What I learned in WEEK 2

 In Week 2, I learned about how to write objectives using the ABCD model and how to search information effectively.

First, I think that the ABCD model is very practical and useful because considering of Audience, Behavior, Condition and Degree enables me to write a clear objectives to both the teacher and the students. I often used "appropriately" in objectives, but I learned this word is not clear to students what is appropriate and what is not. Instead, "with 90% correctness" is clear to students. Clear objectives to students helps them to monitor their own learning  and to involve active learning as opposed to passive learning.

Second, I tried using several searching tools that I didn't know. I learned  the first step to better searching is to choose an appropriate searching engine for the type of the information that you need. "Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need"
in Noodletools (http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html) is very nice and informative. I found some useful searches, for example,

Kids Click! (http://www.kidsclick.org/), GLEAN Comparison Search (http://www.gleancomparisonsearch.org/index.php) andBibliography.com (http://www.biography.com/search/).
 Kids Clicks  encourage learners to read what they get interested in. GLEAN Comparison Search is useful when you need to know controversial issues. It provides
with articles for pro and con at the same time. It is a web for kids, but it is good for adults too.

In addition, I came up with an idea for the project. This week I wrote about my teaching context for the project. After analysis of my students' needs, I thought I would like to create a blog for my 5th graders in order to increase their exposure to English, which encourages them to access to their appropriate leveled English pedagogical sites out of school. I have been thinking of usefulness of technology for autonomous learning out of school. I would like to try that if possible.

After reading "Blogging for ELT"

As I read “Blogging for ELT”, I have learned Aaron Campbell (2003) has outlined three types of blogs for use with language classes: The Tutor Blog, the Class Blog and the Learner Blog. Each type has good points and weak points. In our course, we involve the Leaner Blog that students have their own blogs. 


From my experience in Week 1, I think the Learner Blogs are strong tools that have students get to know each other and benefit the teacher in term of class building. And also, they encourage students to read and write a lot because they will want to read other blogs and write about themselves. 

Since I created this blog, I have been enjoying viewing my classmates' blogs. It is fun to visit their blogs.Their blogs look wonderful and they are so different from each other. I haven't met them in person, but I get the feeling to see them  because each blog seems to represent the person. I am motivated to read and write as I view other blogs.


Next, I have learned there are  many reasons to use blogs for ELT. Among them, I am interested in the  two reasons since I think of using blogs for my elementary school classes.
1. to guide students to online resources appropriate for their level.
2. to increase the sense of community in class.


Finally, what I have been concerned on using blogs are the two things. The first one is the issue of students’ ability to use blogs (linguistic ability, technical ability and social ability). The other is the privacy and security.

As for the students’ ability, I think it is important to try to improve their abilities instead of giving up blogging. When I thought of my teaching, I first thought it was difficult to use blogs for young learners since they don’t have enough skill to read and write English and to access blogs by themselves. However, after reading this article and viewing other blogs, I found blogs can work for any students, even low proficiency learners if I have a clear objectives and I use their first language and the target language in an appropriate way. As for the technical skill, I found blogging is so easy that children will learn soon and even if not, their parents can support them. If the students enjoy the blog with their parents, it would be nice.

As for the privacy issue, in “Blogging for ELT”, Live Journal http://www.livejournal.com is recommended. Live Journal allows the setting up of a closed community. Parents might be nervous for their child's  privacy.

Creating a blog

This is my first time to create my blog. I have learned several things during the procedure.
First of all, I found that creating a blog is much easier in the procedure than I expected because it is just to follow the direction, fill out the form and to choose the design. Everyone can create a blog easily.This  means using a blog in the classroom is not hard since students also can start their own blog easily.
 I also have learned blogs are connecting with advertisement business such as Amazon links and so on. Blogs are good medium of advertisement. However, links are  what I am not familiar with. I didn't choose any option that I don't know.
Although the procedure of making a blog is easy, it took longer time for me to edit my profile and to design my blog before the publication. I took long time to make each choice. Adding to the fact I am slow,  I got so nervous for privacy that I took long time to think of  what extent I should write my private information in my profile. To tell the truth, I had a vague anxiety for using a blog because I might share my private information with people I do not know is a little bit uncomfortable. 
However, once I published my blog, I found the nature of opening to public might be exciting and interesting.