Blogs in Plain English from the Common Craft Show

 

Examples of Student Blogs

 

An ESLvocabulary blog

http://websteresl.blogspot.com/

 

Online Role Play for the book Montana 1948

http://mascotroleplay.blogspot.com/

 

An EFL class blog examining an issue of consequence

http://sandeelee.blogs.com/bullying/

 

Kids Book Blog - 5th and 6th graders

http://kidsbookblog.edublogs.org/

 

Ideas for a classroom blog

http://classroomblogging.wikispaces.com/Blogging+Activities

 

An American high school connects with a Chinese school via a blog

http://sites.epals.com/cpauchnick/ 

 

The Way We Are Project at ePals

http://www.epals.com/projects/info.aspx?DivID=TheWayWeAre_overview

 

All Japanese, All the Time

http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/about

 

 

Places to create your own Blog

Blogger - http://www.blogspot.com

SchoolBlog - http://www.epals.com/products/esb/

EduBlogs - http://edublogs.org/

21Classes - http://www.21classes.com/ - automated to make a class blog and link all student blogs from it, also some advanced private/public permissions on a number of levels with the paid version

 

More Information

• Research: "Let them Blog - Using Weblogs to Advance Literacy in the K-12 Classroom," by PhD candidate, David Huffaker 
• Tips from other educators - http://theedublogger.edublogs.org/2008/06/17/share-your-blogging-experience-and-tips-for-educators-new-to-blogging/ 
• Encourage parental participation - check out this handy guide and adapt it for your purposes:  http://theedublogger.edublogs.org/2009/05/05/check-out-this-two-page-blog-guide-for-parents/
• Here is an online module suggesting the use of a blog as a course management system (CMS)
  • http://altec.colorado.edu/online_modules/blogging/ 
• U of MN Tech Talk episode - "Blogs and Wikis"
  • http://techtalk.umn.edu/episodes/season4/407.shtml
• Guhlin, Miguel. 2006. Blogs: Webs of Connected Learning. Technology & Learning.
  • http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.php?articleID=189500884
• David Warlick on Personal Learning Networks PLN_DWarlick_ISTE_L&L.pdf
• Bigenho on using RSS to mine for gold   RSS_Gold_Bigenho_ISTE_L&L.pdf
• Blogger's Beat - on how education has changed    BloggersBeat_ISTE.pdf
• Slide show with lots of ideas for integrating blogging into a second language curriculum (EFL specific, but can be applied to any second language):  http://www.slideshare.net/cm24/using-web-logs-in-the-efl-class?type=powerpoint

 

Use an RSS reader (such as Google Reader)  to subscribe to blogs:  http://www.google.com/help/reader/tour.html

Learn how an RSS reader works:  http://thecommoncraftshow.blip.tv/file/205570/ 

 

 

Some of Alyssa's favorite education blogs (as requested by the ESL particpants). 

These are some of the blogs I subscribe to using Google Reader.  If you subscribe, you'll never have to remember the URL again!  google.com/reader

 

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day:  larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/

- This is a great website for ESL and non-ESL instructors.  Mr. Ferlazzo reviews websites and provides links to some very useful tools.  Also, check out the blogs he reads - they are in the right column.

 

The Edublogger:  theedublogger.edublogs.org/

- Quite possibly my favorite!  The author, Sue Waters, includes links to new tools, reviews of these tools, and directions on how to use technology effectively in the classroom. 

 

Open Culture www.oculture.com/

- This blog includes links to resources that educators (language or otherwise) might use in their classrooms.  Be sure to check out the Audio and Podcasts links in the right column - there are some great resources for foreign languages. 

 

Mission to Learn blog.missiontolearn.com/

This blog includes "26 online games to change the world".