BLOGGING AS A MEANS OF CRAFTING WRITING

Author(s): Jan Lacina and Robin Griffith

Source: The Reading Teacher, Vol. 66, No. 4 (Dec 2012 / Jan 2013), pp. 316-320
Published by: Wiley on behalf of the International Reading Association
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TIP

TEACHING

AS

BLOGGING

MEANS

OF

CRAFTING

WRITING
Lacina * Robin Griffith
Jan hacina

children of the 21st century, technology

is like

oxygena

necessary

component

of their life. Millennial children have an

increased use and familiarity with media and

For
digital

and

technologies,

as teachers

of these

tech

sawy children, it is essential that we integrate the

technology of today into our classrooms. By taking
small steps and experimenting, teachers will find
that Hogging is a fairlysimple and helpful support
forwriting instruction. The purpose of this article is
to explore ways in which blogs can support literacy
communities, especially as a means of reinforcing
writing instruction. We provide examples of how
blogging is used at the elementary-school level
during the writing process.

Research

are

a popular

forum

for upper

elementary through middle school, primarily used as

an online medium for self-expression (Jacobs, 2008;
Sweeny,

2010).

Research

over

the past

five years

relevant to their lives and interests (Lenhart, 2008),

and

researchers

The Reading

Teacher

find that

Vol.66

students

Issue4

who

pp.316-320

also

tend

to be productive

writers

both

inside and outside of the classroom (Lenhart, 2008).

With technology, there is a blending of new ways of
thinking about the teaching of writing, beyond the
paper and pencil forms of writing instruction of the
past, allowing forthe integration of information,
communication, and technology literacy (Partnership
for 21st-century Skills, 2009).
For example,

one

of the few research

studies

on blogging at the elementary school level found

that student bloggers became mindful of and
connected

to their

audience,

and

they

learned

to

take ownership of the writing process and the

writer's craft (Davis & McGrail, 2011). The teachers
in this study refrained from heavily emphasizing

writing. Children's writing within the context of the

notes

that children say they are motivated to write when

they have a choice in topics and when the writing is
create

blog

writing conventions during the developmental time

of writing development, and as a result, children
focused on the drafting and crafting of their own

on Blogging

or weblogs,

Blogs,

own

their

Jan Lacina is associate dean of graduate studies at Texas Christian

University,Fort Worth,USA; e-mail j.iacina@tcu.edu.
Robin Griffithis an assistant professor at Texas ChristianUniversity,
Fort Worth,USA; e-mail r.griffith@tcu.edu.

D0l:10.1002/TRTR.01128

2012

International Reading

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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Association

317

BLOGGING

AS A MEANS

OF CRAFTING

Tor children of the 21st century, technology

is like oxygena necessary component of

she

freely

with

experimented

rhetorical

saw

young

through

that

experience

she

comments
what

of substance

she

refers

a teacher of writing.

2012).

McGrail, 2011).

At Trinity Valley School, children

as young as ages 5 and 6 participate
in blogging. With the younger grades

comment

many

purposes,

A blog

expression.
a place

can

to publish

or used

as

a forum

as

serve

one's

Karen

especially,

writing

for receiving

conversation

dynamic
around

time

spends

at the

when

to as "dollar

to superficial

blogging,
comments"

comments

A penny

comment

would

be a

as, "I like your

such

blog.

It is cute." This type of comment

lacks

and

substance,

the author

is

beginning of the year teaching children

leftwondering what specifically the

about

author

issue

safety

on the Internet.

She

of the comment

likes

about

reads the children's book, It Could

the blog. A dollar comment is a

Have

comment

a blog

2000), to teach how to respond to a blog

comment. She reads the book halfway

students

can

write

as

mentors

or serve

collaboratively

Been

Worse

& Warnes,

(Benjamin

in which

to add

new

through and says, "What do you think

might happen?" In this book, the

a personal

environment.

main

conversation.

literacies

of the

connect

home

the

to school

(Alvermann, Huddleston, & Hagood,

2004; Lacina & Block, 2012). Various
teacher websites provide guides

character,

is on his way

Mouse,

and

events.

He

a friend
Karen

blogging into classroom writing

instruction
and

can

gets

of unfortunate

bruised

and

soaked

and

motivate

engage

them

to participate

because

more fully in the writing process

(Lacina & Block, 2012).

