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The classic picture of the ELT (English Language Teaching) classroom is one in which there are rows of desks, a blackboard, students, a teacher, paper and pencils.  Even with the advent of instantaneous information via the World Wide Web, the ELT classroom remains relatively unchanged.  However, the winds of change are upon the ELT profession.  Many educators are now taking advantage of the vastness of the Internet.  Moreover, most teachers are using the Internet for planning, research and the exchange of ideas.  There is so much more to be found and used.  If harnessed correctly and constructively, the Internet can be a priceless tool for the ELT classroom.   This paper will discuss current practices for reading and writing in the ELT setting, and more specifically, the use of ‘web logs’ or ‘blogs’ in the ELT classroom.   First, a discussion covering common methods used in most ELT classes and move to a more progressive approach to alternative assessment, portfolio assessment, and journaling.  Next, an explanation of this technology, its uses, and potential will be given.  Finally, suggestions for use, ideas, and links will be listed. The sky is truly the limit where the ELT… Continue reading

Blogs are becoming more and more popular. In many quarters it now seems that having a blog is more normal than not having a blog. Blogs are a place where you can rant and rave about things that have effects on your daily life, keep a diary, or talk about your favorite hobby. Now many Web businesses are starting blogs to keep in contact with customers and give customers the heads up on new products and services being considered.

The blog has become a marketing tool. Internet promotion is no longer simply a matter of having a website and advertising its existence on every popular website and in every popular newsletter. Now you can promote your business products and services with blogs.

People who spend a lot of time using the Web have likely read many blog posts whether they realize it or not. Most of the younger generation either has blogs or spends a great deal of time reading friends’ blogs. The young adults of today spend a great deal of time reading blogs such as those put out by their favorite authors or blogs that have product reviews.

One of the most interesting recent… Continue reading

“So, what do I blog about each time?” is a question I often get from clients. To keep your blog active and healthy, I recommend blogging at least 3 times per week. However, that notion is overwhelming for many. Even though you may be an expert in a topic, your mind may go completely blank when it comes time to blog, and then at other times when you’re not blogging, your idea cup runneth over.

The primary thing to remember is that blog posts don’t have to be long and complicated. You’re not writing an article, a report or a thesis. Many times a blog post is only a paragraph consisting of a few sentences that contain your thoughts about something. Now, doesn’t that sound easier than composing a 600-word post each time you sit down to blog?

Here are 20 ideas you can use to help you create a blog post when you’re stuck for an idea:

1. Current events. Can you link what you do in your business to a current event? Open up your daily newspaper or your RSS news reader and see… Continue reading

FeedBurner Application is a free service which helps you keep track of your RSS Feed traffic, It is a great way to package your existing feeds providing you a host of free and premium services that you can utilize. Feed burner can be used on the original content that you have created or just any thing that you have composed for your website. There are a number of Feed burner services which can be used in order to optimize web traffic. Here are some of the techniques and a brief description on how they are useful.

A Blogger blog is very easy to use and you will be able to get it for free from www.Blogger.com. It is one of the most popular places where many people create their blog. One of the biggest blog lie that Armand has revealed is a Blogger blog will be easily indexed because Google owns it. This is not totally true. He reveals that there is no Blogger Blogs that is on the top 100 world blog in the world.

Another great idea using articles on your blog comes from Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman of The Blog Squad. They give a… Continue reading

Almost everything that has advantages have disadvantages but when the advantages of a particular thing out weighs the disadvantages then it becomes insignificant, this is why I will not be discussing the disadvantages of a blog, because honestly I feel there is none. Well, except that the regular fresh content a blog requires can always make you feel on edge.

The advantages of a blog cannot be over-emphasized. The biggest advantage I see is that blogs give people, everyone alike, rich or poor an equal chance to be on the online world and write freely about their opinions, feelings and thoughts on different topics and subjects and actually have people worldwide
read them!

Considering myself as an example. I love expressing myself, and writing gives me the opportunity to do that effectively. I have always wanted a medium where I could put my written contents and have a lot of people read it, so I wrote some articles on MLM and had it published in a local newspaper (Financial Standard Newspaper) in Nigeria. But you will agree with me that, that is limited. With a website I could… Continue reading