Tag Archives: Games

World Peace Games

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What is education? I just finished reading David Warlich’s 2cents worth blog and commenting. About making education purposeful. That’s what’s missing. Forget reform, change blablabla. Just get people together with a purpose.

And what should that be? Well, I think it should be what John Hunter says. PLEASE take a moment and watch this. I will say no more. I’ll only hint it has something to do what I’ve been harping on for awhile – and the teacher going away……

He has me pining for my own grade 4s (now grade 9ers!) – they learned so much, grew so much and in turn allowed me to stand on their shoulders, as I learned so much, grew so much.

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If you liked this post, you may enjoy – Giving Students Room To Do Their Own Thing or visit Project Peace, a project I started and joined by teachers all over the world.

Top 5 Games for Social and Global Issues

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global-social-issuesThe “Top” games series continues! Today, in celebration of the forthcoming Earth Day, the top 5 games that focus on global/world issues.

Global Issues are something that students really get interested in. Very motivating for language learning and it brings the learning focus into the wider world and gets kids thinking, critically thinking. Even active. Further, these games are for the most part authentic. That can pose a challenge for many students but because of the strong context provided through visuals / text / audio in these game, that isn’t a big problem. One other feature of these games is that they will take time and are for the most part, script based.

So here are the Top (free / no need to download) games for learning about global issues:

1. Darfur is dying. A game where the student lives the life of a refugee camp member and has to make decisions in order to survive.

2. Sim’s Sweatshop. Students learn about life as a sweatshop worker. Really attractive and well put together. Students actually work, gain a wage and get to feel what life might be like for those in a sweatshop.

3. Spent. The player must make spending decisions as an unemployed worker and try to survive what life throws at them.

4. Finding Zoe. In two handy age levels, students try to find Zoe and deal with all the social relationship problems that come along. Promotes tolerance and good relationships between girls and boys.

5. Student Survivor. A student navigates through the quagmire that is university life and tries to survive.

Notable mentions: Ayiti the Cost of Life, Electrocity, Play the News and Quizzes with a social conscious (Aid to children, Free Rice, Free Poverty

All of these games and many more along the same lines (I’ll try to aggragate and make one category) can be found on EFL Classroom 2.0s game page.

Scrabble – reflection and resources

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scrabble2Scrabble.

It’s an iconic word and game. I’m surprised we don’t use it as an adjective – like, “I’ve been scrabbled”.

Today, I was going over some of my past writings, all hidden away in boxes and notebooks. Came across a “feuilliton”, a reflective essay that I wrote about scrabble years ago. I won’t bore you with it – but I will share some great info. and amazing resources for Scrabble.

{ caveat: I’m not a big fan of using word games in the classroom – but they do have their place, like a dictionary does }

1. Watch this “Crazy” presentation about Scrabble. ‘nough said, it will speak for itself.

craziest

2. Get some resources.

Online Scrabble games – The Original | BLAST |. SPRINT

Print and play Junior Scrabble game.

Icon Scrabble. Make a word using scrabble like tiles.

4. Don’t know how to play? Watch these video tutorials.

5. Watch a few classic scrabble videos! The Big Snit (award winning animation) and Death by Scrabble.

6. Make your own “BIG” Scrabble game like this teacher did for a summer camp!

scrabblesummercampdaecheonJuly132008

Top 5 Game/quiz generators

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juiceThe “Top” games series continues! It seems the categories are limitless…..

Today, I’d like to tackle “Game generators”. A game generator is a site or program that makes it easy for a teacher or student to make a game. (and I mention student because the optimum way to use a generator for language learning is getting students to make the games). Game generators can be elaborate or simple, they can be plain or full of sparkles. But what counts at the end of the day is that they function well and don’t take up a lot of the teacher’s/student’s time (nor have a sharp learning curve).

So here are the Top (free) generators as I see them….

