Task 2: The Use of Blogs in ELT

Look for blogging activities on the Internet. Select one and explain it in detail (goals/objectives, skills, procedures, instructions, among other aspects). Then, answer the following:

1. Why you selected this particular activity and the aspects which called your attention.

2. The benefits of using this activity.

3. How you would adapt/implement this activity in your current teaching practicum.

In the blog that I found there are different activities. The one I chose is called "teaching with songs" and the objective is for students to learn vocabulary and grammar as simple present, perfect present, first conditional, among others with songs. Each song has a heart that represents the difficulty; it goes from the easiest to the most difficult. The instructions are that students have to listen and then complete the sentence with the missing verb or vocabulary. That is why, they have to be focused to choose the correct word and do the activity well.

I selected this activity because I found it interesting and entertaining for students to learn grammar and vocabulary with songs that they know. The aspects which called my attention was the songs were classified according to the type of difficulty and the content. I think mixing music and English motivates students to continue learning the language. In addition, they can practice the pronunciation of words and understand the meaning of the lyrics. Many times in classes the students get bored because they only use guides to learn vocabulary and grammar, so I think it is a good strategy to use music to acquire new knowledge.

I would adapt this activity according to the content that the students are seeing and I would implement it in my practice because in which course I have been, the teacher only uses the book and guides to pass and reinforce the content. The course has been a seventh grade so I have seen that students get bored because they have always done the same. That's why I think this activity would motivate them to learn new vocabulary, review different grammar times, know and have a good pronunciation of the words and practice listening. For example, if they are passing the past simple and sport vocabulary, I would put a song where they have to listen concentrated and complete with the verb and word that is missing. Then, to increase the difficulty, I would put another song where it is a missing phrase and have to complete.