Blogging in an Elementary
School Setting
Arrington

is a veteran

elementary

teacher, with 30 years of teaching

experience. For eight years, she taught
third grade at TrinityValley School
in Fort Worth,
serves

Texas.

as technology

She

currently

coordinator

how

invests

to make
most

a prediction.

of her time

they

have

more

sophisticated

technological and keyboarding skills.

When Karen implemented the firstblog
with

Karen

and

teaching the upper-elementary aged

children in the area of blogging

students

at

Commenters

a question
An

to develop

example

of a dollar

making a connection is, "I like your blog.

a series

escrapbooking.com/blogging/class.
Integrating

add

he undergoes

begin the dialogue of how to respond to

www.coveritlive.com,

connection.

also

makes

comment

for creating a blog, including

htm,

may

informationor

home from visiting his cousin when

covered in prickles. Karen finds that

children's literature is a good way to

www.edublogs.org.

the commenter

adds compliment and a specific way

as they draft, revise, and edit their

writing collaboratively in a virtual
Blogs

or

"penny comments" (Parisi & Crosby,

feedback on writing (Lacina &

Block, 2012; Witte, 2007). In such
forum,

posts. She explained the importance

of teaching children how to make

and its meaning in their lives (Davis &

Blogs

she

as the

topic, she realized that the comments

were just as important as the initial

in contrast

beyond a place to document self

support

Because

of blogs

and

needs to model and guide students in

the blogging process, just as she does as

have

more

writers.

the power

devices by using humor, expression, and

playfulness, reflecting on their writing

can

to provide

interaction

the school's lower school (K-4). Karen

learned

needed

for these

theirlife."

blog included various genres as they

WRITING

fourth

graders,

she

realized

that

Your

that offers

story

about

a compliment

your

dog

while

reminds

me

of my puppy and how much I love her.

She died two years ago, but I will never
forget her. What is your dog's name?"
comments

Developing

of substance

is difficult for most young writers.

Young

writers,

writers,

need

and
to be

some

older

taught

how

to

respond to a friend's writing. To model

this, Karen created a "paper blog"
experience,

based

on

an idea

from

popular teacher blog, yollisclassblog

"Integrating blogging into classroom writing

instruction can engage students and motivate
them to participate more fully in the
writing process
www.reading.org

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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

ma

318

AS A MEANS

BLOGGING

Karen

.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to
compose-quality-comment.html.

Karen began her paper blog

activity by giving the students a
and

lines

for comments.

acknowledges

intensive, especially if the teacher

the

challenges associated with creating

chooses

class

approving all of the posts before they

piece of paper with a box for the

post

WRITING

OF CRAFTING

blogs.

Figure 2

She

AllBlogs

asked the children to write about

She

knows

it can

be time

to serve

as moderator,

Student Blog Post Generated Afterthe Paper Blog Experience

Harper'sBlog

their favorite food. She reminded

HARPER'S

them that the illustration would

the

be

of inserting

equivalent

an

BLOG

image on the computer. She asked

the

to leave

students
on

posts"

the

them

and

Once

they

their

down

new

of

a comment

leave

After

of seat

a series

returned

students
to read

the

discussed

for the

seat,

comments.
the

the

own

The

comments

and

then

created

Mrs.Arrington
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list of suggestions for writing quality

comments (see Figure 1).
The example in Figure 2 illustrates a
blog

post

the paper

that was
blog

generated

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at2:45
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319

BLOGGING

AS A MEANS

OF CRAFTING

"Whether you are teaching writing in a

traditional classroom or within the context
of a blog, the development of a community of
writers is essential
are published online. She realizes
some teachers might be intimidated

The

by technology, especially when it

Karen's

comes

to ensuring

the safety

in an online

students

integrating a blog into their classroom.

of the
but

environment,

she believes the effortis worthwhile.

The teachers at the school, like Karen,
a passion

have
new

forms

and

initiative

of technology

to learn

to benefit

the children they teach. Trinity Valley

School

has

an innovative

many

other

such

teachers

can

are

and

our

based

own

on

experience

of creating a class blog.

