Chris Fuller – where all of today’s presentations will be available to download

Session 1 Practical ways to use Blogs

First, important things to know... 1)I AM NOT AN ICT EXPERT!!! I am a Spanish teacher, who was taught how to use PowerPoint 3 years ago. I do not know how the Internet works, I just push buttons, especially the back button when things go wrong.

First, important things to know... 2) The ideas that I pass on in this session are not... a)Completely comprehensive b)They will not destroy your life 3) No notes needed- will be on

Who am I? -Spanish teacher in Bideford, North Devon -Spanish committee of A.L.L. -Recently contributed to BBC Jam for year olds in Spanish - Speak at various events about the use of technology for Specialist Schools and Academies Trust

“If school is to be a truly rewarding experience for today’s students, it must be relevant to them.” Connected magazine, Learning and teaching Scotland

Is this the future? “Young people’s familiarity with ICT offers a great opportunity to language teachers. It seems to us that a determined commitment to use this world, which is so familiar to young people, is a key to increasing the engagement of young people of all ages with languages. New technologies can facilitate real contacts with schools and young people in other countries. They can also provide stimulus for creative and interactive work.” (Lord Dearing - Languages Review March 2007)

Blogging

Objectives for this session; to understand what a blog is to understand the motivational benefits of a blog to understand the AfL benefits of a blog to learn about possible skill area uses of a blog to learn about different blog providers to explain the practical session Blogging

What is a blog?!?!?! Blog= web log –Traditionally used as an online diary –A typical blog combines a variety of media forms –Key element is huge increase in interactivity- INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY. Blogging

In educational terms, usually divide into 2 types of blog Class blogs Reflective teacher blogs (Ewan McIntosh) (Joe Dale) Blogging

What can we actually use a blog for?!?! –Showing pupils’ work –Sharing files –Showing pupils’ videos etc –Increasing Assessment for Learning –Increasing pupil independence and self-evaluation Blogging

Why use blogs? Motivation- make the world your classroom wall –Learning no longer confined to exercise books –Who is the audience for work which goes into an exercise book? –Truly global perspective Can be demonstrated by visitors maps on blogs Blogging

The last 100 visitors to the Spanish blog

Why use blogs? Writing –Increased motivation- will be viewed by more than just the teacher –Very obvious to all when their peers’ work is missing from the blog Blogging

Why use blogs? Reading –Principal skill gain- pupils constantly reading each other’s work –Allows free choice of which sections to read –Aids pupil independence Blogging

Why use blogs? Speaking –Oral vocab lists to aid pronunciation –Pupil and teacher generated podcasts –Speaking tests / exercises =learning opportunity rather than just an assessment opportunity –Provides a platform for pupil-made videos Blogging

Why use blogs? Listening –To podcasts –To videos (pupil created, music, adverts, football commentaries etc) –To peers’ work Blogging

Why use blogs? Assessment for Learning –Comment function allows peer assessment using “Two Stars and a Wish formula” = 2 positive elements + 1 element to work at next time –Self-assessment as pupils comment on their own work and thus self target set. Blogging

That’s the theory- how have I actually used the school blog?

Blogging Listening

Blogging On the blog this is a listening exercise, but... Pupils had to write scripts Pupils read and peer- assessed each other’s scripts Pupils read the script out out

Blogging Music video - great cultural input - an interesting homework to find body parts/ weather types - Year 8 pupils were mostly humming the song round school for next few days

Blogging Speaking

Blogging Pupils write scripts -Peer assess -Practise -Record -High level of enjoyment

Blogging Reading

Blogging Year 8 wrote Guess Who style self-descriptions For next homework, pupils read the descriptions and left a comment saying who they were

Let’s have a look at the blog... Blogging

Who provides the blog facility? TypePad - –Easiest for inserting fun stuff (provider that I use) Blogger- Edublogs- Wordpress- Many, many more… Blogging

To learn about further tools to complement blogs Blogging

Desires for this year Higher Level pupils to leave comments in TL Potential for pupils to use gabcast.com to leave voic messages for on the blog Put online video conferences for viewing after the event, either using Skype / Pretty May or Flashmeeting

How to find out new ideas? -keep reading other blogs! Blogging

Google Reader - Uses RSS feeds to update you when your favourite blogs have changed

Plenary- Frequently Asked Questions Won’t it all take ages? Will anyone actually look at the blog? What effect will it have on my department? What about Child Protection? Blogging