Hi everyone!
I would like to share my experiences while creating this blog for our online course.
First of all, I found it very easy to make. Blogs have a friendly look and format, plus expertise on technology is not required.
I think blogging is a perfect online tool for language classes because it takes into consideration the different learning styles students might have. Visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners might find it appealing since there is a wide range of tools and gadgets we, as teachers and administrators of the page, can use to make sure everyone feels at ease. Videos, pictures, links, polls and the like, make blogs more dynamic and interesting to all kinds of readers.
I have to be honest and say that even though I tried to use all the gadgets, I couldn’t manage to realize how to use them with pedagogical purposes. I suppose I will figure that out while learning from this course but if you happen to know how to use lists, photo slides, etc in a didactic way, feel free to post your suggestions.
As I said on the post on Nicenet, Interaction is the essence of blogging. Postings should be answered quickly by the teacher so students know they have been read and comments on other writers’ posts should be encouraged-
Having a surprise guest, as recommended by Stanley in the article Deborah gave us, is an amazing idea! Students love to be in touch with people abroad and it will give them the feeling of English as a worldwide communication language!
While designing my blog, so many things came to my mind and I would like to prompt some questions to read your comments:
1. - How can you motivate a student to post on your blog without offering extra points in their final grades?
2. - Is grammar correction allowed or should be discouraged as long as the message is conveyed?
3.- What do you prefer: a private blog or a public one?
4.- Should learners have permission to post anything they want to?
5.- Should teachers edit their students’ comments first?
Looking forward to your postings.
Eve
Hello Eve,
ReplyDeleteIt's my great pleasure to write on your blog. I really feel privileged to be given such a wonderful opportunity to do this course and meet with professional teachers such as you, Eve.
Your comment about learning styles is very interesting. I agree that students do not learn in the same way. Visual learners prefer learning by seeing things while aural learners prefer learning by hearing things and may be need to talk it out with a colleague. Both learning needs for the visual as well as the aural learners could be catered for through the blog, but how could we accommodate for the needs of kinesthetic learners on the blog?
You have also raised some very good questions. It is really a challenge for teachers to motivate students to voluntarily come online and have their say. One way to do this is by constantly referring to the on-going debates on the blog in the classroom and praising the students who participate. This could make reluctant students to be curious and perhaps encouraged to try it.
As Harmer (2008: 142 – see 1 below) indicate that the type of correction technique depends on the nature of the task. If the task or activity aims at improving the students' 'fluency', the attention should be focused how to help students get the message through. But if the activity is designed to test the students' 'accuracy', then the focus will be on how accurate, in terms of grammar and lexis, the message is.
As far as I am concerned, I prefer a public one as this will engage a wider audience.
In my opinion, no prior permission from the teacher should be obtained for posting a message. This would increase the trust between teachers and students.
Finally, edition of students work, I guess, is connected to what I have mentioned above about he aim of the activity.
Thanks again Eve and I'd love to see you on my blog at http://mohamedhasanuob.blogspot.com/
Best Wishes,
Mohamed
Harmer, J. (2008) The Practice of English Language Teaching. Longman
Hi Eve
ReplyDeleteI was very impressed with your blog. You've challenged me to use some of Larry' ideas.
I agree that a blog is a useful tool but believe it will be interesting to see how to link the various options with pedagogy.
Regards
juliet
Hello again,
ReplyDeleteYes I agree with Juliet that your blog, Eve, is really a nice one. I have been trying to change the appearance of my blog but could not. I wonder how you did it?
Yours,
Mohamed
Hello Eve,
ReplyDeleteWhat I like about this course is that it's given me the opportunity to meet with interesting peopole such as you.
I totally agree that students have different learning styles, and we as teachers try to cater for their different needs. Motivation is a big issue in my teaching context. I think students might be encouraged to writ on the blog by raising some interesting topics for discussion, taking into consideration the culture you're teaching in. I also agree with Mohamed that the teacher may constantly refer to the topic in the class and praise those students who contribute to the blog.
Edeiting students's writing, as Mohamed said above, depends on the task the students have to do. I think edeting everything on the blog is time consuming for the teacher, especially if you have a big class, and students would be hindered in their effort to write.
Getting the teacher's permission to add to the blog depents on your teaching context. Personally, I would like to have some sort of control over the posts on the blog. And whether I would like to have a public or private blog, I really don't now as I am new to blogging. I would though like to know your opinion on this matter.
Finnaly, Thank you Eve for making this experience more interesting. One more thing, your blog looks very nice; I will try to learn how ta make my blog more appealing.
Yours,
Maha
Thank you all for sharing your expertise on my blog!
ReplyDeleteMohamed: I just used a prestablished template and chose pics referring to the topic to make my blog more likable! I am glad you liked it!
Juliet: I do beleive using blogs can be quite pedagogical. It will all depend on the teachers' aim
Maha: Thanks for your kinds words! I agree with you when it comes to controlling messages but until what extend is that discouraging? I do not really know