Using Blogs in language learning
2 likes2,543 views
The document discusses using blogs in language education. It notes that blogs allow students to communicate authentically with others around the world. Blogs inspire readers and create an environment for collaboration by enabling easy sharing of cultures, ideas, and questions. The collaborative features of blogs, like commenting, appeal to teachers by allowing for peer review and input from outside experts. Blogs become a rich resource for teachers to use creatively, such as by posting lessons online or facilitating discussions. Overall, blogs provide opportunities for personal and cultural growth through interaction with others.
Using Blogs in language learning
- 1. By: Hany Georgey Amin EDUU 564 February 17, 2013
- 2. Students do enjoy communicating with each other and find it fun. DLI teachers rack their brains to devise authentic and meaningful tasks for the classroom. Most of these activities demand an effort which seldom pays back. Artificial situations prove repetitive, unexciting, tedious and not motivating. Why not connect what our students do for fun with learning? Blogs can do that. 2
- 3. Blogs or "weblogs" are very easily-created websites containing "posts" which are regularly and frequently updated in the form of a diary or journal, showing the most recent posts at the top of the page. They can be run by one person or by a group of people who are invited to participate, and visitors can leave comments, thus creating a real space for discussion and collaboration. Blogs are archived, and access to these records of postings allows for consultation and research. Blogs also allow for the publication of links to other blogs, useful sites, photographs, images, audio and video. 3
- 4. Educators are taking advantage of this versatile tool to provide their students with the opportunity to communicate in meaningful interactive situations with teachers and other students of the language from all over the planet. Blogs inspired readers, who can publish their thoughts openly and frankly, thus creating an appropriate environment where to encourage students to collaborate and share not only the language but also their different cultures and even personal queries and expectations. Bloggers can connect with each other very easily, enabling the development of learning communities around common topics which can be consulted and commented on even by those with a minimum of technology know-how. 4
- 5. The collaborative feature of Weblogs is what has appealed to language teachers. Commenting capabilities in many of the blogging software packages allow for easy peer review both for students and teachers. Experts or mentors from outside the classroom can also add their comments, and this true exchange of opinions, experiences, news and information. BLOGS becomes a wealthy source and agent for teachers to use in unprecedented and most creative ways. 5
- 6. Because BLOGS allow Teachers to: Place lessons, assignments, and announcements online. Expand students' access to relevant materials by incorporating links. Enhance class interaction through online discussions and chats. Facilitate idea sharing. Motivate and prepare students for class. Maintain communication with absent students. Challenge students by placing quizzes and tests online 6
- 7. Post short current events/ articles to invite students' thoughts, reactions, and possible solutions. Create a literature circle. Post photos and ask students to create captions. Foster book discussions in the form of an online book club. Encourage student writing to demonstrate learning. Direct students to curriculum web sites and have them read and make responses. Communicate with another classroom. React to teacher entries about what they are learning and make connections to how this learning is relevant for them. 7
- 8. A new source of personal expansion; An unpredictable, unmatched fount of encounters with likeminded people; A deeper, more authentic contact with the language we seldom have; A closer understanding of other people and other cultures; a wider, wiser view of life in all its aspects by getting to learn about and appreciate values and approaches different from our own, but equally respectable. 8
- 10. Blood, Rebecca. "Weblogs: A History and Perspective", Rebecca's Pocket http://www.rebeccablood.net/handbook/ Sarah Lohnes, "Weblogs in Education: Bringing the World to the Liberal Arts Classroom" http://newsletter.nitle.org/v2_n1_winter2003/features_weblogs.php Campbell, Aaron, "Weblogs for Use with ESL Classes" http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Campbell-Weblogs.html Kristen Kennedy, " Writing With Web Logs" http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2003/02/blogs.html Teresa Almeida d'Eca, "Online/Virtual Learning Environments" http://www.malhatlantica.pt/teresadeca/webheads/online-learning-environments.htm Phil Gyford, "An Introduction of Weblog Terms for Weblog Readers" http://www.gyford.com/phil/writing/2003/01/05/an_introduction_.php Anne Davis, "Weblogs: The Possiblities are Limitless", http://anvil.gsu.edu/NECC2004/stories/storyReader$13 http://anvil.gsu.edu/EduBlogInsights/ 10