English with Jennifer
English with Jennifer is a communicative blog whose major strengths are simplicity and interactivity.
Layout
The blog respects layout conventions as it has these clear sections: header, content and footer.
Header
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| Header |
The header is divided into two sections: a top part, which is dark blue, a centre section that is green and a lower grey part- good blend of solid, confident colours. The blue part displays the blog name in small letters on the left and a prominent navigation menu on the right, all in white. The navigation menu bears the 'About Me' and 'About this Blog' links, which are all standard blog features, among others. Below this a wider green section displays the blogger's picture on the left hand, the bold title of the blog in the centre and the objective of the blog in noticeable smaller letters on the right: 'Sharing ELT ideas since 2008'. Below this is a grey section that announces the intended viewership: teachers. The header means business and boldly says so.
Content
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| Content |
The content section of the blog is uniquely presented as an interactive grid of rectangles that display pictures and related text. Clicking on these immediately leads one to the articles. Each grid comprises of a bold title and one line, or two that readers can skim through to get the gist of each post. Just under the text is a 'read more' link that takes the visitor directly to the full post. The clourful pictures in this section form part of the narrative as they are thematically linked to the content of each post. This layout competently serves the communicative function of the blog as it interactive and considerate: it suggests each post's content. Time saved!
Footer
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| Footer |
It is a strong presence in deep blue and bears a number of menus that are mainly links to older posts and related blogs. These interactive links are in solid white creating a forceful presence. They connect the visitor with content within the blog and elsewhere on the wider net. The footer also displays a Twitter feed for users to share whatever they find interesting on the blog. Convenient!
Overall
The blog is simple yet effectively communicative. It is simple to navigate and has a good balance of visuals and text making it attractive and user friendly. Its print is neither tiny nor large, it's just the right size alleviating the eye strain usually associated with tiny blog print. It's not cluttered and radiates a friendly aura. However, the blogger could improve it by adding a side bar. A little variety wouldn't hurt!
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