As someone who loves reading, I’ve found that connecting with online reading communities has helped me learn and grow in many ways. Here’s how I use, engage with, build, and plan to expand my Personal Learning Network (PLN) through these communities.
I use reading communities to keep learning and growing. Two of my favourite platforms are Goodreads and TikTok. Goodreads lets me join book clubs, join discussions, and follow authors and reviewers. Seeing what others are reading and getting book recommendations helps me discover new books.
I use TikTok for similar reasons, I get to see what books are are most popular at the moment, I can see what other individuals are rating certain books and I can even discuss them through comments on posts.
Engagement
Engaging with the community is important. On Goodreads, I join book discussions, write reviews, and comment on others’ reviews. This helps me share my thoughts and learn from others. I also join reading challenges on Goodreads, which are fun and connect me with other readers.
Building Support
Building a supportive PLN takes effort. I started by following book bloggers, other English students and reviewers on Goodreads and TikTok. Their reviews and recommendations have been very helpful. I also joined online book clubs and reading groups on Facebook, where members share their reading experiences, as well as where we can swap books.
To build my PLN further, I plan to start a book club! This will help me engage more deeply with fellow readers and share different perspectives.
Expanding
For the future, I want to expand my PLN to include different literary genres. So far, I tend to have specific genres I gravitate towards, and I would like expand by taking a look at reviewers and following people on these platforms who read different types of literary genres.
I also plan to explore Instagram and Pinterest, where book lovers share book reviews, reading lists, and literary quotes. These platforms will help me discover new books and connect with a wider audience of readers.
Conclusion
Connecting with reading communities has been a great way to learn and grow. By using platforms like Goodreads and TikTok, engaging with my community, building supportive connections, and expanding my network, I have created a valuable PLN. As I continue to explore new reading communities and engage with different perspectives, my PLN will keep helping me learn and grow.
And that’s a wrap on blog posts! Thanks everyone!
Avni 🙂
