As I consider the ways in which I can use a blog in my classroom I think of the applications as they tie to the curriculum. Teaching in a middle school level reading and literacy classroom, for students who are not reading and writing at grade level, presents a great opportunity for them to connect with text in a more authentic manner. Certainly, I can have students create a novel blog for their novels. They could do a variety of posts as the character of their choosing. They could create a novel blog, highlighting key literary features of their book, character, character motives, tone, conflicts and resolution, and predictions.I could have them connect to unknown vocabulary by typing the sentence where the unknown word might be and then finding a dictionary definition in an online dictionary. Finally they revisit that same blog post and add new unknown words, building their own vocabublog posting of key vocabulary of their novels.
They could be a reporter following the story line of the novel as if it is actually happening. I could have them write newspaper reports of the happenings and teach them the process for identifying and building a news story around : Who, What, Where, When, How and Why. They could also do a weather report of one plot event or setting in the story.
There are so many applications to text that they can explore in a blog, offering their ideas, feeling, thoughts, and beliefs to the world regarding the novel and how that novel has elements of the real world. Connecting to text and making real world connections, making recipes that their character might enjoy eating, taking trips their character might go on, and going out to lunch where their character might go.
An ongoing novel blog that they can create, modify and manage, and work on throughout the year as an ongoing conversation in the study of their novels under study is a great way to add a reality base to their reading. The opportunity to share their blog can even raise the level of importance and validity as they might welcome the authentic audience for their writing.
An ongoing novel blog that they can create, modify and manage, and work on throughout the year as an ongoing conversation in the study of their novels under study is a great way to add a reality base to their reading. The opportunity to share their blog can even raise the level of importance and validity as they might welcome the authentic audience for their writing.
Stephanie, I really like your application ideas. You have mentioned earlier that you have a challenge with a lack of access to technology; what ideas do you have to overcome that obstacle if you are using blogs as part of your lesson plans? A suggestion I have is that students work in a station teaching model. If you have one or two computers that can be a station where students can work on their blog post, while some students work with you on vocabulary or other skills development, while some students read or work on assignments independently.
ReplyDeleteSarah, one of the technology issues I am having is varied internet connections. Sometimes it works,and sometimes it doesn't. I have some kids who can't seem to log on because they forget their logon password. I actually have enough computers, but not enough ipads for reading.I have great ideas for blogging, but have essentially a new job this year in a system I've worked in for 7 years. This includes a population that includes emotionally challenged, learning disabled, 504 students having ADHD and the typical non motivated students. They are not independent at all and stations or rotations does not work. The minute they are left with a task,their behaviors spiral demonstrating that they cannot manage without supervision. It is quite a challenge but it has gotten better as they are getting used to a model they've never before experienced. We are a work in progress. Having them blog at home is also not an option because they don't do homework. I see the ability to integrate blogs potentially after January. I think students are working on managing their behaviors and understanding my expectations.
ReplyDeleteStephanie-
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like our classrooms are very similar in what and who we teach. Many of my middle school students are well below grade level in reading and writing and need high-interest lessons in order to keep them engaged and want to read. Your blog ideas sound like a great way to incorporate the technology and create engaging lessons for my students. Building their vocabulary online would be great too! One problem that I have always run into with my population of students is that they lack the typing skills needed for projects such as blogs. It takes several class periods for them to type a final draft from their rough copies. I was just wondering if you have ever run into similar problems and how you have overcome them?
Yes, the typing is a problem. Sometimes,I will type for some of them and have other students also type for them. Lack of keyboarding skills is a huge problem.I have heard mixed views on the dragon speak program and I think it is also an application on iphone/ipad now. Although another cost, that might be another solution. In just a few years to come, I imagine keyboards will disappear and all typing will be done by voice command.
ReplyDeleteStephanie,
ReplyDeleteI really like your ongoing novel blog idea! I may use that with my grade 9 ELA class as we start our novel in the next week.
We have internet reliability issues in our school as well and the frustration levels are high. I have had some students create wordpress blogs with no issues, and then the next 2 can not even log in. We have a variety of blogs in our classroom, everything from blogspot, edublog, wordpress to tumblr. As much as I would like to have a universal format, our technology just doesn't allow it. This makes it harder on the staff as they now need to know how to create multiple blogs on a variety of platforms. I hope that our IT department will solve our issues, but until then, my goal is to ensure every student in my class is able to create a blog and use it to enhance their learning.
- Jodi Wilton
Jodi, you can also assign teams. This way, you might not have as many issues. Your assignments can be completed by the teams, both giving input. You can have them first jot down 'discussion notes' to a prompt you put on the board. Then have them alternate typing and composing together.
ReplyDeleteI love your idea about having the students act as a newspaper reporter. This added level of imagination helps get students excited about what they are writing and gives them a sense of ownership in their work.
ReplyDeleteI am no writing teacher, but one suggestion I have would be to assign the students a character from the book. The students would then have to pretend to be that character writing their own personal blog after each chapter. I could imagine a student writing from the perspective of Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby blogging about how he hopes that Daisy will show up to the part he is throwing tonight. IF you have a novel with limited characters you could have student groups write together what the blog post will be, and then the student with the best access to a computer and internet can be the one that posts it.
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI think that your idea's for integrating blogs and using them with literacy and reading could be highly beneficial. I know that one of the big challenges that I face in my classroom is a wide range in ability level when it comes to technology. Some students are practically professionals on the computers, while other students are poking away with their index fingers, struggling to type up an assignment. With the students in your classroom being lower than grade level in terms of proficiency, do you find that they are not as proficient with technology, or is this not always the case? In my own personal experience, most students jump at the opportunity to use technology, even the struggling readers and writers, but there are the rare occasions where adding another component to the process might cause the student to have further struggles. If your server connections are anything like my district, I am sure that you deal with the technology related headaches every now and then. Would these blog related activities be something that students would be able to work on in class, because despite the age we live in, there are certainly still some students who do not have access to computers at home. All and all I really like your ideas, and I am trying to think of similar ways that I can incorporate them into my technology education curriculum.