Blogging for second language learning has been a topic of discussion for many second-language teachers. After I read the two articles “7 Reasons teachers should blogs” and “Learning Connections”, I have better understanding the reasons why implementing blogging in the L2 classroom. As I teach elementary school students, I was thinking how to use blogging to teach elementary school students.

By reading the articles, I learn that blogging can be used for a variety of purposes in second language learning, including developing fluency in second-language writing, communications and motivation through dialogues with authentic audience. Blogging can also promote more reading and writing skills. Bloggers can comment on news stories, and share pictures on sites like Facebook and Instagram. Students can read, and write in a target language for information and understanding. I totally understand the value of using blogging in second language learning, and plan to incorporate blogging in my teaching. I am going to use blogging in learning activities, for example, some activities based on the topics “Foods”, “Community Roles and Places”, “Holidays”, and so on. For example, for the topic “Chinese Foods”, students can blogging anything that they know about Chinese foods, such as “how many Chinese foods they can tell”, “what is their favorite Chinese foods”, and so on. By doing this way, it fits to the New York State (NYS) Standards Language Other Than English (LOTE). This blogging activity meets the NYS Standard LOTE. ML.1.2. B.D. which indicates that students can exhibit more comprehensive knowledge of cultural traits and patterns. By using blogging, I can also discuss food cultural comparison, as students will be able to understand cultural differences between Chinese foods and American foods.

An interesting idea is that blogs as a genre technology can encourage students to express and reflect as much as they can. Some researches show that blogging can also cause students to reflect and be more creative. By using blogging technology, our students may learn without really realizing that they are learning. They soak things up while having fun, then gradually developing understanding and fluency in the second language. Using blogging can help my students better understand and express their understanding, feeling and exchange opinions. I would like to implement the idea of posting classroom weekly news, favorite music, stories, homework questions and fun activities, and so on. I will borrow Ms. Lucia’s idea that each student needs to respond to two posts. From the blogging activities, the students will have more opportunity to participate in learning the second language. This bogging activities fit NYS Standard LOTE. ML.1.2 B.F. which emphasize that students can produce written narratives and expressions of opinion about radio, television, newspaper, article, and stories, songs, and literature of the target language. Using blogging can help my students better engage themselves in learning and express their understanding of what they learn.