Blogging and second language learning go hand in hand as they represent many forms of new literacies. They include written, visual, auditory (if there is sound) , media and critical literacies. They are considered a multimodal text as students, teachers and all users must use refined reading, scanning, predicting, analyzing and interfering skills to accurate absorb content from a technical form of communication.
Blogs can display pictures and video, include audio and Flash, and even store other files like PowerPoint presentations or Excel spreadsheets for linking.
In the past they have been used to:
1. Carry on conversations about a book outside of class (the author has even joined in!) [http://weblogs.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/beesbook]. Parents have also taken part in their children's lives by reading the book for themselves and holding discussions parallel to the students.
4.Students use Weblogs as digital portfolios or just digital filing cabinets, where they store their work.
5.Teachers use blogs as classroom portals, where they archive handouts, post homework assignments, and field questions virtually from parents and students
How have Weblogs influenced your second language learning or teaching? How has blogging been useful or engaging for you, your child or your students? Do you have any tips for teachers that are new to blog technology?
I look forward to hearing your comments, suggestions and feedback.
References:
2 comments:
I may not be answering your question directly but I want to respond to your ideas and support the use of weblogs. I am a teacher educator who works with bilingual paraprofessionals who are studying to become bilingual teachers in Chicago. I was also an elementary school teacher for years and worked with the ESL population at the elementary level. I am very new to blogging and I am always looking for new ways to incorporate technology into the ESL classroom especially where literacy is concerned. At first, I was not sure how to use blogs in a purposeful and meaningful fashion on my own or with students. I have come to learn that they are much more versatile than I had initially perceived them to be. Your examples of weblog uses above have opened my eyes to the ways in which adults (both parents and teachers) can participate in the language acquisition process with their children. The blog becomes a tool for communication and communication tools are the very things that make language learning a success. The second thought that I had was that literacy involves so much more than reading the words on a page. When language learning is limited to text on paper, there are many children and adults who find themselves limited and frustrated by this one dimensional learning process. The brain is able to use many more cues for learning language when text is spoken, written and illustrated all in one "space". Yes this can be done without blogs but blogging is a great answer to combining these learning modalities simultaneously and editing/changing/responding to the textual information instantaneously. Teachers may find themselves able to understand how a child is best learning language when the process is interactive and reflective like it can be in blogging. I am curious to hear from other bloggers on this post to see how weblogs are being used in ESL classrooms around the world. Thanks for taking the time to read my response. - Heather Summers (Chicago, IL)
Hi,
First of all thanks for your comment on my blog. Like yourself I am just beginning to look at using blogs to aid second language students. I've had a discussion with my school administrators and they have agreed I can create a school English club - Learning English on the Internet. I want to run this club as a way to support students learning English, and club time will initially be dedicated to setting up blogs. I'm hoping once students discover the benefits of using blogs they will begin to work with the blog from home. Within the Thai school environment English students are enthusiastic and will often support their English language classroom learning with extra lessons, or by using web sites. Creating activities using blogs that encourage English usage can only benefit students who often have limited access to English lessons or study in classes of over 50 students.
I believe, through conversations with English teachers and students, that this can be a benefit for second language students.
thanks,
Jamie
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