BLOGGING IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

The Internet is this generation's defining technology for literacy (Leu et al., 2007; Dobier, 2007), with new technologies emerging daily and requiring new skills and strategies. Blogging is now very commonplace among adolescents worldwide and this has led to the use of blogs in many literacy programmes, as well as its integration into the curriculum of schools. So, what then is a blog? The literature defines a blog as being short for weblog, an easily editable webpage with posts or entries organized in reverse chronological order (Zawilinski, 2009). Four common types are found in elementary schools (internationally, no doubt): - classroom news blog, showcase blog, mirror blog and Literature Response Blog.



The classroom news blog as a means of sharing news and information with parents would be ideal in a classroom where parents and teachers are supportive of each other, and have the necessary equipment and knowledge to maintain such a system of communication. The showcase blog is a great idea for confidence-building and motivating students. It involves the display of students' artwork, podcasts and writing to an authentic audience of their peers, parents and other teachers. Similarly, the literature-research blog encourages brainstorming that is not limited to the walls of a classroom, and provides students with an 'out of school' tool through which they can give their responses to a class activity. This becomes a collaborative post, and may serve to increase each student's awareness of effective writing strategies (Friedman, 2005; New London Group, 1996), and encourages the shy ones to be more confident. Mirror blogs promote higher-order thinking as students are encouraged to be reflective about lessons or content learned.

Each of these procedures will help to create a collaborative learning community in classrooms. If teachers can capitalize on these ideas in their own creative ways, then much can be accomplished in literacy development.

Reference:

Zawilinski, L. (2009). Hot blogging: A framework for blogging to promote higher-order thinking. The Reading Teacher, 62(8), 650-661. International Reading Association.