1. Fling the Teacher. This game is super easy but generates a powerfully attractive and addictive game. Just add questions and answers/possible answers. Here’s an example. One of many on our Games page of EFL Classroom 2.0

2. QuizBreak. Brought to you by CLEAR (Univ. of Michigan’s – Center for Language Education and Research), it makes a Jeopardy style quiz game with the possibility of all kinds of multi media inserts. Works well and makes an attractive game. Will store your game permanently (you can’t download). Read my full review.

3. ESLVideo. This site allows you to make quick quizzes using Youtube videos. Students can share, teachers can embed the quizzes. Students email the results to teachers for tracking. It’s been around a long time but is still keeping up with the times!

4. QuizStar. Makes a very attractive quiz with photos/audio that you can show your students afterwords. Tracking of student answers and reporting is possible too. The drawback is that you need to assign a class / create a class. There is no fully public version. But the 4Teachers.org does a great job offering tools to teachers (like Rubistar).

5. Purpose Games. This site has been around a long while and developed well. Teachers can create very attractive interactive games (see this sample) and is especially effective for vocabulary. No registration except if you want to make a game.

Next up - Paid quiz generators and random generators!

The Top 5 games I’ve made

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top5Continuing on with the series of Top 5 games posts - today, I’m offering up the top games I’ve created. Games not based on any other concept but what I’ve thought up.

I got into making my own games simply because I saw so much “possibility”. A way for me to be creative in the classroom and prime my own teacher development. There is a lot that goes into making a great game;

1. Engagement. How to keep the students “there” and in the game.

2. Construction. How to make the game visually attractive and simple for a teacher/student to use/play.

3. Content. What to put in the game so it will be valuable for language learning.

Mostly, to make a great game, you have to really have a solid understanding of how students learn. That’s what excited me, to make something that better helped students learn because the game understood implicitly, what kept students ticking and piecing together language in their brains. To me, game making isn’t just Q and A – there is much deeper possibility.

I’m now risking boring you to death! So let the games begin – here are the Top 5 games I’ve made with an example and all available for download through the games folder on EFL Classroom 2.0.

1. One of These Things Is Not Like The Others. This game gets my top vote because of how it focuses and fosters student critical thinking skills while at the same time, keeping things simple. Students are presented with 4 images and must produce sentences stating why one thing is different from the others. Here’s a nice Picasa slideshow version I made (just pause and then use the arrow keys to advance) or try the flash version.

2. Top 5. In this Family Feud styled game, students brainstorm the top 5 words for a category. Then they check and get points depending on the rank of their answer. Worksheet included and check out the video a teacher made using the game. It can get noisy!

3. BAAM. Teachers have gone mad over this game. Possibly because it has templates of different length, possibly because in this game, any team could win right up to the last round/chance! Easy to put in your own content and a very simple concept. Simplicity is its key and strength.

4. What the Wordle. I’m really proud of this game (not really a game but a concept). I saw the power and beauty of Wordle and thought I could use that to make attractive games. The next key was to put it together using PicasaWeb. Bingo. You have a simple game of slides with hours of interaction / learning. See the whole directory here.

5. Lastonestanding. This game is a classic that you play with any audio or song. Students love it and it fosters great listening skills. Always a winner and a team winner!

Honorable Mentions. Transl8it.com / Story Dominoes / Pass the Paper / Bingo Basic

My Top 5 power point games

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powerpointStill enjoying the series on games!   Power point games are something I REALLY know a thing or two about. I have made hundreds and also designed dozens of my own games from scratch. They are great because a teacher can take any game, edit and then have personalized content for their own class.

There are many places to get this games around the internet. However, the games can all be found on EFL Classroom 2.0, shared by the teachers who’ve made them. See the list of  all the games.

So, I’m linking my Top 5  examples there. It’s free, a quick sign up and then download as needed. Please share and post up those you have made yourself.

So let’s get started ………..

#1.  BAAM.   Without a doubt.  This is a game I created. Very basic but engaging. It solves a problem with many games – how to keep students engaged when after a few questions/rounds, they know who’ll probably win? With BAAM any team could win, right up to the last moment. 3 sizes of templates. Really engaging and dynamic.

