Saturday, February 2, 2008
Using blogs with little ones
I like the concept of blogging and the many ways to use it in the curriculum. However, I have to wonder how successful it is with younger children. When I allow my students to journal write, I try to eliminate distractions such as correct spelling and perfect handwriting so they can get their ideas on paper as fast as they can think them. This eliminates frustration and allows their thoughts to flow continuously and freely. Because so many students have a difficult time typing quickly, I wonder if this would become an obstacle to successful blogging.
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5 comments:
That is a great point! I think it is very obvious in computer lab which children have had exposure to the computer and which ones havent. I am wondering why the county does not have a typing program that they start implimenting in first grade. I think training them to be good "typers" will really benefit them in the long run. I asked my school about the typing programs and they said kids did not start using them until the 34d/4th grade and that it was not appropriate for the little ones. Maybe we need to research a typing program gear for younger ages!
I agree! I see kids on a daily basis (in middle school) who get frustrated because they can't type fast enough or find the keys. I think we need to start teaching this early, first graders know how to work computers, I think they can start out with fun computer games about typing and that will get them more excited. Then in their later years they can be more creative because they already have the tools they need.
I have to agree with you. Great point! I work with 2nd and 4th grade special education students who struggle on a daily basis just formulating their ideas, let alone writing them onto paper. Typing is just as diffcult for them. We do have a typing program however, they utilize it in the upper elementary grades. I think it needs to begin earlier then that.
Danica, I know I have high school and not little ones, but whenever we implemented a blog site last year, we didn't harass them about spelling and grammar. It drives me crazy, but we didn't want to scare anybody off. We try to promote it as fun, although we do remind them that many people will be reading it, so they should try to be mindful of how they represent themselves.
I very much agree with all the others about the typing issue. I know that I do not teach the lower grades but maybe you could have them comment on a blog on paper the same why they do their journal and you could have some older students help them with the typing part, or have the older students type for them as they are commenting on the particular blog.
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