Monday, September 22, 2008

Blogging

Blogging is a very useful tool for the English classroom, especially when it comes to reading, understanding, and talking about literature. Students can read their assigned literature and then discuss, ask questions, and offer their interpretations via a class blog. This is a great homework alternative because kids are already on the computer, so they won't even realize that they're doing homework. Students can read each others interpretations and ideas and come to a deeper understanding of the reading. They can also learn to have a better appreciation for others' ideas and interpretations. Blogging can also be used for giving assignments or for providing supplemental information for my students.
Many students are required to write an autobiographical story for English class. A blog is a great place to do this, and it allows revision and changes so that students can go through all of the necessary steps in the writing process. I can grade the blogs just like I would a typed paper, but it would eliminate the need for all that printed paper. The blog would also be useful for making suggestions for the students writing during the revision stage. There are many uses for blogs in the English classroom, and I am sure that I will continue to find more uses as I develop lesson plans for my students.

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