#2. Jeopardy. A Classic. Also flash versions are available. So many styles, many with the full sound/beeps and effects. Flash versions available too. If you are into making your own games – try Quiz Break for a great game generator for embedding audio/video into the game.

#3. Pass the Paper. Another game I created based on a regular game played in classrooms. Students in groups pass around a piece of paper while music plays. When the music stops, the person with the piece of paper must answer the questions on the screen or do what is asked. It’ll get noisy, be prepared!  Here’s one of many flash versions also available for click and play.

#4. What the Wordle.  Wordle brought vocabulary study into the web 2.0 age. What the Wordle is a series of vocabulary games based on wordle pictures. Lots of types and a real “thinking” style of game. See the picasa library here (non power point) – just set the play button to pause and use the arrow keys to advance/go back. Here’s an example. (also a creative way to use Picasa in education!)

#5.  Top 5. This is the first game I ever came up with. Based on the Family Feud style of game but for language learners. Get the worksheet and play with it. Both group and individual point winners.  Super engaging game that students can’t get enough of….

Get many templates here but you can also just download any game and then edit with your own content and use as a template.

Honorable mentions: Transl8it ,  The Price is Right, Guess Who, One Of These Things Is Not Like The Others

Top 5 “TV Style” games

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GameShow2I’m quite enjoying the process of making a decision about ” The Top” games and find previous lists HERE and HERE. The GAMES and ARCADE pages on EFL Classroom 2.0 are really popular and I think for good reason. [in fact today's selection is all  available in the Learning Arcade]

Today’s category is special. These TV style games really grab the student’s attention and can be brilliantly motivating (but be careful to keep the class under control – it can get noisy). The class is like the audience and you can play so that there are prizes on the line.

One thing to note – they are authentic so the language can be a little difficult.

Next will be the Top 5 Powerpoint games for teaching language!

So here it goes….

1.The Price is Right. There will be lots of noise in the classroom for this one! Very interactive and “real”. Students can use their own small whiteboard to write down/guess their own prices and play along.  Read my full post about using the Price is Right in class!

2.  Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. I’m a big fan of regular trivia games to promote language learning and interest. Great for practicing questions and very motivating for “brainy” students!

3.  Deal or No Deal. Fantastic for practicing large numbers. One half of the class can “play”, the other half can be the banker. Switch. See who made the best deal! Really works…

4. The Wheel of Fortune.  Similar to the hangman style of Spinners Luck – it really is like the real thing! Students guess topics like Movies, Book titles etc…

5. Blockbusters. The real deal – like the famous British TV Show. Students pick a letter and then answer a question using that letter as the start. Very interactive, like the real thing. From the same people who brought us Price is Right.

Honorable Mention:  Family Feud and Jeopardy for 2nd lang. learners (scroll down the games page to the bottom for more like this).

My 5 Favorite Online Language Games

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gaming-abcsNow and then, I post on my twitter @ddeubel , some “tired teacher tips”. Things that a teacher can just put up on a screen with a click and get students learning/producing English.

I’ll post another time about these (the hashtag is #tttips) but I want to share something similar. My 5 top online games for students. These can also be used by “tired” teachers however the point or hope is that students will find these so engaging that they’ll want to keep playing at home. So I’m not going to list “learning” games like quizzes, matching etc… (I’ll do that another time). Just games that are truly beyond the classroom and “learning English”.

So here it goes …..

#1 Draw My Thing. Hours of “live” fun where you play pictionary online. It is full of contextualized language as competitors try to come up with the right answer. Don’t expect many second language learners to win but I can guarantee they’ll get addicted (and their English will improve).

#2 Guess The Google. An oldie but still a goldie. Grant’s game is a real classic and it also focuses on great contextual learning with photos. Students must guess the google search term for a series of 16 photos. Absorbing and great for vocabulary practice.

#3 Key Mamba. This is a new one (and what sparked this post). It is super for practicing root words / compound words. It almost borders into a “learning” game but I think doesn’t cross the line of being academic oriented. You get 10 word parts and must guess the common word before the timer runs down. Really good for academic English students.

