USING WEB-LOGS IN THE EFL CLASSPresented by Christina Markoulaki,

an EFL teacher, yet always a student

markakischool.blogspot.com

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AN OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION

What is a web-logWhy use it in the EFL classHow teachers can use it (ideas and examples)How students can use it (ideas and examples)How to create your own web-log The web-log elements

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SOME POSITIVE THINKING

“You don't have to be great to start,

but you have to start to be great.”

By Zig Ziglar

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INTRODUCTION

Modern computer technology has made possible a new and rich learning experience. The development of viable software for communication and online publishing as well as improved networking speeds has made possible a variety of activities within a traditional class setting that extend the walls of the classroom.

by Julie Lindsay

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SAMPLES OF STUDENTS’ BLOGS

Take a look at these pages.

xouakina.blogspot.com vasilis-panagiotis.blogspot.com

These are students’ creations, which have also been awarded a prize in ‘kseblogare’ Greek blog competition . This is a sample of the vast potential blogs as innovative teaching tools offer.

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WHAT IS A BLOG ANYWAY?

A blog (a contraction of the term weblog) is a website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog)

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WHAT IS A BLOG? (2)

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs.

(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog)

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WHY BLOG? (1) This is exactly one reason why I want my kids to

blog; and just as importantly, to read the blogs of others. Blogs are doors to the rest of the world. This is a powerful explanation of what we try to do. We “invite other people to know our lives,” you “read others’ blogs and discover their lives in other places.” This is why I am adamant that my kids link to, read, and comment on the blogs of people who live in other parts of the globe. I want them to hear from Australiankids, from Brazilian kids. From kids who live in major urban centres, and from those who live in small towns just like they do. They need to learn about their differences, see their similarities, and understand about how, on this ever - shrinking globe, they are a generation of people who will have many problems to solve when they inherit what we are leaving behind.

Clarence Fisher from Remote Access

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WHY BLOG? (2)

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www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=be6ec9b852b0a542e2f3

WHAT A TEACHER CAN DO WITH A BLOG

post photographs, texts or videos relevant to classroom activities, then assign a task to students

(i.e. ask them to write a comment or a post on their blog)

Examples: bullying c class

Rwanda Mr Fisher1 & 2

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WHAT A TEACHER CAN DO WITH A BLOG 2

include useful links (link lists about all language

areas)→ encourage self study

Example: Mr Fisher’s blog Markaki school blog

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WHAT A TEACHER CAN DO WITH A BLOG 3

publish homework or other teaching notes (e.g. in pps

format) by embedding them → an e-class

markakischool.blogspot.com/2008/11/u2-lyrics-one-lyrics.html

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WHAT A TEACHER CAN DO WITH A BLOG 4

provide reading practice→ have a professional write

about their job→ Ss read and ask questions →

the writer replies

Mary Hillis’s post about awedding cakes designer

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WHAT A TEACHER CAN DO WITH A BLOG 5

publish students’ scanned work

create an on-line magazine

markaki-students.blogspot.com

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WHAT A TEACHER CAN DO WITH A BLOG 6

promote multiculturalism

eTwinning project: Are we really different? (Portugal, Italy, Poland)

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SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

If you had just completed a unit on the Past Perfect Simple

with your C’ Class (A2) level students,

what kind of follow-up task would you choose

to include in your blog?

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PUT THE PREVIOUS IDEAS INTO PRACTICE

T writes the rule, Ss provide the funniest examples possible in comment form: By the time the teacher started talking again, all the students had slept.

Ss take turns to narrate a story: Alice had a really bad day yesterday. First, she woke up in the morning. After she had woken up, she stumbled on her way to the bathroom. After she had stumbled…, she…

embed YouTube videos before and after Hurricane Hugo hit→ Ss describe the scenes by leaving a comment, e.g. Before the hurricane hit, there hadn’t been any damage. After it had hit, the weakest buildings were toppled down.

links to grammar quizzes

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WHAT A STUDENT CAN DO WITH A BLOG (INDIVIDUALLY OR IN A TEAM)

publish work done in classessays, poems, book reviews, news articles → a digital portfolio

