Using Blogs for Online and Classroom Teaching discusses how blogs can be used as an educational tool. There are three main types of blogs for teaching: tutor blogs run by the teacher, class blogs for student collaboration, and learner blogs for individual or group work. Tutor blogs provide resources, links, and class updates for students. Blogs can support teaching listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, and pronunciation through activities like presentations, discussions, readings, and exercises. They also allow teachers to share materials and students to submit work online. Popular free blogging platforms that are easy for educators to use include Blogger, Weebly, and WordPress.

1. Using Blogs
for
Online
and
Classroom Teaching
Jana Ciobanu
Dr. Sally Zhao
TESL Canada Conference 2014

2. Using Blogs for Online and Classroom
Teaching
• What is a blog ?
• Types of blogs used in teaching ESL
• Tutor Blog
• Using a blog in teaching online and in the
classroom
• How to create a blogger blog
• How to upload: links, pictures, videos, PPT, etc.

3. WHAT IS A BLOG?
A blog is:
• short for web log
• a personal website or web page on which an
individual records opinions, links to other sites, etc.
on a regular basis.(Google Blogger)
Why blog?
• to share information
• to teach Ss English

4. Whose idea was it?
Dave Winer
• developed the first blogging
software
• started blogging in 1994

5. TYPES OF BLOGS USED IN
TEACHING
Aaron Campbell (2003): identified 3 blogs to use in the
ESL classroom:
• The Tutor Blog-run by the tutor for the learners
• The Class Blog- the whole class collaborates
• The Learner Blog-either run by individual learners themselves
or by small collaborative groups of learners

6. TUTOR BLOG
• a new teaching and learning tool
• motivates students to explore the Internet
• run by the teacher of the class
• gives students access to different online web-sites
appropriate for their level
• a resource of links for self-study
• provides syllabus information and an up-date on the
daily news of the class/school
http://linc5ft.blogspot.ca/

7. http://linc5ft.blogspot.ca/

8. Using Tutor Blogs in the Classroom
Use it for teaching:
• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing
• Grammar
• Pronunciation

9. Listening
http://linc5ft.blogspot.ca/2012/01/themes.html
• Listen to different conversations and do some cloze activities
• Listen to other students’ presentations and do a peer assessment as
well as a self-assessment
• Listen to the recent news and take notes
• Listen to songs and stories and answer either multiple-choice
questions or comprehension ones
• Watch videos and write summaries
• Watch movie trailers and answer multiple-choice questions

10. Speaking
http://linc5ft.blogspot.ca/
• Give presentations
• Have Ss watch their peers’ presentations
• Have Ss do a peer assessment
• Use online conversation q-s and practice speaking
• Ss record their conversation using the online voice
recorder

11. READING
http://linc5ft.blogspot.ca/search?q=reading
• Read stories, articles, the latest news, etc.
• Learn new words
• Do individual reading at home
• Listen and read along
• Learn idioms and use an idiomatic dictionary
• Use different dictionaries

12. WRITING
http://linc5ft.blogspot.ca/search?q=writing
• Write dictations
• Practice spelling
• Use PPt-s to teach new concepts
• Learn how to write paragraphs, essays,
reports, etc.
• Chat with Tutor Mike(the online robot)

13. PRONUNCIATION
http://linc5ft.blogspot.ca/search?q=pronunciation
• Ss practice pronunciation with an online tutor
• Record students' short presentations, role-plays,
speeches, etc. using the online voice recorder
• Ss watch pronunciation videos on YouTube

14. GRAMMAR
http://linc5ft.blogspot.ca/search?q=grammar
• teach grammar using the available Power-Point Presentations
• have students practice grammar using online exercises
• assess Ss with the help of different quizzes, tests, etc.
• practice grammar and spelling by chatting with Tutor Mike
• play grammar games
• write dictations

15. Using a Blog in Teaching
Online
• Provide online resources appropriate for their
level
• Create an online portfolio of students’ written
work
• Post handouts, notices, homework assignments,
etc.
• Use the blog for independent study
• Use the blog for peer assessment

16. Where to start?
Sites where you can set up a blog for free:
• Blogger-www.blogger.com
• Weebly- http://www.weebly.com
• WordPress- http://wordpress.com/
• Blogtery- http://blogetery.com/

17. How to create a blog?
Blogger Getting Started Guide
https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/1623800?hl=en
Creating a Blogger Blog in under 5 Minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP68-mIpBO0
How to Publish a Blog Post
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX4KSiQbVW4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ5uFPBtyhU

18. How to upload stuff?
• Videos
• Pictures
• PPT-s
• Texts
• Audio Files
• Files

19. Any Questions?

20. THANK YOU

21. Contact Info
Jana Ciobanu
janaciobanu@yahoo.com
Dr. Sally Zhao
linc@immigrant-education.ca