#4 The Tipping Point. I’m not a huge fan of point and click games for language learning (many teachers are). However, this one has handy walkthroughs for the student to reference so they can actually go back and repeat the steps. Plus, the graphics/sounds can’t be beat!

#5 The Subservient Chicken. Okay, it’s Burger King and it’s only a chicken. However, there isn’t any more fun or great language prompting than making the chicken do what you want. Absorbing….

Honorable mentions: Akinator / Alice the chatterbot , Deal or No Deal

I’ve made it a kind of obsessive quest to catalog games on EFL Classroom. Use our GAMES page for a start. But also, the ARCADE and the GOAL GAMES.  Others there too, just browse around.

Picture puzzle maker

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This picture puzzle maker is really simple! Just go to the webpage, upload a photo and then choose how small you want the pieces to be. (I recommend choosing the largest size, that is difficult enough).

I think this might be useful for “jigsaw” type activities with text. Get the text as a picture (take a pic with your camera). I’ve posted up an example below. It might also be fun to do this with pictures of students. A hat tip to member Ruth Ferris – I got this site off her Teacher Tools page.

You can also do the same thing in a powerpoint! Go to our resources and find the puzzle makers HERE and HERE. Photo2Text is also a cool tool. Example here.



provided by flash-gear.com

Quiz Break – easy Jeopardy style review game maker

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Teachers use and love Jeopardy. I know, I’ve made hundreds and got a lot of great feedback about all the different games. Find them in our Jeopardy power point games area

Now, you even have more options than the traditional power point or high skilled flash builders – we now have Quiz Break! See an example of what you can make HERE.
I’ve long championed a lot of the simple applications developed by CLEAR (Center for Language Education and Research). I used their audio drop box for a number of years. They’ve developed Quiz Break and it really is an easy way to make a jeopardy quiz game.

All you have to do is click each title or category and then input what you want. You’ll need to do a short registration, that’s all. It will store your game afterwards and provide you with a link/url to use.

What’s cool about Quiz Break is that you can record audio with your microphone or even a video! Really simple. Of course, also upload a photo too, either by url or from your computer.

All in all, a great tool. Make sure to share your games here on EFL Classroom 2.0 too! Hat tip to Larry Ferlazzo for making me aware of this.

Don’t play games – make games!

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Katie Salen in the video, outlines a new school concept (well, not really new but innovative anyway) – a school where the curriculum is totally based around “gaming”. Yeah, that’s right, GAMES.

No, the students aren’t sitting around all day playing computer games. Rather, they are learning valuable skills by making games. Critical thinking, cooperation, synthesis, debate, leadership, delegation, design and many more high order skills that will be in demand this century. Now this is preparing students today for tomorrow!

I’m a big guy for bringing games into the EFL Classroom. However, I’d like to ask teachers to try and go beyond the playing of games and actually getting their students to make the games. I’m sure many classrooms have students who could make the Jeopardy, Transl8it, Flingtheteacher, Baam and other games. As they do – they will learn more English than you can ever imagine – also so many other skills.

That’s my challenge. Let it digest and then come out hitting!

Here’s a nice worksheet for preparing to make a Jeopardy game. Give to groups and let them design the questions then make the game on the computer!
How do you get your students “making” games/content? Any ideas to share?

The #1 …. (prize to give students)

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Number One** Not your ordinary, endless list – just what’s number 1.

Lining up / Leaving first

Yes indeed, it is as simple as that!

I’ve tried all the other things and yes, they work but they have their problems. Candy, suckers, chocolate rot teeth and also rot desire. You’ll end up having to give more and more and more…. Books, souvenirs – they will kill your pocketbook. Stickers and points become meaningless rather quickly.

Try just giving them a privilege, like leaving the classroom first. They will love it and it will work.

Using Flashcards to Teach Languages

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Using Flashcards and Teaching English
View more documents from David Deubelbeiss

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THIS OUT (also see our hundreds of online sets in our Quizlet Group!)

