1. Discover the Future of L2 Writing Through Blogs and Wikis

2. PRESENTERS Jocelyne Brant Christine Meloni National Capital Language Resource Center The George Washington University Washington, DC

3. What is a Blog? … a Weblog is an easily created, easily updateable Website that allows an author (or authors) to publish instantly to the Internet from any Internet connection. - Will Richardson

4. What is a Wiki? … a wiki is a Website where anyone can edit anything anytime they want. - Will Richardson

5. Blogging Projects in ESL Students ESL Writing Class Higher intermediate level Northern Virginia Community College Alexandria, Virginia

6. Blogging Projects #1 and #2 Class Blog Discussion Question as prompt Related to textbook content New prompts every two weeks Small Group Blogs Paired with students in Texas Sharing information for C/C essays

7. Blogging Project #3: Fall 2006 Teacher’s Blog Theme: Washington, DC Student Comments Required

8. Teacher’s Blog: Sample Entry

9. Individual Student Blogs Any topic, any time Two entries per week (minimum 75 words) Two comments on classmates’ blogs

10. Sample Student Blog

11. Evaluation Rubric Clarity of post Frequency of posts Thoughtfulness of post Accuracy of post Participation Credit for required number of posts Credit for required number of words

12. Blog Hosts http://www.blogger.com http://www.wordpress.com http://www.blogigo.com

13. Why Use the Blog? (Richardson) a constructivist tool for learning expands the walls of the classroom archives learning – facilitates reflection and metacognitive analysis supports different learning styles enhances development of expertise in a particular subject an important new literacy

14. Using Blogs in a French Class Description of initial project Main guidelines for Collective Short Story Implementing the various Blogs Frequency of interaction among bloggers Students comments on experiment Broadening the experiment Conclusion

15. Description of Initial Project Selection of course for experiment “Advanced Grammar and Style” Goals: - Facilitate exchange among students - Stimulate interest for the collective story - Generate more writing in target language - Motivate to excel due to peer pressure

16. Main Guidelines Divide class into writing groups Introduce the activity Initial planning of short story Writing the first chapter ( time and length) Writing subsequent chapters Reading/Recording session

17. Implementing the Blogs Send instructions for creating a blog Have students create one blog per story Post your first comment on each blog Monitor regularly the exchanges Frequently encourage students ( style, interest…)

18. Frequency of interaction Every two weeks (samples attached) - One Chapter posted by designated student - One comment from every group-partner - One comment from professor per story - Revised chapter posted by student

19. Students Comments on experiment Samples of comments and translation Samples of Chapters Samples of final product with CDs

20. Broadening the experiment New Project: creating a Student’s Grammar for students by students Similar approach with Blogs First result : Power-Point on Subjunctive (sample attached)

21. Conclusion Students greatly improve mastery of grammar/vocabulary and style Students feel strongly motivated to write in the target language Students develop collaborative skills Students enjoy the experiment thoroughly

22. Wikis in a Collaborative Inter-Class Project Discovering DC Project: Small groups Selection of topic Editing drafts in the class wiki Posting to a blog Discovering DC Project Ext: Paired groups Commenting on Blogs of Group Essay Partners – Collaboration DC & Dallas

23. Sample Wiki Front Page

24. Sample Wiki Page

25. History of Wiki Page

26. Wiki Hosts Peanut Butter Wiki http://pbwiki.com JotSpot http://www.jotspot.com

27. Conclusion: Do’s and Don’ts Know the technology yourself – Really! Familiarize your students with the technology Plan as carefully as you can in advance Don’t be too ambitious - 25 blogs?!! Don’t emphasize evaluation excessively Choose partners - only if…. Choose partners carefully