Using Blogs for Language Learning
I would start out by saying this might be an outdated option for us right now, but it can be pretty useful
for many things.
To start off, what is a blog?
A blog is a regularly updated website, usually run by one individual or a small group, that is written using
an informal or conversational style, to reflect the voice and personal views of the blogger.
They were originally called WEBLOGS, which were websites that consisted of a series of entries arranged
in reverse chronological order, so the newest posts appeared at the top.
Now one may ask, what is the difference between a blog and a website.
The most basic difference is that a blog is updated regularly and it offers engagement via the comment
section, while a website usually offers static information about a person, business or topic, none of which
change frequently.
However, the terms aren't mutually exclusive. A blog can be a part of a website. For example, a business
blog is often a subsection of a website that engages the audience and updates frequently, whether that
be new content, about products or the industry.
On the other hand, blogs are often websites themselves, especially personal blogs that don't offer
services or products.
Some of the main characteristics of a blog is that they are voice and personality driven, arranged in a sort
of chronological order, can be anonymous, but often are not and include a comment or other section to
interact with readers.
From what I understand blogs are predominantly subjective, providing a platform for bloggers to express
their own opinions rather than only talk about hardcore facts.
The main purpose of a blog is described to provide a platform for individuals or organizations to share
information, ideas and thoughts to a wider audience. Today's blogs are more likely to be a personal
online journal or commentary intended for general public consumption. However, blogs can also be used
for personal and professional purposes, and can cover a wide range of topics, such as lifestyle, fashion,
technology, politics, business and what we're most interested in – teaching.
Usually, blogs are made to be interactive with people where there is a section at the bottom of the blog
for the readers to leave comments.
Many blogs are collaborative and include multiple authors often writing about a single theme, such as
Engadget, a tech blog.
A blog is usually devoted to a subject of interest to the target audience and they are intended to engage
with a community interested in a topic and the personality or products of the blogger or sponsoring
business.
Bloggers often pick unique domain names that reflect the topic at hand, such as Not Another Cooking
Show, a food blog.
Bloggers have complete control over their content and don't have to rely on other outlets to publish their
views and connect them with an audience. Monetization strategies let bloggers make money from their
writing and sometimes build entire careers.
The history of blogs
About twenty years ago I largely gave up online for personal relationships
I feel rewarded for that
These days I am not inclined to be too public
Not while I’m hovering over this nest
I’m taking care of myself in here
Deep cleansing old wounds
The first blog, [Link] was created in 1994 by Swathmore College student Justin Hall and it is still active.
However, the term weblog was not coined until 1997 when blogger Jorn Barger used it to refer to the
bloggers' mission of „logging the web “.
In 1999, programmer Peter Merholz created the term blog by shortening the phrase weblog. Later that
year the blogging service Blogger was released, which was the first online blog tool to officially use the
term blog instead of weblog.
Ever since then, especially today, other types of blogs have arisen, such as VLOG, short for video log,
which is a video – based method of blogging. Live blog was coined to describe a series of live takes about
events as they happen, such as sports games or political debates. Both terms have fallen out of use after
these blog forms became subsumed in the capabilities of social media platforms such as Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and now predominantly, TikTok.
Using blogs for Language Learning.
There are a lot of effective ways to learn a foreign language, as well as improve your skills.
Usually, it is suggested to read articles in your target language, for us that would be English, but you can
literally find blogs in any language.
There are blogs written for learners by native speakers. Blogs provide opportunity to start with easy and
beginner -friendly topics and blogs, which can, with time, equip you to move on to more advanced
content.
Using this method, you are immersing yourself into your target language, and learning it through content.
If there are difficult words and phrases, you can always take notes on them, using other sites on the
internet, or simply having a notebook next to you. You can write down common phrases and not just
individual words, to improve vocabulary and fluency. You can also note down grammar patterns you see
often.
Because blogs are interactive, you can practice writing in your target language in the comment section,
which can be seen by other learners, as well as native speakers who could help you with your
understanding.
Nowadays, some blogs offer audio in terms of podcasts and audio clips.
FluentU
Tofugu
While reading and listening to the blog and audio clips, you could follow along and repeat what is said,
trying to mimic the native accent.
There are some blogs that offer daily or weekly challenges, as well as study routines that are suggested
by experienced language learners.
