The ubiquitous use of digital technology brings the inevitability of online learning and its varying degree of teacher-student interactions, both in synchronous and asynchronous online learning modes. This present study reviews the strength and weaknesses of the two online learning modes to propose the use of blended online learning as the combination that harvests the strengths of asynchronous and synchronous modes of online learning with the opportunity to cover each other's weaknesses. The recent study employed Aveyard's literature review model as a method for gaining a comprehensive understanding of a specific topic using data and arguments from previous studies. Thirty-six articles published in reputable international journals or accredited national journals published in 2015-2020 were used. This review revealed that blended online learning combines the strengths of synchronous and synchronous learning in terms of authentic learning activities, flexibility, access, interaction, development of critical thinking, comprehension, and mastery, and student-centered nature of the learning. However, it still retains challenges in terms of network and connection issues from both online learning modes. This finding implies that blended learning can be the middle-ground to facilitate online learning with benefits from both synchronous and asynchronous online modes by minimizing the students’ exposure to the weaknesses from the two modes.

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Although reading aloud is an old teaching strategy, its relevance has been vouched by research from time to time. The present study aimed to critically review experts' opinions and results of previous research on the definition and characteristics of reading aloud and its benefits for young children in the EFL contexts by employing George’s (2008) model of literature review. The review revealed that the teacher plays the most crucial role in reading aloud, acting as the bridge between the text and the student's comprehension. A good design of reading aloud demands the teacher’s competence in choosing the text to meet the students’ interest and level; planning the tempo of the reading and the pauses to pose questions and comments; and making connections with the text and the children. Reading aloud benefits children’s English regarding their vocabulary, pronunciation, comprehension, listening skills, reading skills, speaking skills, communicative skills, and motivation, literacy, and critical thinking skills. These results imply that reading aloud is still relevant to be implemented nowadays because of the benefits it brings to children’s English. ABSTRAKMeski sering dianggap metode lama, membaca nyaring memberi banyak manfaat. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk melakukan kajian kritis terhadap pendapat ahli dan penelitian terdahulu mengenai pengertian, ciri khas, serta manfaat membaca nyaring, dengan mengikuti model penelitian kajian pustaka George (2008). Diungkapkan bahwa guru menjadi penentu kesuksesan kegiatan membaca nyaring sebagai jembatan yang menghubungkan siswa dengan teks yang dibaca. Kegiatan membaca nyaring bergantung pada kemampuan guru untuk memilih teks yang sesuai dengan minat dan kemampuan siswa, serta merancang proses pembacaan terkait tempo dan penempatan jeda untuk memberi komentar, bertanya, maupun membuat kaitan-kaitan antara teks dan siswa. Ahli dan penelitian terdahulu berpendapat bahwa kegiatan membaca nyaring berkontribusi secara positif terhadap siswa terkait pembentukan kosakata, pelafalan, pemahaman, keterampilan mendengar, membaca, berbicara, dan berkomunikasi, serta motivasi, literasi, dan kemampuan berpikir kritis berkomunikasi mereka. Jadi, membaca nyaring sangat relevan diimmplementasikan pada jaman sekarang karena kegiatan ini sangat positif untuk perkembangan Bahasa Inggris siswa.

Social media has become an integral part of life, including in the field of education. This study aimed to explore social media as a teaching and learning tool, its use, and its benefit for students of English as Foreign Language. This study applied library research from George (2008), where the sources of the data were previous studies on the use of social media in the context of English as Foreign Language, published in reputable international journals or accredited national journal ranked SINTA 1, SINTA 2, and SINTA 3, between 2015 to 2020. The review revealed that YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have been frequently applied as English learning media through various activities that matched the features provided by the respective social media. Their implementations in English learning have been argued to positively impact the students’ language skills, vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, spelling, motivation, as well as their creative and critical thinking. These results reflect a positive attitude toward social media as an inseparable part of the students’ 21st – century learning contexts. However, more studies need to be conducted to optimize the use of social media for improving students’ English and their 21st-century skills.

<em>Social Networking Services (SNS) has become part of English learning, providing educators and students with free service and wide usage applicable to synchronous and asynchronous instruction. This study intended to critically review previous studies on the use of Telegram as one of the SNS platforms for enhancing students' reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Following George’s (2008) Literature Reviews model, 20 manuscripts were reviewed. The selection was taken from reputable International Journals indexed by Scopus quartile 1, 2, and 3, published between 2016-2020. It was revealed that Telegram is argued to have positively affect the students' four language skills in learning English. Telegram is claimed to benefit the students in terms of vocabulary, reading comprehension, content, and organization in writing, grammar, language style, pronunciation, and listening comprehension. Experts highlighted the relaxed and informal nature of Telegram as SNS to be one of the main factors that contributed positively to students' reduced anxiety and raised motivation in learning. Reflecting on those positive effects of Telegram on students' scholastics progress, the present study implies that Telegram may be an alternative for online learning and extensive learning of English.</em>