Welcome students!

Welcome to our class blog. I have created this online space for us to communicate and interact about what we are reading, writing  and learning in your English class. This will be a learning experience for all of us. Before we get started, there are a few things to discuss:

Why a class blog?

• It provides another space, regardless of location or time, for us to communicate.
• It creates connections between the members of our class.
• It gives us practice in reading, writing, editing and revising.
• It allows us to write for an authentic purpose and audience.
• It develops our digital literacy skills.
• It gives everyone in the class a voice.
• It allows us to communicate with the wider world as well.
• It teaches us to read carefully and comment constructively on others' written work.

Check out this infographic on blogging by Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano (from her Langwitches blog).

How to be a better bloggger

When you are blogging, it is important to read carefully what you write before you post it. Check out this infographic from the Langwitches blog:

Being a good digital citizen

Whether you are new or not to blogging, there are some important things to remember in terms of digital citizenship. Even though you are producing content online, this is still work for school. Therefore, the school district's Acceptable Use Policy applies. This is the document that you and your parents signed at the beginning of the school year. Just remember, when posting online, would you be OK shouting this information through a megaphone in the middle of a mall? On a busy downtown street? In front of your entire school? For a short and more visual version of good online ethics and behaviour, check out this infographic:

Source: Wildfire Social Marketing

OK, there's your introduction to blogging. Let's get started!