Wordle-- Making A Beautiful "Word Cloud" and Learn

What is WOODLE?

http://www.wordle.net/

Wordle is a tool “for generating ‘word cloud’ from text that you provide”. Once you choose a text or type in certain words, it makes them into a “word cloud”, and the size of each word is determined by its frequency in text. It is all free, and once you create your own wordle, you can save or share or publish in its gallery. In addition, it has several functions to determine the text (if functional words counts), and to change fonts and colors. Here is a tutorial video about Wordle.

Relevance to Language Teaching and Learning

Wordle is like a simple and interesting version of corpus display. It can be used in ELT teaching for reading, listening, writing class, and warm-up activities of lessons. Its simple and colorful interface may motivate students in vocabulary and grammar learning. Moreover, wordle can be greatly useful in writing class as aids of lecture or feedback.

Possible Usages in/outside Class

1. Teachers may arrange warm-up activity to introduce new vocabulary to students for reading and listening tasks.

2. In writing class, by typing in all students’ essay, the teacher could analyze regular mistake or frequent low-level words. For example, students may always use “very” as adverb of degree even in exams like IELTS, the teacher could show the size of “very” and give replace words to students, such as “extremely”, “extraordinary”. In this way, students could get clear idea of the issue and remember replace words.

3. Wordle can be pre-task of reading and listening activities, the teacher could ask students to guess the main idea of the text according to several larger notional words.

4. Wordle can be homework for students in groups to make after class for certain tasks.

Limitations

1. its simple and colorful interface may more suitable for younger students than adult learners.

2. It may mostly be the pre/after little task for students in reading or writing, however, it would be more practical in essay analysis in writing class.

3. Students may get bored after teacher uses it several times.

Alternative website WORDSIFT: http://www.wordsift.com

Bubblr-- Making Yourself Footmarks With Picures!

What is Bubblr?

http://www.pimpampum.net/bubblr/

Bubblr is a free website, which users can search and “Create comic strips using Flickr images.” Very easy to use! When you enter in the homepage, you can search flickr pictures either by tags or photographers. Then you can make a strip yourself by click on the result. You may also add bubbles and texts to the strip. It is also publishable and could be sent via emails.

Relevance to Language Teaching and Learning

Bubblr is a simple picture website, but has great use in ELT. It can be used in speaking and writing class with task-based language teaching, and communicative classroom, etc. Moreover, its interesting content can motivate both students and teachers in a very creative way.

Possible Usages in/outside Class

1. Teachers could make a strip previously before the class, and ask students to make a story and extend the story in English one by one according to the picture order. Students may come up with many unexpected and creative stories, which make the whole class more interesting and in turn motivate students. If students cannot tell stories at first, the teacher should use more interesting and easy pictures, or give some hints to students or encourage them.

2. The teacher can ask students to make a strip by themselves after class and make a little presentation of the strip next class. Or students can send their strips to the teacher, associated with the software JING as a video.

3. A strip made by the teacher can also be used in many other ways. For example ask students to compare pictures to find similarities and differences, or ask students to make a whole story individually and write it down, or to add a bubble and comment words of each picture of the strip, and so on. In a word, make full use of online pictures into language learning!

Limitations

1. I cannot find where the pictures come from, and it seems that users cannot upload their own pictures to the Bubblr. Pictures from internet maybe more creative for story-making, but people may be more likely to hear those related to real life experiences. It would be more difficult without own pictures.

2. The amount and accuracy of pictures are limited. Sometimes, we cannot get pictures we want even with same tag. For example, I wanted to find some pictures of “warwick university”, as a result, it came up tens of pictures about ice hockey. The number can be seen at the same time is not enough.

3. We can add bubbles, but it seems that we cannot change the size of bubble and texts.

4. To practice speaking in this way seems more suitable for children and young learners, but not very attractive for adult learners. 

WebQuest-- A Treasure Map For Learners

What is Webquest?

http://webquest.org/

http://questgarden.com 

Webquest is “an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web”. Simply speaking, teachers can make a Webquest according to certain task, and students find their own results by searching on it. Here are a series video about what is Webquest and how to use it step by step.

Relevance to Language Teaching and Learning

It can be used in tesk-based teaching. According to the task content, it can cover all speaking, listening, reading and writing in English, and integrated four skills. If students are required to use it in class, it also can be built as communicative classroom. usually group work are encouraged in doing Webquest work.

Possible Usages in/outside Class

1. The teacher makes a webquest with certain task, ask students to form into groups and work on it and find the result.

2. The teacher makes a webquest to be an assistant tool of the lesson topic, and ask students to finish it after class.

3. The teacher introduces how to create a webquest, ask students to form into groups and make a webquest in turn weekly, as a replacement of presentation. Then, other students finish the task in/out of class. However, this requires students to have a high ability of language and computer knowledge. It may not suitable for students of young age.

Limitations

1. It is a complicated process to make a full webquest. It may take teacher’s too much time on it, and require teachers with high capability on computer knowledge.

2. Once the webquest is done, it usually contains too much information to help students finish the task. It may distract students in doing it, and demotivate them.

3. It is also difficult for teachers to fulfill students need and interests in designing the Webquest, including content, pictures and colors, information amount.