Tag Archives: geography

Name The Language. Can you?

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As a teacher of language, I love thinking about language. This weekend I made a few quizzes which I’ll be modifying over the next month. Making them more interactive and also with video.

However, I chanced upon this video of many languages and readings of Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (get it in many languages ) I’m stumped as to the majority of the 23 languages spoken. Can you help  out? Here’s a google doc with my incomplete answers and for adding your answers, if you have a moment.

Play the games I’ve come up with so far also. Much easier!

1. Mini – 10 questions 2. Mini – 15 questions 3. Basic – 20 questions. 4. Full – 30 questions.

Can you reach Indiana Jones status? Are you a polyglot?

Also, use the “languages of the world” power point with info. about each language – for instruction. Here’s the handy flash file of the same.


Find more videos like this on EFL CLASSROOM 2.0

The #1 translated and subtitled video material

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

6 Billion Others


6 Billion Others is a video series of interviews with real people. All translated impeccably. They really teach us, through humans telling their own stories about fear, love, childhood, family, god, dreams…..

If education is anything, it is about the sharing of our own stories and the learning, the ancient learning that comes through this. It is about our commonalities as humans/cultures – not our differences. We need more resources as powerful as this creation of the wonderful French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand (and O! how I love the French, only they could have produced this gem!).

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve enjoyed or been brought to tears by these interviews. They sparkle and would really help higher level students of English. Not only learn English but become great persons in their own right. That in a nutshell is the objective of education. Get them all HERE in a handy scroller.

Second place. Though not a video (but a great coffee table book!), Jonathan Harris’ “We Feel Fine” is another fine document of human experience (but online).

Find more videos like this on EFL CLASSROOM 2.0

Woices – travel, record, listen …

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Woices is Wonderful! It is a fairly new site which enables teachers or students to roam and listen to authentic audio about different places. Even download it for classroom use!

Basically, you browse a google map, find a region of the world you want to know about and then listen/search the audio that has been recorded there. If you sign up, you can even make your own recording and share your travels! Here’s an example I made – also see below, a more detailed screencast explaining many of the wonderful features of Woices in more detail. It is quite new but I’m sure as the audio library grows, it will become even more outstanding…. Get traveling, get recording!

Who’s Speaking? Guess the Accent.

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This game, Guess Who’s Speaking, I designed using the Speech Archives and stock photos.

It could be a good listening activity for students (it provides repetition) and also a way to discuss stereotypes.

Basically, you first guess who might be speaking (these aren’t the real people but it is fun to think about this and gets us thinking about stereotypes too). Then, guess where they are from. Check. 20 questions plus one practice question.

This is based a bit on the Language Accent Game. This game is enjoyable but I find only useful with adv. learners. Thus, my own attempt…. (I’ll be tinkering with the game, changing, over the next few weeks as feedback is given).

Full Screen – Click Here.