My First TwitterChat Experience

https://freshsparks.com/twitter-chats-for-marketing/

It is my first experience with a twitter chat, so I spend some time getting familiar with how to participate in a twitter chat.

To Start:

Generally, we need a twitter account and a schedule sheet (e.g., education chats) to find related chat schedule, then arrange your time for the activity. We can either use the original way (twitter) or some third-party tools (e.g., TweetDeck, Hootsuite) to join the chat. The advantage of using a third party application is that it enables you to manage and organize the hashtag or chat to maintain a good flow with multiple chats that you are following.

The twitter chat I choose to participate in is #ellchat, which refers to English Language Learners chat. It was moderated by Judie Haynes, who is co-author of Teaching to Strengths. Every night at 9 o’clock, she will provide the questions at the beginning of the chat. The first question is often about each participant’s necessary information.

The Community Rules and Language

During the chat, it is essential to follow the rules. You need to use chats hashtag in every tweet you post. And questions and answers usually contain Q1 and A1, respectively.

For instance,

 Q5: What role will ESL teachers be playing in your district’s plans for reopening in the Fall? #ellchat (by Judie Haynes from Twitter @judiehaynes)

To reply to that question, you should answer it this way: 

A5: In my district, if a student’s English ability prevents them from showing their learning, they do not get a grade. Language comments about what they can do, need support in, and ways to support further #ellchat (by Michelle Van Balkom from Twitter @Ms_VanBee)

Summary

Joining in the Twitter chat is an effective way for educators to share knowledge and opinions. It also provides people with a chance to network and grows our PLN (personal learning network). Especially for teachers who are occupied for work, taking a one-hour session to share questions or challenges in the realm of education and learn from others’ experiences would benefit teachers’ professional development.

Here are some useful links that might help first-time users:

• where to find the chats: Education Chats
• How to Participate in a Twitter chat: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat/546805/
• Let’s Chat: How to Participate in a Twitter Chat, For Educators (video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-_6wNlIP1o)