This document provides an introduction to blogging and setting up a blog. It defines what a blog is, discusses some example blogs, and how to subscribe to blog feeds using RSS readers. It also outlines considerations for starting a blog such as purpose, audience, and content. The document concludes by discussing blog customization options like choosing a URL, name, and adding sidebar items with features like photos, surveys, and calendars to make the blog more interesting.

1. Blogging FOR DUMMIES The very intelligent and hard-working members of the MFL Department at Ian Ramsey School!!!  A beginnner’s guide to the wonderful world of weblogs!

4. Some examples of blogs www.joedale.typepad.com Fantastic blog from Lead Practitioner for ICT in Language teaching – fantastic ideas and how to put them into practice www.4germanteachers.com Useful blog from German teachers in the US that has some nice ideas – I think that’s where I got the comic strip from! Even bears can have blogs too! Knut http://eun.org.letsblog Our etwinning blog www.eggdeutsch.typepad.com Egglescliffe’s German blog http://fcd2.over-blog.org One if the many blogs that Sylvie (Merryprof!) at the Collège St. Exupéry (our new partner) in Bourges has done with her pupils www.irsdeutsch.typepad.com Of course! 

5. So now I’ve found a blog I like, how do I know when it’s updated??? Every blog has an RSS feed (really simple syndication). You know if a website has one because of the in the navigation bar. If you click on this image you can “subscribe to the feed” and that way check to see when the blogs you visit are updated, without visiting them everyday Alternatively you can subscribe in a feed reader such as “ Bloglines ”

6. Firstly you need a platform for your blog The easiest way of creating a blog is to use a blogging sevice. Popular blogging services: $49.50 for the basic package Free Free I want a blog!! Free French blogging platform – great if you can speak French (my favourite!) As with all things, they all have their good and bad points!

7. Purpose: Why are you blogging? (Interaction between you and your students? Information?) Audience : For whom are you blogging? (Your students? Your colleagues? Anyone who is interested?) Content: About what are you blogging? (Is it a diary? Is it for enrichment? Is it to moteivate your pupils?) Before you start … Some things to consider before you start your Blog

8. Next … Choose a URL and a name (make them easy to remember!) Start blogging! (The content’s easy stuff it’s the sidebar’s that need sorting out now!)

9. Some “decoration” for your blog! Photos Search engine Local weather Local time Video player Audio player Bookmarks Survey Sitemeter Cluster Map Calendar Now you’ve got your Blog, you want it to be interesting. Adding sidebar items is a way to do that. Here are some ideas…look at other Blogs and see other possibilities!