“A blog is about words. Pictures with writing, beautiful quotes, clever topography…A few carefully arranged words can say what thousands can’t and can connect people”. A blog is a fantastic way to provide meaning, quality and purpose to writing by connecting students with a global online audience. I teach at a school where each student in Years 5 and 6 has a personal blog which they post to on a weekly basis. I have found this to be an incredible means of enhancing student writing.
5 ways that blogging helps students to write:
1. Why of Learning: Blogging provides an avenue for students to consider how and why they are learning. Reflecting on a blog can transform learning into a purposeful and reflective experience where students consider the value and intent of what they are doing.
2. Quality of Writing: Blogging also enhances the quality and depth of writing as students have a sense of purpose about their work. By publishing writing online students have a genuine motivation for using correct spelling and grammar.
3. Student Voice: A blog can be a wonderful avenue for students to voice their ideas, thoughts and opinions. Providing opportunity for students to write about an area of passion can be incredibly motivating. In teaching I have found the blog posts based around an area of personal interested are often the best writing samples from students.
4. Sense of Audience: When students post content on their blog it is shared with a real online global audience. This creates a real-life motivation as students know their work is being published and shared with others. Feedback is also heightened as this online audience can provide comments on blog posts.
5. Digital Citizenship: By posting content on a blog, students have an opportunity to consider what it means to have a positive and safe digital presence. Students can reflect and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of blogging online. Blogs are a wonderful way to authentically teach and model safe digital citizenship as students think about protecting their online identity and creating a positive digital footprint.
Blogging Guidelines
These are some key guidelines that I use with my students:
