How do Blogs Work in Language Learning and Teaching

    From my own experience of English learning, I would like to agree with the thought that motivation is one of the keys which could have great effects on the success of language learning. Therefore, as a future language teacher, how to effectively improve my teaching with more fun and help my students raise their interests could be important elements that I should consider, especially in this Internet era, with the combination of appropriate Internet tools. 

        Blogs could be considered as one efficient tool to help language teachers develop their teaching since it provides various entries for different demands. One way that I think I would like to use blogs in my future teaching is to expand students' access to relevant materials by incorporating links. Blogging is a good choice to add a number of different links to provide students with opportunities to learn something new and what could not learn in a real classroom. For example, if my students have learned something about culture during the class, but they want to know more about culture diversity; therefore, I could post some links for interesting pictures, videos, and articles on blogs. Additionally, I have a chance to make sure that all links work well and my students are on the right track of learning.

       Moreover, using blogs could be one efficient way for me, as a language teacher, to develop my self-reflection on my teaching. I could keep records or write journals about how I design my class, how my class processes, and what do I need to improve for my next teaching. All these information could be recorded on blogs. Additionally, I can receive feedback or comments from other bloggers since some other language teachers who share the same experience with me may also use blogs as a way of reflecting. 

Performance Indicator-ESL.I.5-8.2.1.1

Students read, listen to, view, write about, and discuss texts and performances from a wide range of authors, subjects, and genres.

Performance Indicator-ESL.I.5-8.4.1.1

Students use a variety of oral, print, and electronic forms of social communication and for writing to or for self, applying the conventions of social writing.