This blog is devoted to the use of the internet tools as an extra tool in the process of language learning. It gives teachers tips and examples of how to incorporate web 2.0 in the daily classroom.
This blog was created as an assignment for the subject ICT applied to English teaching.
Among all the different tools that web 2.0 gives us I have chosen the blog. So.... WHAT IS A BLOG?
Blogs, Wikis and podcasts are all examples of social software, computer tools which allow people to connect, to communicate and to collaborate online. A Blog is essentially a web page with regular diary or journal entries. The term in short for WEB LOG.
- They can be set up and used by teachers and/or learners.
- They can be used to connect learners to other communities of learners, for example to a class in another country.
- The ideas and content can be generated and created by learners, either individually or collaboratively.
These tools engender a sense of social responsibility, with learners working collaboratively on content, also, the public nature if the content created using these internet tools ensures that accuracy and appropriacy become more important to learners.
BLOGS IN LANGUAGE TEACHING
The most common type of blog is kept by one person, who will regularly post comments, thoughts, analyses, experiences of daily life, interesting links, jokes or any other form of content, to a web page. Blogs may consist of written text only, or they may include pictures of photos or even audio and video.
Most blogs will allow readers to comment on blogs entries, thereby creating online community around a common topic, interest or person. They set up informal grassroots links between blogs and writers/readers of blogs. Blogs will sometimes include blogroll, or list of links to other blogs which the blog writer admires, thereby widening the online community of blog writers and readers.
Blogs used in education are known as EDUBLOGS. These cover a wide range of topics related to education, from musings on educational policy and developments to learner compositions. An edublog can be set up and used by a teacher, by individual learners or by a class.
- A blog set up and maintained by a teacher is known as a TUTOR BLOG. The teacher may decide to allow their learners to write comments in the blog.
- A teacher may encourage their learners to each set up and maintain their own individual blogs. There are known as STUDENT BLOGS. Learners can be asked to post to their blogs once or twice a week, or however often the teacher judges convenient, and the content can range from comments on current affairs to descriptions of daily activities. Other learners can be encouraged to post comments and reactions to student blog postings.
- The third type of blog is the CLASS BLOG, one used by an entire class. This blog can be used to post comments on certain topics or on class work or on any other issue the teacher thinks interesting and relevant to learners. In class blog learners all post to the same blog.
Here are examples of some ways in which you can use blogs with your learners.
Tutor Blog
- Set homework.
- Provide a summary of class work.
- Provide links to extra reading/listening material.
- Question and answer
- Exam/Study tips.
Student Blog
- Personal and family information (including photos)
- Extra writing practice on class topics.
- Regular comments on current affairs.
- Research and present information on a topic
- A photoblog in learner’s country, last holiday, town.
Class Blog
- Reactions to a film, article, class topic, current affairs.
- Things learners like/don’t like doing in class.
- A class project on any topic
There are some obvious advantages to using blogs in the classroom. They provide a ‘real-world’ tool for learners with which to practice their written Englosh, as well as a way of contacting learners from other parts of the world. Anyone can read the blog, although only invited members can be given permission to add comments.
One of the issues to bear in mind when setting up student or class blogs is that of correction. Learners tend to want their written work in a blog to be as accurate as possible, given that the blog is publicly accessible, and the teacher needs to be prepared to give learners plenty of time for writing, reviewing, redrafting and checking postings before they are added to the blog.
A further area to consider is assessment. Gicen that a student or class blog is essentially a written assignment, blog postings can be used for evaluation. The criteria for evaluation need to be made clear to learners in advance.
HOW TO SET UP A BLOG
There are a number of free blog sites available on the internet. These include:
- BLOGGER (http://www.blogger.com)
- WORDPRESS (http://www.wordpress.org)
- EZBLOGWORLD(http://www.ezblogworld.com/)
- BAHRAICH BLOGS (http://www.bahraichblogs.com/)
- GETABLOG (http://www.getablog.net/portal3.php)
The blog pages freely available on the internet tend to be very user-friendly, and setting up your own blog is usually a straightforward process, with no specialist technical knowledge. You simply visit the homepage of the blog and follow the instructions.
Dudeney, G., & Hockly, N. (2007). How to teach English with technology. (pp. 86-94). England: Pearson Longman.
Hope you like this blog and you find it useful!
