Writing Comments on Blogs

Commenting on Blogs is one of the first important steps towards quality Blogging. Writing comments develop the idea that a blog has an audience. It is a way into understanding the importance of quality writing. It is where modelling of good writing takes place, discussing thoughts, ideas and putting them down in a way that another person understands so that a conversation can take place. It is an excellent way of reflecting upon what has been learnt.

It is important that we demonstrate how to comment on blogs to our students. Modelling needs to take place so that students can identify quality comments and start to use those as their template for writing. I encourage you to start writing comments on blogs as a way of modelling good comment writing.

Paper Blogs

To develop and promote the idea of blogging and quality commenting does not even require any sort of digital technology. It can be a simple piece of paper!
Some great lesson plans can be found at the following blogs to get some ideas:

• Paper Blogs: Ms. Graham and Mrs Holden
• Notes From McTeach: Learning to Blog Using Paper

Use these ideas to take into your classroom. Have students create their own paper blog post after looking at some examples. Post these around the classroom. Then give students some sticky notes to wander around looking at the paper blogs. Have them choose a few to comment on. Discuss the different comments that have posted onto the blogs. What works? What doesn't work.

Discuss what Spam is and what it looks like. Spam are those comments that are more social in nature that does not contribute to the ongoing conversation of the blog, but tends to have a nuisance value.

What is Quality Commenting?

• Mrs Yollis' Class: Quality Commenting
• 4KM and 4 KJ @ Leopold Primary School

Discussing with your students about what a quality comment is on an ongoing basis is important so that they develop an understanding of the importance of quality commenting. Establish some guidelines with your students is suggested so that students have something to refer to.

Tips for Commenting:

• Stay on topic, consider what is being said and respond in a way that is considered.
• Check Grammar, Spelling and that it makes sense. Its fundamental, I know, but I know when I've read things of my own back, there are some things that need fixing. It's always good to check.
• Discuss what Netiquette is: Using positive comments, responding in a way that is thoughtful and considerate and replying to comments are all part of Netiquette that need to be taught to students. 

It would be great to see photos and work samples as you teach these things in your classroom. If you could send them through that would be great!

The Benefits of Blogging

The wonderful benefit of Twitter is that we have access to some fantastic Professional Development. In terms of blogging, Kathleen Morris (@Kathleen_Morris) is a wonderful lady to follow as she has been leading the way in this area for quite some time. On the weekend she posted this great post on blogging, which I highly recommend be read as she has some great videos and thoughts regarding blogging:

 http://primarytech.global2.vic.edu.au/2013/03/08/the-benefits-of-educational-blogging/

There are benefits to blogging that you may or may not have considered

• Social skills and confidence
• Internet Safety
• Literacy
• Maths
• Research
• Home/ School Connections
• ICT Skills
• Classroom Community
• Authentic Audience
• Global Connections

Was there something that you had not considered with blogging to be a benefit? How do you think blogging can help the way you teach?

What is a blog?

What is a blog from kateanne777

What do you think a blog is? How effective do you think blogging will be in your classroom?