WHY? Games are fun and motivational. They increase student talk time (production).
Visuals add context to the language learning. They are quick and easy to
use. They allow for repetition and proper scaffolding of the learning.

WHERE? Flashcards are now freely available all over the internet. Just download and
print. (see the sites I’ve listed below or visit EFL Classroom’s sharing area).
Vocabulary power points can easily be printed [File – Print Preview – “x”
slides/page – Print] and cut up by students for use. If you have the time, print
an empty BINGO card and have the students draw/label their own cards! You
can also just photocopy from books then cut these pictures up.

WHICH? Use flashcards in the L2! Either without a label or with a label on the back. If
you print and they don’t have labels – get your students to label them!

WHEN? Anytime! They can be used to assess student ability/knowledge. As a review
or formative tool. As an “study” part of the lesson to practice language
in a controlled fashion. Or just as a fun, “activating” part of a lesson.

TIPS? ** Laminate your “good” card sets.
** Keep in labeled envelops or zip lock bags.
** Set up your classroom so it is easy for students to be grouped or spread out.
** Have a strict set of signs and signals to manage students.
** Model the game in front of the whole class with a few students. Go slow!
** Get students to invent their own games!

___________________________________________________________________

HOW? There are literally a zillion ways to use flashcards to teach. Here are a few of
them lumped into some main categories.

1. MEMORY
This is probably the most simple and repetitive type of game. There are many variations.

a) Recall. One student shows the student(s) a flashcard and the others try to make a sentence or simply state the name of the card. The student “teacher” checks on the back label and if correct puts in a “correct” pile. If incorrect, it is set aside for review later.

b) Memory Story. One student picks up a card and makes a statement using some target language. For example. “Yesterday I went shopping and bought ……..” The next student turns up a card and continues. “Yesterday I went shopping and bought a … and a ……”

c) Concentration. There are two sets of flashcards. Either picture/picture or picture / word. Students attempt to turn over and match from both sets. If they do so, they may continue. The student with the most pairs at the end, wins. Here’s an online example. http://tiny.cc/MZwhY Many like this on our Game page.

d) Snap. The cards are face up on the table. The teacher says a sentence and the first student to “snap” or slap the right card gets to keep it. The most cards at the end, wins. You can play this full class by putting large flashcards on the board and having students run up to the blackboard and slap the correct flashcard.

_______________________________________________________________________

2. GRAMMAR

These games use some target language which the teacher models and puts in the board. Students play the game using the flashcards and the designated language structure. Many times, the language can be a closed question / answer (ex. Did you ….. last night? – Yes, I did / No, I didn’t)

Some example grammar structures:

Do you like …… / Do you usually …….. / Do you have …….

Did you ……… yesterday? Have you ever ……… ? Will you …… tomorrow?

a) Go Fish. Use two sets. Students in groups of 3 or 4 ask each other questions using the target language. If the student asked has that card, they must give it and that student collects a pair. They may continue until they don’t collect. If a student runs out of cards, they pick up some more cards to continue. Most pairs at the end wins.

b) Survey. Give each student a card. They survey others around the class using their vocabulary flashcard. Ex. Have you ever…..? Report back to the group or the class using the structure –

All
Most
Some of us ………
Few
None

c) Conversation prompt. There is one pile of cards in the middle. One student turns over a card and using the flashcard as a prompt – asks another student a question. That student responds with one sentence. The other students in the group must ask one follow up question each.

Some example prompts:

When did you last ……? / Have you ever …….? / Do you prefer ……. Or ……….?

If someone ……… , what would you do? / What do you think about ………?

d) Find your match! Copy some flashcards in different numbers. 6 of one, 5 of one, 4 of one 3 of one etc… Give one card to each student. Using the target language on the board, the students must go around the classroom and find other students with a similar card. If they find a match, they link arms and continue trying to find others with a similar card. (Ex. “ I love ……. What about you? “ “Oh, I love …… . Bye.” ) Alternatively – students can choose their own response from the items brainstormed on the blackboard. Have them use a post it to create their own flashcard!

e) The “You Can” Game. A person in a group turns over a flashcard. They must make a statement/sentence using “can”. Ex. You can …….. or An / A ……. can….. Continue around the group awarding a point for each statement.

f) Guessing Game. Create some sets of flashcards with common people / places / things. One learner picks up a flashcard and describes it using

It is a thing that ….
It is a place where ….
It is a person who ….