And finally, you can follow a blog to learn more about the bloggers’ culture, tradition and etiquette.
Understanding a culture makes language learning more engaging and meaningful.
I want to point out some General Language learning blogs and some Language – specific blogs.
FluentU Blog covers multiple languages with cultural insight and video and audio – based learning, like a
mentioned before. This blog offers audio clips and podcasts which you can listen to while reading.
The Mezzofanti Guild – focuses on immersion techniques and learning languages efficiently.
I Will Teach You a Language is a blog held by Olly Richards who shares tips on how to learn languages
through storytelling.
LinQ Blog – offers advice on learning multiple languages through listening and reading.
Actual Fluency – Provides language learning motivation and resources for learners and different levels.
When it comes to language specific blogs, I wanted to focus on the languages that might be of some
interest to us, given our backgrounds as language students, as well as our cultural backgrounds.
Spanish - SpanishDict Blog – which is great for grammar explanations and practical vocabulary.
French: Talk in French – which covers vocabulary, grammar, and French culture.
And another one that might get some people interested in is:
Japanese: Tofugu – which dives deep into Japanese language and culture
How to start a blog
There are many blogging and hosting services that help users build and design blogs, as well as provide
templates to follow, such as Blogger, Medium, Square, Squarespace, WordPress and Tumblr.
The next step would be to choose a target audience and subject. This makes attracting visitors easier. This
approach offers more opportunities to use targeted keywords that rank high on search engines. A
targeted audience is also important in terms of building a personality and unique voice for the blog.
For the next step, you should update regularly with SEO in mind.
SEO – short for Search Engine Optimization
Blogs generate more traffic when their updated frequently and use effective SEO strategies. Seo helps
blog owners pick keywords and strategies that get their blog to rank high in search engine results, making
it more likely visitors will find their page.
And finally, some monetization, such as ad placements and offering products and services can begin at
the early stages of a blog. Even if the blog has just been started, monetization can generate earnings for
page views or small – scale product purchases.
When it comes to the future of blogs, it is not going to be good for them. Some features that have been
unique to blogs and what made them stand out are the comment sections, live updates and vlogs are
now subsumed by other web services and application, such as the aforementioned YouTube, Facebook,
Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.
The growth of podcasts has also replaced the prevalence of vlogs. Many services available nowadays
even let writers get paid for content through subscriptions and attracts writers away from the blogging
model.
However, blogging remains a popular activity even after 30 years. Tumblr, one of the most popular
blogging sites., hosts more than 550 million blogs. Blogging is also a lucrative career choice, with blogs
such as HuffPost, Mashable, and Gizmodo enjoying success as popular websites.
Now, one more thing I want to talk about is how do bloggers get paid?
Some ways bloggers can make money include salaried and contracted positions. Many companies hire
bloggers as full-time employees and freelance contractors. In these positions they often work as part of
content marketing or public relations departments and create content about products and services
offered by the organizations.
Next way includes placing ads on blogs, which has proved to be the simplest way of making money. Like
any other website bloggers can sign up for ad networks to place ads on their site or use Programmatic
advertising. The blogger is paid by impressions, which is every time a visitor views the ad. They also get
paid every time a viewer clicks on the ad. In some cases, ad networks reach out directly to bloggers with
a request to run their ads.
Next is using Affiliate marketing. Bloggers partner with companies that pay them to promote their
products. Often, a company will give a blogger a unique URL to the company’s product web page that,
when a visitor clicks and makes a purchase through it, pays the blogger a commission.
This ties with sponsored posts. Companies pay bloggers to create content about their brand or product. A
blog must have a large enough target audience so that the promotion reaches many viewers. Bloggers
can also directly reach out to businesse4s that offer products they would like to sponsor.
And finally, another way of earning money through blogging is through selling products, services and
subscriptions. Many bloggers are businesses or business – minded people who sell digital or physical
products. Blogs are a great way of attracting an audience to a blogger’s products. Bloggers who have
established authority as experts or thought leaders in their field other offer personal services and
exclusive content to their audience. Bloggers can become coaches and consultants and offer courses,
memberships and subscriptions in which the audience pays them directly for expert counsel or exclusive
content. For example, a blogger who writes about finance may offer services to become a customer’s
financial coach or offer expert advice hidden behind a paywall.