Three ways to include blog in teaching

The time of single authority news have been subside by some authority news and bloggers broadcasting their news. Teacher can also be blogger when teaching.

1. Teachers can assign homework related to the lesson using blogs.
 This method allows student to do additiona readings or studying on their own instead of a teacher-center class. For example, if a teacher is talking about Shakespeare and his plays in his or her Literature class, the teacher can assign the student to go home and choose a play they like and read or watch the films. After watching or reading about the play, students should post their reflection on their blogs. The reflection can either be post on the student’s own blog, or put on the blog which the teacher set up. The teacher can grade their reflections on the depth or width the reflections are.

2. Teacher can ask students to do discussion on the blog.
 This method does not require a student to write a new article on their own. It requires the student to participate, discuss and sometime debate on topics. For example, a teacher can post several questions on the blog and ask students to chose a few of them to response. This can be assign as group discussion or individual responses, and the response cannot be simple answers, the responders have to state their own opinion in the topic and explain why they agree or don’t agree with the statements.

3. Teachers can ask the students to respond the lessons and open a window for suggestions.
 The main point of this way is by visiting and responding on the teacher’s blog, student can be more comfortable to talk and share information with the teacher. The teacher can post some tips, suggestions or even addition links on his or her websites to share it with the students to aid their studies; but the teacher can also post non-curriculum topic just to share something with the students. Students tend to respond more freely when they do not need to face the teachers directly. The blog can create a bridge between the students and the teachers.

According to the five "C's" STANDARDS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING, which indicates five steps to become a successful foreign language learner: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities.

COMMUNICATION
Communicate in Languages Other Than English

• Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions
• Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics
• Standard 1.3: Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.

CULTURES
Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures

• Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied
• Standard 2.2: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied

CONNECTIONS
Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information

• Standard 3.1: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language
• Standard 3.2: Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures

COMPARISONS

Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture

• Standard 4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own
• Standard 4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.

COMMUNITIES
Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home & Around the World

• Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
• Standard 5.2: Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

My standard blogging would require:

Goal 1: Students learn how to use blogs.
Standard 1: Students learn to use blogs and add in TESOL elements.
Standard 2: Students use the blogs in legal and ethical ways. Personal attacks, pornography or any kinds of violence is strictly prohibited.

Goal 2: Stduents using blogs for feedbacks, discussions, and assignments.
Standard 1: Students should check their blogs frequently and respond to all feedbacks.
Standard 2: Students should keep their posting in a standard and delete any unwanted junk feedbacks or unappropriate advertisement.
Standard 3: Students should always try to finish the assignments on time.
Standard 4: Every Student should have a discussion board and the student should put some topics open to discussion.
Standard 5: Chatting or discussing non-curriculum related topics should be seperated to a chatting board, or the student can choose to create another blog specific for personal diary posting or chattings.

Goal 3: Students respond and communicate with each others and share more information.
Standard 1: Students should try to post their feedbacks in other classmates or teacher's blog.
Standard 2: Encourage students to share their personal experience or knowledge in TESOL, responds from people outside the class is also welcomed.
Standard 3: Assign students to read and share some good materials with each other.

See here for the "STANDARDS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING"