Instructions for students

If you're a teacher interested in trying out blogs with your class, or a student/independent learner looking to give it a shot, here are some basic pointers on how to use a blog as a tool in the language learning process:

1. Find a home.  Google's Blogger is free.  I hear WordPress is great, but you need a host.  Check out this review for a comparison of the two.  Of course, there are other platforms out there.  The whole concept of finding a home for a blog is a little new for many in my generation, for those used to Facebook or MySpace based on the concept of a personal profile within a social network.  Blogs can be very connected, but they give you a little more freedom in terms of content and layout than most other social media options out there.
2. Make it your own.  Set the layout and design of your blog to something that you'll want to see through your studies.  At the moment I have a pretty calm 'green' design - gives it a touch of nature, as opposed to looking at nothing but straight lines and a painfully white background. Remember you can usually change your layout and design at will, so no pressure to get it right the first time.  It's like rearranging your room, without the heavy lifting.
3. Understand the basics of blog editing. Check out how to post, how to create/edit a page, how to label, how to add features on sidebars, etc.
4. Set some goals.  You could list them on a separate page (i.e. one of the options on the main menu, alongside 'Home,' 'About Me,' 'Resources,' etc.), or you could list them in a post.  Remember this is your journey, you're in charge.
5. Chart a course.  Make a rough sketch of the kinds of activities you want to do and record with this blog.  One way to start is to create a page of resources where you list some news sites, YouTube channels, language guides, etc. that you plan to consult often.  This way, when you sit down to study, you can just go to your blog, click on the link to one of those sites, and start right away instead of combing through search results every time you want to find a good source for news, literature, etc. in your target language.
6. Get going.  The important advantage to having the Internet is in the access it provides.  With it, you can simulate the kind of exposure to authentic language use that you could expect from an in-country immersion experience.  You can read and listen online more so than you could with a textbook with a CD-ROM in the back.  Along with the exposure comes the reflection and the production.....
7. Reflect.  Sometimes it's ok to be a passive listener - e.g. listening to foreign language music while cooking.  But when you sit down to study, you'll improve faster if you think about and engage with the material.  You could write a summary in your native language, or in the foreign language if you're ready.  You could film yourself expressing your thoughts about a film or an article, and either post it to the blog directly, or upload it to YouTube and embed the video in a post.  You could develop a personal vocabulary list in a separate page or as a part of each post.  The key is to think about the material and express your thoughts, in the target language if possible.
8. Interact.  If you are taking a class or on immersion, hopefully you have the opportunity to talk with others in various contexts.  If not, check out the Skype language learning community or other similar forums.
9. Stay organized. Labeling your posts is an easy way to keep tabs on your progress. Keep it simple - specify the language, specify the skill (listening, reading, etc.), specify the general topic if you wish.
10. Stay motivated. Remember, we have yet to come up with THE solution to language learning for everybody everywhere. Some things tend to work for a lot of people - if you're having trouble, just search for language learning tips or check out some of the links on my resources page.  But also, trust yourself. It's normal to go through periods of excitement and periods of boredom, periods of great progress and periods of great difficulty, but would you rather have someone telling you exactly what to do, what exercises to complete, what articles to read, every lesson?  If so, check out a class or a software program.  Sometimes a more guided approach can be really helpful if you're lost, or if you like routine but don't know quite where to go next.  On the other hand, when you are in charge of your learning and your schedule, you're generally going to spend time on things that interest you.  Take heart that if you follow your interests, seek out texts and video/audio in the target language, think critically about it, interact with others if possible, and take some time to understand the basic mechanics of the language - the grammar, the spelling, etc. - you should expect to see progress sooner or later.  If you're not making progress and you're losing interest, maybe your time would be better spent in another endeavor - nothing wrong with making that decision, either.