, due to the great motive manifested in publishing the well-written work, 
bloggers will be having a great incentive to work individually and in groups to read and 
write alongside a communal one, where they share ideas and get answers to their 
questions. 
English for Lawyers Intensive blog can serve as a threshold to promote a community of 
learners. As the blog is easy to create and update efficiently, one of the researchers, 
being the legal English instructor, has used the English for Lawyers blog to inform the 
experimental group, consisting of attorneys and holders of a law degree, of class 
requirements and notices and to share with them comments on the work of each other. 
Also, the researcher employed the blog to post the assignments and the free writings of 
the experimental group of the participants. Moreover, she utilized blogs to post, 
organize, and keep students’ work as digital portfolios. As older posts are archived, 
developing writing skills and legal English acquisition may be feasibly analyzed more 
easily. Furthermore, as participants anticipate the publishing of their writings, they may 
normally be more motivated to produce better writings. Teachers and peers may 
conference with other students on a developing work, and the mentoring advice can be 
easily kept for future reference. Above all, the legal English content may be quickly 
enhanced as the participants can view the work of each other, and, therefore, they will 
remarkably learn from each other. The opinions of the bloggers may not necessarily be 
restricted to one topic as they may be encouraged to write anything employing the legal 
terminology and phrases they learned.
Doing the following two activities entitled Situation One: Listening and Speaking and 
Situation Two: writing helps in understanding the legal terminology and phrases and 
creates or sustains friendly relationships among peers.
The English for Lawyers Blog will also help participants express experiences and feelings 
in an engaging and reachable way.

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-42- 
2014 CALL Conference 
LINGUAPOLIS
www.antwerpcall.be 
Most importantly, it provides a way to explore creativity in legal language use, a 
discovery process that advances literacy and legal language development. 
Based on the above discussion, the hypotheses of the current study are as follows: 

The use of blogs has a significant effect on the use of legal English in the writings 
of Lebanese lawyers 

The use of blogs motivates Lebanese lawyers to write using legal English 
The current study was carried out with 16 Lebanese lawyers whose ages range between 
26 and 48 years old and assigned randomly to a control group (n=8) and an 
experimental group (n=8). The participants were enrolled in a course 
entitled English for 
Lawyers Intensive Class
. The purpose of 
English for Lawyers Intensive
Class
is to teach 
Lebanese speakers to comprehend and employ the language of the law in English. In 
particular, it aims to teach law students and lawyers how to select, interpret and utilize 
original legal materials of any kind in English in the course of their studies, research or 
work. Through an extensive variety of exercises based on authentic legal texts,