Examples: Adel: opinion on important issues, folktales, news articles

class blog by Spanish students: entry about 2nd conditional

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WHAT A STUDENT CAN DO WITH A BLOG 2

keep an on-line diary about their routine

interests personal problems

thoughts

Examples Dora’s blog

Toni’s blog: mixture of personal thoughts and class work

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WHAT A STUDENT CAN DO WITH A BLOG 3

discuss with classmates or students in other countries

and teacher about current issues

Toni’s blog about teenagersGK-hall about Black History Month

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WHAT A STUDENT CAN DO WITH A BLOG 4

embed crossword puzzles

embed glogs

to consolidate new vocabularytaught in class

C’ class Halloween glog

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WHAT A STUDENT CAN DO WITH A BLOG 5

create other activities for classmates to solve

For example:

gapped sentences

riddles

surveys

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WHAT A STUDENT CAN DO WITH A BLOG 6

embed YouTube videos or their own ones and comment on them→ a vlog

Videos of: poetry reading in class

interviews short dialogues

book reviews

See Christina’s vlog on book reviews

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SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT (2)

You have just had a discussion with your Proficiency students about

studying/ working abroad.

What kind of follow-up task would you assign them

to do on their blogs?

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STUDENTS COULD DO THESE ACTIVITIES:

Write a post about working conditions in London after having read relevant links

Discuss through comments on a post (e.g. questionnaire about what facilities/

courses a university should offer) Record videos (e.g. interviews including

roleplay: employer- applicant) and comment on them

Make promotional videos about themselves demonstrating their qualifications:

Jeffrey Hill’s blog, dailymail.co.uk Make a crossword puzzle on new vocabulary

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SOME FINAL CONCLUSIONS ABOUT BLOGS

ideal for team activities in a computer lab can include tasks set as homework aid teachers, parents and students themselves

to record, monitor and compare progress done help students become accustomed to new

technology and modern ways of communication offer powerful motivation to students of all ages

(surfing the net, sense of ownership, having an audience, choosing interesting topics)

enable receiving immediate feedback on published tasks (esp. when teachers are followers of students’ blogs - new posts in the reading list)

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HOW TO SET UP A BLOGGER ACCOUNT

1. Visit www.blogger.com2. Click on ‘create a blog’ button3. Fill in all the required fields → you need to: a) give a valid email address b) give a display or user name (like a signature) 4. Write a title and find an available URL address,

which will also be relatively short and indicative of the purpose of the blog (e.g. Bclass.blogspot.com)

5. Choose a template (the overall design of your blog)

6. Start posting and customizing your blog!7. Main fields: Posting (to edit texts), Settings (to

perform all kinds of adjustments), Layout (to arrange or add blog elements), View Blog (to view changes)

8. To sign in again, visit www.blogger.com

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THE ELEMENTS OF A BLOG

a) Header = the title at the top of the pageb) Posts= the texts in the main columnc) Gadgets = anything that can be added in

all columns of the blog, that is: Pictures, texts, profile box, blog archive Various lists, link lists, list of followers, blog

list Polls, slideshows of your photographs Video bar, newsreel, labels of all posts HTML code so as any other gadget to be

embedded, e.g. a clock, a daily renewed list of motivational quotes, a shelf with recommended books

Spot all the above on this teacher’s blog: theenglishyouneedblog.blogspot.com

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BLOGGER HELP VIDEOS

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How to create a blog

How to insert a link

How to add YouTube video

How to add a blog list to the sidebar

MORE INTERNET RESOURCES ABOUT THE USE OF WEB LOGS IN THE EFL CLASS How to involve students in blogging by Mary Hillis Various teachers and students’ blogs A Wikispace on blogs by blogwalker eTwinning blogs ‘Excellent classroom practices from Mr Fisher’ on

The Cool Cat Teacher blog ‘Weblogs for Use with ESL Classes’ by A.P. Campbell ‘Creating a Writing Course Utilizing Class and

Student Blogs’ by Andrew Johnson Weblogs links on The Internet TESL Journal EFL and ESL and web 2.0 on Teacher Dude’s blog Blogging for educators on ‘One Teacher’s Journey’

blog The Edublogs magazine

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IF YOU FEEL IN A SIMILAR WAY, BE SURE THAT REAL WORK STARTS

NOW!

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