Right now we are living in the world of technology. Classroom is not the exception.
There are lots of ways to use blogs in classroom, but I would like to use them with these ways.
First, I want to give assingments through blog, especially regarding writing. Each student can post homework and have a chance to look at other students work at the same time. While sharing our thoughts, I want students to edit their works to get better results. After finishing their homeworks, they can see how different the results can be from the first one.
To enhance student's listening or speaking skills, I can add many useful links that they can visit and use at home. For example, I can use the site which includes video clips how to pronounce certain sounds. Non-native speakers have weakness in speaking certain sounds because they do not have that sounds in their mother tongue. In this case, learners can hear certain sounds as many times until they can produce similar or same sound. Or they can record their own voice and can hear how their sound is different from that of native speaker. Doing this practice, they can enhance their listening and speaking skills. Sometime students can find more great sites that I do not know yet, then they can add such sites, too.
Lastly, I want to promote each student's potential using blogs. By encouraging students to make blogs according to their interests, they can get a chance to find their hidden capabilities in areas like photograph, art, cooking, craft and so on. In my country, there are tendencies that focusing on study until students are gaduated from highschool. It means that students usually use their leisure time only doing study related works.
I think using blogs in classroom can help both teachers and students to achieve their goals as long as it is used in guided direction.
I used the standards in TESOL; Usage of Four Language Domains.
Listening
Listening is an active skill. By highlighting an assortment of listening tasks across standards, the need to involve students in active listening and purposeful listening skills development becomes clear.
Speaking
English language learners engage in oral communication in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes and in a wide spectrum of settings. As part of oral communication, students are constantly using language in meaningful interaction with others.
Reading
English language learners process, interpret, and evaluate written language, symbols, and text with understanding and fluency. Learning to read in a second language may be enhanced or hindered by students’ level of literacy in their native language. Students who have a strong foundation in reading in their first language bring with them skills that can be readily transferred in the process of learning to read in English.
Writing
English language learners use written communication for a variety of purposes and audiences. Writing can be used to express meaning through drawing, symbols, or text. English language learners may come with writing styles influenced by their home cultures.
Kyung - I also wrote in my blog about allowing students to explore their interests. I think this would be helpful for them as they develop, but also helpful to us as teachers. It will allow us both to get to know them, and to find ways to link our curriculum with things that are of specific interest to them. I really am intrigued by this, and hope to be able to use it when I teach.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of allowing students to see their progression. Students often become discouraged with non-native languages, and fail to see their own progress. Using blogs to remind them of just how far they have come is a great way to boost their confidence and their pride in their own achievement! :D
Thanks for posting such a thoughtful blog!
I definitely agree with Lindsay here- being able to see the progression of their work is invaluable to students' process of reflection. It truly shows us how far we've come, and can even remind students of where they were when they were working on that assignment, e.g., remembering a challenging day or a moment of success that they experienced.
ReplyDeleteI also like that you emphasize how blogs can be used to create a multi-sensory platform for learning- students aren't just reading and writing, but also potentially listening! In language learning in particular, sounds are SO important to understanding and using language. That's an important factor to mention, and I'm glad you included it.
I really like the idea of posting homework on the blog. This makes checking the blog necessary, so that everyone can see what is going on in this online community. By giving homework online, you are presenting the homework in a new and inviting way, so that students will have a more positive reaction to the assignment. Often as teachers, we are rushed at the end of the period to quickly assign homework, which quickly evokes dread in the students. This simple change can really motivate students to work harder to produce higher quality assignments.
ReplyDeleteI especially like your idea of having students share websites they find that would be useful to all. Having students be active in the learning process can be very motivational.
ReplyDeleteFor speaking practice for your students, here is a site you may like.
http://www.voxopop.com/
Kyung,
ReplyDeleteFirst off I really like your title of your blog, and the set up is really welcoming.
I really liked your idea about linking to videos on your blog to help non native speakers improve their pronunciation. Since I am studying for my masters in ESL this is something I would really like to incorporate and use in my classroom. Its a great idea and perhaps you could even had the students write reflections on their own blogs with troubles they are having with specific pronunciation or in response to specific videos you have put up. Just an idea!
Great job!