Wiki's and Blog's can ramp up engagement and participation for the ESL population

Wiki's and Blogs are great online tools that can and should be used with ELL students.  Students are more likely to participate in these formats because they are less threatening and can help the students gain confidence in their reading and writing.  Blogs are particularly good for the purposes of letting students create a place that is theirs for them to communicate freely with people from home and school. Wiki's are good for collaborating because some students may feel timid to make corrections on someones paper.  When they can do it online and at their own pace the participation rates go up as well as the quality of editing and positive collaboration.  Both Wiki's and Blogs can be used as evidence for AYP(adequate yearly progress) and used as a type of portfolio. This can mean less work for you if they are done correctly. Who doesn't love that?

Wiki - it is an online tool that can be used for collaboration. The wiki is created for a purpose for a specific group of people.   It can be changed and edited as the group members see fit.  The work is instantly published and sent out into the world wide web for all to see.

Examples of how to use them in the classroom

• Research Paper collaboration
• Webquests
• Planning a class or school event
• Online study groups
• Sharing Works of Art, Music, Writing

Blog - a website that is created by an individual or group where they post their opinions, ideas or information on a topic.  The types of blogs are endless, they can range from cooking tips to time travel.

Examples of how to use them in the classroom

• Class Debates
• Poetry Collections
• Creative Writing
• Novel or Story Reviews
• Writing journals or diaries

Note: When using these types of resources it is important to set clear goals and expectations with the students.  The students should know that it is a working educational format and should be respected and treated with the same appropriateness expected in the classroom.  If everyone is on the same page from the beginning it will make the project go much smoother and you are more likely to have successful outcomes.

Both Wiki's and Blogs can be used as evidence for AYP(adequate yearly progress) and used as a type of portfolio. This can mean less work for you if they are done correctly. Who doesn't love that?