Karenne Sylvester blogs about language learning and teaching on her sites Kalinago English and How to Learn English. She aims to challenge norms in the field. Her blogs provide lesson plans, discuss methodologies and technology use, and share tips for using social media as an educator. For students, she posts activities for practicing skills both in and outside of class. Blogging gives students motivation, digital skills practice, creativity, and a way to reflect on and store their learning.

1. Edu-Blogging
Karenne Sylvester
Kalinago English
http://kalinago.blogspot.com

2. Why I blog
Purpose
Autonomy
Mastery

3. Why I blog
Mission:
I want to turn the way we think about
language learning and teaching
on its head!

4. My Blogs
●How to Learn English (for students)
-stopped July 2009)
●Kalinago English (for teachers)
●Private Nings x 2 (with students)

5. My blogging for
Teachers
●Sharing lesson plans with a focus on
speaking skills
● Discussing methodologies, approaches
to teaching English as a foreign language
●Sharing tips on using technology in
classes

6. My blogging for
Teachers
●Sharing tips on using social media as an
educator
Challenging “norms” in series posts
●
She-in-ELT
Reasons I hate textbooks
Dogme ELT

7. My blogging for
English Language Learners =
● Present Post-task Activities
● Present Pre-task Activities
● Provide opportunities for extending
in-class discussions.
● Practice Higher Order Critical Thinking Skills

8. Blogging for
English Language Learners =
● Best-practice Learn to Learn tips
● Online self-access tips
● Book reviews (especially Readers)
● Work on common errors
● Pronunciation
● Lexical (false friends)
● Grammar

9. Blogging with
EnglishLanguage Learners
Why they blog:
Purpose - Autonomy - Mastery

10. Blogging with
EnglishLanguage Learners
How to:
Purpose: provide solid ideas which
challenge - that meet a real need they have
●Autonomy: step back, let the students do
the work
●Mastery: provide feedback so they see and
feel they are progressing

11. EXAMPLES
of how my students use their blogs

12. Practicing a grammatical
tense in context (A2)

13. Grammar in Powerpoint

14. Example: Grammar in Video

15. Grammar in L1
(A1 level student)

16. Keeping Vocabulary Lists

17. Learning Vocabulary
with own photos

18. Learning Vocabulary
by labelling photos

19. Common phrases and idioms

20. Example: discussions

21. Example: essays

22. Example: research

23. Example: reporting

24. Example: reporting 2

25. Example: reporting 3

26. Example: reflections on learning

27. Blogs as a place to store imp. links

28. Micro-blogging

29. Blogging gives learners
● Motivation ● Digital Skills Practice
● Creativity ● Digital Voice
● Empowerment ● Reflection & Review
● Interaction ● Learner Autonomy
● Engagement ● Collaboration with
● Conversation – Authentic Audience
● Excitement – Global Audience

30. Any questions?
© Karenne Joy Sylvester
2010