Teens-vloggers. Use video blogging in your classroom

Video blogging or just vlogging is similar to blogging. While in blogging the information or some thoughts are posted on the website in the form of text, vlogging assumes that the medium is a video. With the help of video blogging, you can share your ideas, feelings and information with a visual platform making the input more comprehensive. Hence video blogging may turn out to be an effective tool in teaching your teens if applied properly. This article provides some effective tips when and how to use vlogging with teens in teaching English.

Why film a video?

In the century of high technologies more and more chances arise for English learners to compose, communicate and share their ideas in contemporary ways. Vlogging is a perfect means to introduce dynamic content. With the help of vlogs, students can learn the power of a visual text, develop their ideas and explore the composing process. Bringing video blogging into the ESL classroom provides teens with a new way of considering how they learn. Due to vlogging they come out from their comfort zones and express themselves in a medium they are not used to.

Another reason why we should prompt our students to use video blogging is that they belong to the generation  V — the generation that is addicted to videos. Video is not just a way of entertainment, it also delivers interactive communication. Since our students enjoy using videos, making vlogs or following famous vloggers, we can use that to our advantage.

Also, a video is a great source of information, it provides a stimulus for classroom activities and engages learners.

How to bring vlogging into the classroom?

Use vlogs as community building tools: When you start a new class, ask your students to film vlogs and introduce themselves to their classmates. It may be very useful not only for traditional classrooms but also for online classes. In the latter, it can be really difficult to make a community as there is no face-to-face interaction. While filming a vlog, students get acquainted not only with their peers but also with the wide range of opportunities that the technology offers us.

Use vlogs as collaborative tools: Group works have always been popular among teenagers, as they get more and more motivated to do the task better than the other group. When you discuss some contemporary topics during a class, e.g. “Famous celebrities in the USA”, “Royal Family”, “The Debate on Smartphones”, ask your teens to film their review working with pairs or in groups. The task may be really useful for your teens to value the notion of collaboration, to learn how to write a review, make suggestions, give feedback and then practise speaking about these topics.

Vlogging as a newsletter: It is typical for many schools to write about their weekly news and post either on their school’s website or just on the announcement boards. However, not all students are keen on text news. To keep all students informed, you can ask them to make a video introducing the main points, plans or events taking place at school and share it on their vlogs.

How to make a vlog?

If you have decided to use video blogging in the classroom, first your teens must follow the instructions:

1. Create a theme and a purpose for a vlog.  
2. Find a web host where you can post your videos.
3. Name your vlog.
4. Prepare the content and record a video.
5. Post your videos.
6. Share your video blogs with your classmates and teachers.
7. Keep your vlog updated.

The next step that should be taken into account is the three stages that students should pass to make a proper vlog with a fluent speech.

The first stage of making a vlog is preparation. Here, students think over the subject of the video, its content, the suitable editing video software and, if necessary, some background music. While choosing a topic, remind your students to take into account the following facts:

• The topic should be useful in relation to the material studied at school,
• The topic should be interesting for their peers,
• Rude or low colloquial words should be avoided,
• Topics should be up-to-date.

In this stage students also concentrate on how to make their speech accurate and fluent. They start to write scripts, read and practise speaking. Reading the text for several times will give them the confidence to deliver their speech properly. After reading the text they will have some time to practise their speaking without looking at the scripts.

As it is said: “Sharing is caring”. And it is in the second stage when students can upload and share their vlogs. They can do it on social websites: Facebook*, Instagram* or YouTube.

In the third phase, students get feedback through comments, likes or subscriptions. The fluency can be evaluated by the given feedback or by the teacher.

As seen from the article, video blogging, being an exploding passion among Internet communities can be used in the ESL classroom making the lessons for teens more absorbing and full of challenges. Use the Internet and its benefits for the sake of qualified education making it your friend and not enemy.