The first student to correctly guess it, wins the card. Most cards when time is up, wins.

_________________________________________________________________________

3. CLASSROOM ACTION GAMES

These games use flashcards to get students moving around the classroom and competing.

a) Charades. Bring a student to the front of the class. Show them a flashcard. They must act out the object / action. The other students guess or a team guesses as many as possible in one minute. The next team tries to beat them. Make sure they use full sentences! (ex. He is an elephant!) . After a whole class demonstration, get students doing this in small groups.

b) Pictionary. Same as charades only this time instead of acting out the flashcard, they must draw it. You can also have multiple teams drawing on the board – first team to guess the correct word wins.

c) Telephone Whisper. Put your students in rows. Show the last person in the row a flashcard. They must make a sentence with an adjective (ex. It is a huge elephant) and whisper it to the next person. Continue until it gets to the front of the class. That student writes the phrase on the board. If it is a the same as the flashcard – a point is awarded.

4. OPEN ENDED GAMES

These games are for higher level students and give them an opportunity to use language in a meaningful and fuller manner.

a) Story Dominoes. One stack of cards in the middle. A student picks up a card and starts a story, stating one sentence. The next student picks up a card and continues the story. And so on until the last card when the story concludes. Start again and see if the group can recall and repeat the story!

b) Liar, Liar pants on Fire! Each student in the group gets 3 flashcards. They must make a statement about each flashcard and their life. One must be a lie. The other students guess which one is the lie. Ex. (for animals): I like crocodiles. / I have seen a giraffe in real life. / I have kissed a dog . Which is the lie?

c) Making Connections. Use two sets of assorted flashcards. Spread them out into two groups. Students must make a sentence using a flashcard from both sides. Ex. An elephant (a) doesn’t like to swim(b). Continue until all cards are matched.

d) Not like the others. Use a set of assorted flashcards. Students turn over 4 cards and put them face up in the middle. Students must make statements why one is different from the others using the phrase, A/An ……. is not like the others because …….. A point awarded for all logical answers. When students run out of statements, start with a new set of four flashcards.

e) Discussions. Students turn over a card and state their opinion about the topic of the card. Go around the group with each student stating their opinion. Discuss.

WEB BASED FLASHCARD RESOURCES

Here’s another teacher’s nice list of flashcard games/activities (but more for an L1 class).

BogglesworldESL

English For Kids

EFL Classroom 2.0

ESLJunction

ESL Flashcards

MES English

What the Wordle Part 2 – using Picasa!

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I tried to do something different with this presentation of wordles. Simply GO HERE and see them. Play What the Wordle. It is in my Picasa web album – something teachers might use!

You can get a lot more Wordle games on EFL Classroom’s wordle page!


The powerpoint will be forthcoming so you can print these and use with a thinking song and answers.

Using Lies in the EFL Classroom

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I’ve been thinking recently about how good teachers foster “noticing” in their students. Good teachers somehow get students to notice the “deeper” stuff about language – the nuance and information that just isn’t on the surface and easily translatable or apparent.

This really can’t be done directly. One might think so and I’ll respect that opinion but explicitly teaching grammar rules and morphological analysis or even being overt with error correction may work in some instances but overall, the research reports it is a pretty poor use of class time unless students have a very specific problem to address (ie. They don’t hear themselves pronouncing “r” as “l”, for example).

One good way to be implicit but still get students noticing is to use lies! Yes, LIES! (maybe I’m thinking about this because of my recent blog post – “The 7 Deadly Sins of Great Teachers“Have students tell lies and students guess which isn’t true. The most common example is the 3 Truths , 1 lie game. Students write 4 sentences about themselves. One must be a lie. For beginners the prompts can be something like:

A) I have ………………

B) I can ……………… very well

C) I like ____________ing

D) I don’t have _____________.

