Voki

Voki is an interesting tool that teachers can use to make language learning a fun activity. Teachers and students can use avatars and virtual voices to present ideas. This avatar is called Voki. Teachers can make slides and use the Voki to make the presentation interesting to the students.

Get Started:

The following video shows how to create and publish an avatar in Voki.

Advantages:

1. Voki is a free tool. Teachers can use it for free besides subscribing to it. It can also be accessed from mobile phones.

2. The speaking characters can give audio input and correct pronunciation.

3. Collaborative learning is possible as students can make groups and speak through their Vokis.

4. Flashcards can help to learn vocabulary.

Limitations:

1. Voki has very limited use for creating avatars and using slides. Therefore, it can only be used for speaking and listening activities.

2. Affordances should be there in order to use Voki. For example, the classroom needs to have computer facility for the students if the teacher sets a classroom activity using Voki. 


Using in Bangladesh:

1. In Bangladesh, learners can use voki to discuss with group members in English. The teachers can make groups and ask students to practice in group either at the home or in the classroom. However, it may distract students in the classroom. Therefore, it can be a good idea to encourage students to use Voki at home.

2. Voki voice output can be used in order to improve pronunciation of a word.

3. Teachers and students can use Voki to create interesting presentations in the classroom.

The following lesson shows how the teacher can use an avatar and voice for the presentation-  https://www.voki.com/teach/lessons#LessonGroup60

Disclaimer:

The logo of voki is a registered trademark of www.voki.com and the video has been created by officialvoki.

Quizlet

Quizlet is an online learning tool that helps to learn vocabulary through flashcards, games and quizzes. There are several study modes in Quizlet. These are flashcards, learn, spell, test, gravity and match.

Relevance to Language Learning:

Flashcards allow learners to learn vocabulary from flashcards created by others, whereas in the learn option students need to answer the correct word by reading the meaning of the word and looking at a relevant image. They can use predicting, inferencing skills in this case. The spell option gives an audio input of the word and students need to write or type the word they listen. Until they can write the correct word, they can not try another word. Test option gives students and teachers the chance to assess the progress of learning by using quiz on the vocabulary learned by flashcards or by learn and spell options. Match and Gravity, however, are games which students can try to assess their learning through fun.

Theoretical Underpinning:

Quizlet is a great tool because it allows students to perceive their own progress autonomously. Students can use the flashcards on their own and realize what they know and do not know. They can also find out the answers on their own. Therefore, they can learn even without any instruction from their teachers.

Getting Started:

The following video has been created by me to show how to open an account in Quizlet and how to create flashcards and test for students.

Advantages: There are several advantages why I recommend teachers to use Quizlet.

1. Quizlet has a good graphical user interface and easy to use features.

2. It is very easy to create quizzes. The teacher does not need to write or copy all the words and meaning to create a test for students. Moreover, the test score can be electronically stored.

3. Match and Gravity options will create motivation among students to learn the words. Matching words with the relevant images give an impression of game. Therefore, young learners will like this activity a lot.

4. The website can be accessed from both mobile phone and computer. Therefore, the teacher can also use Quizlet in the classroom for a quick group work given that students have mobile phones. It can also be used in low-resources classrooms if only there is access to mobile phones.

5. Creating an account and subscribing to Quizlet Plus by spending subscription fees are not mandatory. Therefore, teachers can use it without spending much time for training themselves or spending money.  

6. Teachers can easily teach the foreign or second language by translating the meaning of the word in students' L1. Therefore, learners at the beginning stage will be much benefitted by this translating facility.

Limitations:

1. Teachers should not always rely on the saved flashcards or tests created by others as the information may not be true always.

Finally, if the teachers and students can use Quizlet in a strategic way in the classroom or outside their classroom lectures, it can help the second or foreign language learners a lot as it not only shows meaning or assesses progress, but also serves audio, visual and even kinaesthetic learners.

Disclaimer:

The logo of Quizlet is a registered trademark of www.quizlet.com.

An Online Bulletin Board for Classroom: Padlet

Padlet is a free and user friendly bulletin board. It can be used for collaborative language learning, the idea introduced by Vygotsky in 1987 in his concept of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).

Get Started:

Teachers can easily open an account by clicking the 'sign up for free' option of https://padlet.com/. Once the account is open using email or facebook or google account, there will be a lot of easy to follow options for title, description, layout, wallpaper, tags, address, privacy. Once the teacher chooses the option, it will be ready to use and the teacher will be asked to create a Padlet or bulletin board. The following photo collage shows step by step way of creating a bulletin in Padlet.

Step by Step Way of Choosing Title, Description, Layout

Advantages:  

1. Teachers can easily give notice and share ideas in the classroom. They can also discuss with the students in the classroom or for brainstorming ideas as a pre-task activity.

2. Teachers can benefit from it as it helps to organize all images, audio, video clips and notes of a lecture or course in a single page. These documents can be attached and maximize whenever necessary.

3. It is a great platform for group work or project as different group members can easily add their points and comment on other group members' points. There is 'comment' option which they can easily use to give feedback and delete. The teachers can activate 'moderator's approval' option if they fear that the students will post something unwanted.  

4. As a lot of visual, audio and video input can be given, Padlet can serve the visual and auditory learners well.

5. In the low-resources classroom, where there is no computer or projector, Padlet can be used easily from mobile phones.

Implications for the Classroom:

1. This online bulletin board can be used for giving notice to the students, brainstorm ideas for a topic or lecture. For example, the teacher can introduce the topic of the next class and ask students to share their ideas and relevant images, audios and videos in it.

2. It is the best for group work as students can work from both classroom and home. They can share the ideas, images, audio and video links. https://padlet.com/kabbo1971/ELT03_02_2017 is a sample lesson plan that I have created as a group work. 

3. They can also use it for group presentations.by dividing different segments of a presentation, they can work and add the points. Collaboration and giving constructive feedback are very easy in Padlet.

Limitations:

1. The main disadvantage of using Padlet is that apart from organizing ideas, topics, group works, it does not offer any more options.

https://padlet.com/kabbo1971/Webinar_on_Padlet# is a link of a Padlet I created for a webinar on Padlet . You can create one for your class and enjoy its benefits.


Using in Bangladesh:

In Bangladesh, teachers can easily use Padlet for any group activity. When the students are asked to give the presentations or submit the assignments, they can easily share the slides and links in a Padlet group. Feedback from the teachers and students can be given in the comment section. Therefore, it will help the students to edit and learn.

Disclaimer:

The logo of Padlet is a registered trademark of www.padlet.com.

References:

Vygotsky, L. (1987). Zone of proximal development. Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes, 5291, 157-158.