The following are three standards for foriegn language learning.
1. Communication
Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions
Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions
Students use their target language to communicate via blogging,it makes it possible for them to exchange ideas, perspectives,and information. Many students who are learning foriegn languages are afraid to communicate with others by using their target languages. Sometimes, they are just shy and feel anxious to make mistakes during a face to face conversation. However, blog doesn't have these kind of problem, students could be engaged to any conversations without worrying to be laughed at since they can do rehearsal before posting. Also they could add new topics they like to share they own opinions at the same time and there is noe limit time and place for them to make it. Last but not least, blog offers an opportunity to train their ability of both input and output of the target language.
ACTFL
2. Culures
Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied
Foriegn language learning could never be isolated from its culture background. Learners who learn a language must have the awareness to understand the relationship between the target language and culture.Therefore, blog is a great platform where students can find variety kinds of information about culture diversity.What's more, they could post their own perspective and than share their ideas with each other, also, they could find some demonstration like video, movie or news. Instructors would be able to make comments and see students' comments at the same time to make sure that they have a furture understanding about the language and culture.
ACTFL
3. Communities
Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting
For cyber citizens to date, communicate is no longer limited within making a phone call, or sending a email, people want to make their life more interesting and more creative, and blog is one of the outcomes itself. Through blogging,students could post anything they think it may interest others, such as the information of a basketball game, a new movie, or a funny TV show in the target language, and teacher may give comment and recommend other students to see it as well. Nothing must be connected to school setting, and these kind of reaction make the language learning much vivid and attractive,on the other hand, it helps learners to use the target language as often as possible but without feeling pressure.
ACTFL
8 comments:
Wenjing,
You have done a good job explaining how blogging could enhance language learning. However, your post needs to be refined in the following two ways:
1. The links you provided go to my Diigo account and not directly to the ACTFL site. Please make the links go to the ACTFL site. You can Google ACTFL or go to my Diigo page and click on ACTFL title (link).
2. You must specify exactly which standards you are referring to. For example, in the use of blogging and its relationship to culture, you need to insert the ACTFL standard Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied .
To revise a post, go to your blog and click on New Post, click on the Edit post tab and then click on the word edit.
I completely agree that blogs are a great method to encourage communication, especially among language learners who may be timid with face-to-face interactions. I myself am still shy when speaking Spanish with native speakers in certain settings. It's really important to understand our students and how they learn best, and it seems like blogs can aid us in language education!
I really agree with you on the point that blog is a great platform where students can find variety kinds of information about culture diversity. TO face and solve different cultures is a really an important problem. To use a blog can make them talk about their ideas and dicuss with others more easily and more effectively.
Thank you for your sharing.
Wenjing,
Thanks for making the changes. Your post is fine now.
Hi Wenjing,
I like your three standards for students to use blog with language learning. When students use the blog in their language learning, they won’t feel bored like listening the lecture in the formal classroom. Moreover, blog is really a good place for students to meet other students and learn their cultures through the Internet. That is really fun.
Regarding your second proposal, I share the same opinion that it is important that language learners be able to interact via the web with language learners elsewhere.
What would be truly great is if for instance you were teaching francophones in ESL and were able to have your students interact with with another group of anglophones learning French 'pour les étudiants entrangère,' or French for foreigners.
It doesn't take a deep meditation to realize how this 'meta-group' could benefit all those participating.
I think that the idea of multiculturalism is great. A blog would provide a safe place for people to discuss how they view and see the world.
I really appreciate your mention that blogs bring L2 learning outside of the classroom, and into the learner's speech community to promote the practice of reading and writing even when the student is not in the presence of a teacher.
Post a Comment