Recommendation 1: Take baby steps.
Spend time exploring and creating
blog,

the importance

of being comfortable with the blog and

all of the various

featuressuch

their

guide

your

compose

students

firstsuch

The
are

following
provided

Table

four

with

recommendations

to assist

teachers

"dollar

expectations

activity,

to a blog

post

3: Make

for the blog

clear

to your

students. Wassell and Crouch (2008)

in

4: Lastly,

Recommendation

promote

choice in topics when creating a blog,

as this helps in the creation of a writing
community. Mills and Chandra (2011)
noted

the importance

of a supportive

of writers

community

within

the context

of blogging. In a blogging environment,

there is increased collaboration in
creating and sharing of one's writing
in comparison to the traditional

learners

classroomand

as a result,

of a supportive

the
of

community

is essential.

What We Learned
Whether you are teaching writing in
a traditional classroom or within the
context

of a blog,

the development

of writers

of

is essential

their writing with their students

(Calkins, 1994; Stasz & Bennett, 1997;
Wolf, Ballentine, & Hill, 1999) to show

comments."

Recommendation

student

(Lacina & Block, 2012). Teachers need

the opportunity to model and share

modeled. This type of activity shows

to respond

with

a community

through

how

a rubric

as

their

students

research

as Karen

begin integrating blogging within

a paper-based

action

as

comments.
2: Don't

their

expectations and details forblogging

(see Table).

formation

learned

Recommendation

Guiding Practices
for Starting a Blog

to provide

writing

we

online in the beginning. Model and

curriculum.

from

project on blogging that it is important

class

post

effectively

learned

your blog. In designing a university

experiences.

By taking baby steps, as Karen

suggested,

advice

adjusting the settings so students could

technology

experience through blogging

and

recommendations

WRITING

they

are

also

writers

and

also

sometimes

struggle with writing. We know from

Blog Rubric
Beginning

Criteria
OverallUse ofBlogs
Personal Response

Developing

0-2
No comments

are made on

Strong

3
2 requiredblogentriesand

blogs of others.

comments

Blog comments are lacking

2-3 elements, such as a
compliment, a personal

Blog comments are lacking 1

element, such as a compliment,
a personal connection, or a

connection, or a question.

question.

have been completed.

SCORE

5_
Blog entries and 3 comments are

submitted.

The author provides a compliment,

makes a personal connection to
the blog comment, and provides
a question to the blog author to
continue the conversation.

EngagedWriting

Blogentriesuse consistent,
incorrect grammar and

for
spelling,makingitdifficult
others to follow.

some
Blogentriesdemonstrate
evidenceofcorrectspellingand
and theaudiencewill
grammar,
havelittle
troublereadingyour
blog.

Blog entries use correct grammar/

spellingand havesome flair

and originality.
Blogentriesmay
containhyperlinks.

www.reading.org

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ma

BLOGGING

the research
article

that

when

they

literature
children

presented
also

write

AS A MEANS

OF CRAFTING

WRITING

Blogging during the writing process

allows students to participate in authentic

in this
better

reading and responding to their writing

and engaging discussions. In conclusion,

experiment with blogging. Blogs are an

(Lenhart, 2008).

authentic medium forintegrating reading

know

they

have

an

audience

and

are an exciting

writingand

form of

technology to explore during the writing

MORE

TO

process.

EXPLORE

REFERENCES

ReadWriteThink.orgLesson Plans
"CreatingCharacterBlogs" byElizabethPotash
"LearningClubs: Motivating
MiddleSchool
Readers and Writers"by HeatherCasey and
Suzanne Gespass

D.E., Huddleston,
A., &
M.C. (2004). What could
Hagood,
professional wrestling and school literacy
practices possibly have in common?

Alvermann,

IRA Journal Articles

"BecomingCriticalConsumersand Producersof
Text:TeachingLiteracyWithWeb 1.0 and Web
2.0" by Lara J. Handsfield,Tami R. Dean, and
KristinM. Cielocha, TheReading Teacher,;
September2009
"CollaborativeLiteracy:Blogs and Internet
Projects"byErica Boling,JillCastek, Lisa
Zawilinski,KarenBarton,and Theresa Nierlich,
TheReading Teacher,March2008
"HotBlogging:A FrameworkforBloggingto
PromoteHigherLevelThinking"byLisa
Zawilinski,TheReading Teacher,May 2009
"LiteracyInstruction
WithDigitaland Media
Technologies"by Diane Barone and Todd E.
Wright,TheReading Teacher,December 2008/
January2009

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