But you can make up your own to practice what you’ve been doing in your own classroom. Students must speak slowly and clearly and after, the other students guess which one is the lie. Even “debate” which one is the lie.

This is a great exercise because students begin to notice the emotional aspect of language and how we change our voices when speaking a lie. This is a high pragmatic skill that students should become aware of. One better way to practice this is by you the teacher telling a story. The students write down and guess the lies which are in your story. Can be really fun! Or tell a common story like the 3 pigs and tell a few lies/errors. Get them to figure it out!

BELOW – Here is a nice 3 wishes game with a warm up “LIE” game….

I also highly recommend Mario Rinvolucri’s recent article in The English Teaching Professional on this subject! A good read and he offers (as he so often does), really practical activities you can do with students (although many are for higher levels and you’ll have to adapt).

So- get lying! and stop Lying down!

3wishesGame.doc

Lying activities Mario Rinvolucri.pdf

ClassTools.net – A great place to make games/presentations.

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Click here for full screen version

I’ve been back again to Russel Tarr’s marvellous ClassTools site. On the site, you can very easily make all sorts of presentations and games. Just click and check out the games on the side of the site. The one above I made in 2 minutes! Just get an embed code. No need to store on your computer, they’ll stay there safe and sound. Or just copy the address in the embed code to get an html page…(right up to .htm ).

If you want to edit this game, use the pw – efl20. Many types of games which can be made quickly!

Check out these great and FREE tools! Thank you Russel !

Giving Voice to the “dry” Textbook – TEXT to Speech!

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text to speech

I”m a big proponent of multi modal learning – a classroom and teaching style that begs / borrows and steals to create a dynamic and “rich” learning environment for students. I firmly believe that with ELL, if you can provide students with an audio option/component for the text they read — they will do much, much better in acquiring language.

That is why here – I stress audio. Karaoke, our hundreds of audio stories, the games, the click and play instructional ppts – I try to find and present everything with audio support.

Text to speech can be used so successfully with students. They should get the Deskbot browser for their home computer. With that they can read EVERYTHING on their computer, in English. Just click and install. I also love the more stable VERBOSE. It gives you a toolbar and you just click play and it will read the browser or selected text. NCH is an Australia company that really “rocks” when it comes to any audio application. Check them out if you need any audio stuff at all. More voices and lots of other TTS stuff in our Software folder.

Not pure text to speech but Answer Tips allows users to double click any word and get a definiton! Super cool and great for online stories/info.

Here’s the classic Text to speech, from the original language teacher himself – Bob Dylan. Love it!

Please see this presentation of the best text to speech sites, in my humble opinion. Also here is the direct list…. Dave our “Chatterbot” is highlighted there as a great text to speech learning tool. So much is revolutionizing teaching…. Like the Oddcast translation robot, like read the words.com and also the site I just highlighted in Site of the Day, The Tar Heel Reader. I also highly recommend in addition to the DeskBot, the Next Up browser. Installs as a button in your tool bar and just with a click, you can read everything! Much more, even go here to get text to speech capability in your powerpoints! (I”ve attached one of many of our Pictionary ppts. Click on a picture, get speech, use as a guessing game in class!).

What’s your view on this, for use in the classroom or self study? What do you use and do you have any sites/tips/applications to share. Let’s talk TTS! It isn’t as hard as this video suggests!

And of course we always can use the DAVE bot that I designed as a no typing bot. Simply select the question or response you’d like to use and Dave will reply. Lots of fun. Further, I highly recommend using www.transl8it.com . I even made a Pop song game out of it (more on EFL Classroom 2.0). You simply put in English – like your dry textbook stuff, click and get the text messaging transl8tion. Give the students the text messaging and they de-code and then check with their textbook to see if they got the “write” answers. Lots of fun. Here is an immortal commercial which really drives home the point that this kind of “lingo” is here to stay – Digital Immigrants or not.