Podcast for Listening Skill

Podcast is a type of digital media which allow users to download or record the radio show and listen to it on your iPod or other MP3 player anytime. Also, the user can create his or her own “radio-style show” and broadcast it to the world. The language teacher can use podcast in their classroom and help students to improve their listening skill or create related activities.

Here is an example of a good podcast: Commuting by Train that I found from ESL Pod. This is designed for English learners who want to improve their listening skill. The host introduces today’s topic and then play a conversation between two people. The speakers talk very slowly and clearly. I think that it is a really good material for beginning level learners. Also, the teacher can play this conversation and teach students how to catch the main ideas and the details of the conversation. They can listen many times if they miss one of the dialogue or words. After they listen the conversation, the teacher can show the script of the dialogue to students and teach them how to use the new words and sentences.

ESL Pod has variety of topics. Learners or teachers can choose any topics they are interested in and utilize in the listening class or activities. This is a really good teaching tool and website.

ePals where Learners Connect

The ePals is a global collaboration learning sites for educators, students and parents all around the world. This platform provides users with a safety and security learning environment. The schools and educators can offer a multiple learning experience for students and protect learners’ right or safety when using this learning platform. Moreover, the ePals global community enables users to learn, share and contact with people who have the same interest around the world. This is different from the traditional social learning networks which usually connect with people that we have already known and learned in the same places or classrooms. The ePals provides educators and learners an opportunity to explore their interest and learn the languages through the real-world connection.

Some Excellent Learning Features for Students:

• Biodiversity: Learn the background of nature science and explore the ecosystem
• Efilms: Exchange thought-provoking questions and answers about film topics
• Storytelling: Allow learners to use their imagination to build up their stories and tell stories by their own way.
• Student Forum & Book Club: Discuss any topics of interest with ePals users and share the books you have read

Some Useful Teaching Features for Teachers:

• NetGeo Projects: Several interesting projects that you can utilize in the classroom for students to discuss
• Community Media: Teachers can share their teaching materials and plan to other teachers and exchange ideas.
• Resources: It provides several links for different purposes. Ex. International Reading Association, Training resources, and Smithsonian On ePals……etc.

The program possesses a lot of features and functions for both teachers and learners to enhance their teaching materials and increase their knowledge on languages and academic information. Every learners will be enjoy and have a lot of fun through this websites.

Voice Thread: A Classroom Learning Tool

The Voice Thread provides several convenient tools for teachers to utilize in their classroom. The teacher can create a topic by the voice thread and students can comment their opinions by typing, recording voice and videos outside of the classroom. The teacher can also use the Voice Thread to assign homework for students. This is different from the traditional paper homework that students hand in. Learners can write their homework through the Internet, and they can also view other people’s comment and think from different angles while reading the comments.

I commented on Meng and Ye’s Voice Thread. Meng created a Voice Thread which asked learners to practice a variety of adjectives and described the picture. This is very interesting activity for beginning level students. The pictures are attractive and students can use any adjectives that they have already known. The other voice thread that I felt practical is Ye’s. She asked students to choose one approach that they think is a good approach on their learning. The teacher can see students’ preference and try to adjust her/ his teaching approach in the classroom, so students can benefit from these approaches.

 My Voice thread is to ask learners to share their countries and recommend any famous places or scenery spots that they think visitors can miss it. Because my first lesson is about travel, I hope learners can think about their travel experience and share with classmates. They will feel interesting and it could be an ice-breaking activity in the classroom. I hope my students will enjoy the lesson.  

Comic Strips Makes Learning Interesting

Do you still use the traditional teaching skills in your classroom, like text-books, handout and paper materials? Would you like to try the different learning approach for your students? Try to use the photo stories or comic strips with technology which makes your classroom more interesting and interactive.

This is my comic strips which I made by Dvolver

This tool helps teachers or learners to create their comic strips with the ready-make characters, scenes and music. Also, it is an animated movie, so students will be attracted by the colorful scenes and dynamic sounds. This tool can be utilized in all learning skills, especially for communication classroom. The teacher can ask students to create their own stories with comic strips or movies. They can use their imagination to make a dialogue and share with classmates. This making process not only gives students a chance to practice the grammar but increase their learning motivation.
Why don't you start to use this amazing learning tool in your classroom? Have Fun.

There are other links for making photo stories and comic strips:
Stupeflix,  Animoto and GoAnimate