Grammar Wars

I thought the grammar and punctuation would be less than wonderful on the blog. Yet, to my pleasant surprise, I have observed writing that is coherent, well developed and supported. Yes, spelling is still an issue. However, to the benefit of my students, Blogger does not automatically check for spelling.

I told my students that I was not looking for grammar and spelling. Secretly, I knew I was interesting in seeing if there was any noticeable changes. We had discussed the blog as having a potential global audience. Will Richardson, the self proclaimed educational blogging guru, notes that students tend to be more careful with their logic, grammar and writing style when they know they will have a potentially large audience. This may be true of my students, but it may also be a result of me, their teacher, being their number one blog fan or reader.

Regardless of spelling or grammar, students get their voices heard, or in the case of blogs, read. In an article by Rhea Borja in Education Week called "Blogs Catching on as a Tool for Instruction" she notes that “Blogging allows everyone in the class to share their opinion, not just the loudest or the most outspoken”. Blogging does not replace the beauty and value of classroom discussion. Instead, it enhances it by providing students multiple and varied opportunities to have their voices heard.