Classroom Blogging

Having students blog I feel is more advantageous than email. In blogging students will be using more academic language, versus social language as in email. Students will benefit from a wide array of audience. Comments are great feedback for students. Students will begin to see themselves as authors. Blogging allows for authentic writing and an opportunity for expressive language development. Blogging and comments would encourage students to write. The greatest benefit is that Blogging would get students to write, and the more they write the more their writing will develop.

Working with ESL students at different grade levels and whose English language development varies, I'm contemplating several ideas. Blogging could be a medium for them to publish their stories, reflect on a project we've done or as a learning log. I could have each group do a different form of writing. Publishing their stories might be a great way to start blogging. Then gradually branch off into other forms of blog writings with each group.

EduBlog Insights

EduBlog Insights is resourceful. It was helpful for me to scroll through the side bar and explore different links within "Categories." Clicking on "Connections" took me to Great way to start a Monday morning! Within this blog I checked out McCuller's Weblog and added some of her Current Events Resource links to my sidebar. McCuller is a third grade teacher who summarized about some of the activities her class did. There are other third grade teachers weblogs to check out as well.