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  #1 (permalink)  
Unread Jul 13th, 2007, 08:18 pm
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Default Blogs

I'm planning to start a blog with my students and I would like to ask for advice. Are you using blogs in your classes? what are you doing? Maybe, we can share the addressess and ask our students to read each others blogs.
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  #2 (permalink)  
Unread Jul 16th, 2007, 02:07 am
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Default Re: Blogs

My students use my blog for writing. They write essays about their holidays, trips, experience ....
It has encouraged them to write more and they seem to like it because they can share with their family and friends...
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  #3 (permalink)  
Unread Jul 16th, 2007, 03:40 am
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Default Re: Blogs

There's a useful article on the British Council site :
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/th...blogging.shtml
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  #4 (permalink)  
Unread Jul 16th, 2007, 02:13 pm
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Default Re: Blogs

Thanks Sue the article was very clear and useful. Kind regards
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  #5 (permalink)  
Unread Jul 16th, 2007, 08:04 pm
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Default Re: Blogs

Generally speaking, if students write every day, their writing WILL improve, whether it's checked by someone or not.

If only for that, it's a great idea.

Sharing the blogs with other classes around the world is a great idea too. You could use a Delicious page to store all the links to the various blogs in one place, or you could have a 'masterblog' run by the teacher to collate the links.

Let me know how it goes because I'm working on a blog-related widget for my site at the mo. Maybe I could link to it from there.
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Unread Jul 18th, 2007, 10:13 pm
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Default Re: Blogs and the use of YOUTUBE in writing activities

This is an indirect suggestion about the use of blogs. Instead of writing blogs, my student and I watch a video in youtube; after watching I ask him what he feels about the content and concepts of the video.

I listen to his comment, then I repeat to him what he said. If my feedback coincides with what he said, I have him type the same comment in the comment box of the video. I edit his work after he is done writing


Notes:
1.This writing activity is short; it targets specific grammar points and writing points. Blog-writing provides lengthy writing practice- comment-writing won't.

Thus, use this activity as a supplement writing activity.

2.Ask concrete questions about the video's content. Asking students (which in my case Korean learners) "what do you think about the video?" results in vague and short responses.

With the exemption of advance learners, intermediate and beginner learners often have not yet harmonized their cognitive skills and their linguistic skills; they cannot yet express on-the-spot opinions. Using specific lead questions on them will yield specific , and sometimes lengthy, answers.

3. It is best to use movie trailers and music videos since both are rich in content and have plots that students can follow.
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Unread Jul 19th, 2007, 04:52 am
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Default Re: Blogs

Nice activity - I shall try it with my one to ones. What type of videos do you generally use? And can you give some examples of the sort of focus questions you use?
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  #8 (permalink)  
Unread Jul 25th, 2007, 07:02 am
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Default Re: Blogs

Great idea!
I'll try with my students as well.
Michèle
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  #9 (permalink)  
Unread Aug 3rd, 2007, 09:06 pm
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Default Re: Blogs

I have already started the blog. We have decided to make one blog for the whole institute with the collaboration of all the teachers because it is our first time and in this way it will be easier. You are all welcome to have a look at it and provide ideas and suggestions for improvement. I will be glad if you can leave a comment for us. www.challengeeducation.blogspot.com Maybe, you can also get some ideas for your classes.
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Unread Aug 6th, 2007, 07:42 pm
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Default Re: Blogs

Looks good so far. I love the simpsonizer and the clustrmaps plugin.
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  #11 (permalink)  
Unread Aug 6th, 2007, 08:22 pm
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Default Re: Blogs

I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the comment.
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Unread Aug 7th, 2007, 08:58 am
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Default Re: Blogs

I've never used blogs in class, but I've occasionally used diaries. Writing regularly, along with corrections by me, really have helped students with their English... just another way to practice the language. That said, because blogs are much more interactive, they would naturally draw students more. Social network sites would draw students, too, I think.
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  #13 (permalink)  
Unread Aug 8th, 2007, 08:29 pm
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Default Re: Blogs

Quote:
Social network sites would draw students, too, I think
Yahoo Answers is a great social network site. I've used it with my students and they love it.

When we do discussion questions in class, for example, I get them to post the questions on YA, and we look through the answers later. It's a good way to expose them to 'real English' and they can see how the answers differ from theirs in structure etc.

It also encourages them to give more thoughtful answers because they don't want to be outdone!
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Unread Aug 15th, 2007, 04:18 am
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Default Re: Blogs

Great topic! Unfortunately, I can't see the blog as blogspot is blocked here in China, but I'm also interested in bringing blogs into the classroom. I also really like the Youtube and Yahoo Answers activities.

Thanks for the great ideas!
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  #15 (permalink)  
Unread Aug 15th, 2007, 03:22 pm
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Default Re: Blogs

It seems apparant from your posts that your classrooms or your students are fairly well equipped with computers etc. I am quite impressed that you can watch youtube videos in class in the phillipines seamlessly it seems. I mean in the US teachers seem to have problems starting the computers and loading powerpoint slides let alone use youtube. Isn't the connection/internet speed slow abroad though, except maybe for Europe and Japan.
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Unread Aug 15th, 2007, 05:01 pm
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Default Re: Blogs

Quote:
Quote rajen4 View Post
It seems apparant from your posts that your classrooms or your students are fairly well equipped with computers etc. I am quite impressed that you can watch youtube videos in class in the phillipines seamlessly it seems. I mean in the US teachers seem to have problems starting the computers and loading powerpoint slides let alone use youtube. Isn't the connection/internet speed slow abroad though, except maybe for Europe and Japan.
I'm not sure about the Philippines but we were getting 100Mbps in Korea.
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  #17 (permalink)  
Unread Aug 15th, 2007, 08:15 pm
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Default Re: Blogs

We don't have such problems here in Argentina either.
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  #18 (permalink)  
Unread Aug 17th, 2007, 05:45 pm
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Default Re: Blogs

At my university in China, the school equipment is horrible, but at home I have a good internet connection.
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