Reflection Module 1: Creating an academic blog

After learning the first module about: Creating an academic blog, there are a lot of interesting insights that I have acquired through zoom discussion and the summary of six groups. 

Firstly, in terms of the purposes of using blogs, I do agree with my Zoom 4’s teammates that it can be divided into two: one is for professional ELT purpose which is normally used for sharing about teaching and learning experiences and the other can be for personal purposes which can tell stories about the writer’s daily life and habits. However, being an English teacher, I frequently create blogs for sharing and reflecting about my own learning and teaching journey because I also used to be an English learner and I also used to encounter the similar difficulties as my students are having. Being empathetic with what challenges students are facing, I believe that my advice can be beneficial and effective for my students. Moreover, blogging is also an ideal place for me to connect and learn from other colleagues. In my blog, I can share some of my creative lesson plans and classroom activities that I find engaging for my students. One feature of blogging that I find the most useful is the comment section where I can read other’s opinions about my sharing and also express my own opinions under other’s posts. Thanks to reading other’s comments on my posts, I can recognize what I have done well in my class and what I should modify to make my teaching more effective. By continuously reflecting on what happened in my class with a wide range of objective views from other colleagues, my teaching practice has been significantly improved. 

Undoubtedly, using blogs in English Language Teaching can exert numerous benefits toward both teachers and students. However, before asking students to use blogs for learning, there are several factors that teachers should take into consideration. Firstly, to ensure a positive and polite learning environment for students, teachers should set rules for blogging etiquette, which requires readers to share appropriate content and use respectful language. By emphasizing the importance of constructive feedback and setting clear guidelines on digital behaviours, teachers can foster a supportive learning community for students. Secondly, as some of my friends mentioned in the Break out Zoom, using blogs in teaching would be impossible for primary students. While this argument is true to some extent, especially in considering their computer literacy, I believe that with the assistance of parents, students in primary levels still gain benefits from using blogs. Parents can be a mentor or a supporter for young learners to create their own blogs and help with uploading videos, pictures on it. Moreover, with the widespread use of the Internet and digital devices, it is not too difficult for young learners to learn how to use these online platforms. Frequently keeping eyes on what young students post and comment on blogs, I do believe that the advantages of using blogs for young learners are also well-maintained as for older learners. 

All things considered, using blogs in ELT learning and teaching is extremely important and beneficial for both teachers and learners. In the past, I never thought that one day I would create my own ELT blogs and also ask my students to do the same. However, after learning this module and acquiring some ways for effectively using blogs in teaching language, I will definitely include blogging in my class.