The use of blogs through LAI 684 has enhanced my learning of ESL teaching techniques. For example, I was able to learn more about the practical application of hands on, inquiry based science through Tim lauer's blog. Also, I was able to learn about the educational uses of Flickr through a recent posting on Aaron Campbell's blog.
Also, besides learning about techniques or approaches that can be useful to me as a teacher, these blogs have demonstrated how useful internet networking can be to students. For future lessons I would look to create a community of blogs for my learners and a school of learners in another city or country. As I am looking to teach English language learners in a public elementary school here in the U.S. I am envisioning that many of them will come to the U.S, as immigrants or refugees with little knowledge of English. Therefore creating a blog on Blogger and deciphering the complicated language found on a typical blog will most likely be too difficult for many of them. However, creating a partnership with a class of similarly proficient ESL students and using a more simplified format discussion board type of format would allow my students to develop their language skills and technological skills at the same time.

What do you think? Any suggestions on what kind of program I could use please let me know.

Thanks,
Greg

This is a photo of Machu Pichu I took last summer (2006) when I traveled around Peru with a friend.
Photos are a great way to engage students, start a dialogue, and use language. This I believe is a motivating factor in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) Teacher Aaron Campbell's decision to recommend using Flickr , an internet photo-sharing, networking site that Yahoo administers.

While Campbell does not directly discuss how photos capture our imagination he does mention how Flickr is a good linguistic tool for Beginning to Lower Indermediate English learners as it does not require advance language skills to communicate with others. Simple sentences and short comments comprise are generally all that are needed.
Also, Campbell points out how students can navigate Flickr independently guided by their own interests. I think Campbell makes a very good case for Flickr as a vehicle for beginning language and internet education.

Read more about Campbell's endorsement of Flickr via his blog at:

http://e-poche.net/flickr


Let me know what you think.
thanks,
Greg