Wordle and Wordsift

What are Wordle and WordSift?

Wordle and WordSift are two online tools (or toy as they say) that used to generate word clouds. They are usually used to summarize texts or writing and make the most frequent words used in the text appear to be bigger. With these tools, it is easier for people to view the key points in the texts and save times. Each of these tools has their own features that can be adapted into English language lessons to make them more interesting and exciting! Lets meet both of these fun tools!

Wordle: Beautiful word clouds.

"You can tweak you clouds with different fonts, layouts and colour schemes. The images you created with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out or save them to the Wordle gallery to share them with your friends"

So, lets get started! It is easy to use this tool. Just go to the website Wordle and  start to create your own word clouds of any text you want to. You can either copy and paste your text into the box provided or just copy the URL of the sources of your text.  And send them for processing!

Within few seconds, you have your own word clouds. You can personalize the word clouds according to your interest and need and share it with your friends! Below is an example of a word cloud produced using Wordle:

WordSift: Visualizing words.

"WordSift was created to help teachers manage the demands of vocabulary and academic language in their text materials. We especially hope that this tool is helpful in supporting English Language Learners. We want WordSift to be a useful tool, but we also want it to be fun and visually pleasing. We would be happy if you think of it playful  as a toy in a linguistics playground that is available to instantly capture and display the vocabulary structure of texts, and to help create opportunity to talk and explore the richness and wonder of language!"

How it works? Same as Wordle! Click this website WordSift and all you need is to copy and paste your texts and obtain an instant visualization of you text. The most frequent vocabulary will appear bigger.

WordSift is a bit different from Wordle as also provide some information that are related to the most frequent words in the text. For example, the sentences of the most frequent words and synonym.

                             
Wordle an WordSift in ELT:

Advantages:

1) Students can preview text using both of these tools. As the most frequent words appear bigger in word clouds, it helps students to identify  the key vocabulary and predict the content of the text they are going to read. This is important as research suggests that previewing text is a useful strategy for improving comprehension. Besides, the example source sentence in the WordSift, helps students to skim the text and make a complex text become more accessible. Students can also use these tools to preview any text that they want to read at their own times (promotes learner autonomy)

2) You can also develop speaking activity using these tools. Have your students to write their own short stories and ask them to create word clouds of the stories. In pairs, ask your students to show their word clouds to their partners and predict each other's stories. This is a fun an creative way to get your students talking and practice speaking. Their own produced word clouds may also be a motivation for them to talk about.

3) Your students can also use both of these tools to summarize their own writing in order to check them. Identifying redundant words or sentence structure would be easier if they use these tools.

Disadvantages:

1) Some students might prefer something more challenging as Wordle and WordSift might be less attractive and perhaps too easy for them (this is however depending on he level of the students you teach).

2) No internet connection at home might demotivate students to do word clouds on their own at their own times.  

Storybird (Artfull Storytelling)

What is Storybird?

Storybird is another interesting tool shared by Russell recently. It is a tool that allows you to express your imagination through a very creative way. From your Storybirds, you can turn them into short story books, play cards or greeting cards. They can be printed and shared among your friends. It is a great tool to encourage storytelling among students because it is colourful and full of pictures! Furthermore, it is free!

How it works?

First of all you need to sign up to this website. Having an account of your own allows you to save and publish your master piece. Storybird reverse the process of story telling by starting with the image and "unlocking" the story inside. You can choose you artist or a theme, get inspired and start to write your imagination into the canvas! 

Here is a video of a complete tutorial on how to use Storybird:

   

And below is an example of a finished Storybird:

Storybird in ELT:Advantages:1) A fun and exciting way to encourage storytelling among your students because they can express their creativity and imagination like a professional story book author.2) Storybird also offers a different approach to get your students engage in creating their own story by choosing a theme or pictures to get them started. It promotes a reversed process of story telling by starting with the image and "unlocking" the story inside. 3) This tool also promotes the sense of ownership and motivation. As your students create their own story, publish and share them, they may feel like a real author and feel motivated.4) You can also get the students to narrate their stories after they finished and share with the whole classroom. through this, speaking and pronunciation skills can be practiced.Disadvantages:1) Students may get carried away and fails to finish their Storybird (if assigned by teacher)2) No internet connection.

Intervue

What is Intervue?

Intervue is another tool that shared by Russell recently. Basically, Intervue is a tool where you can use to make a quick video response to anyone or to gather short video interview from anyone online. A webcam is an essential equipment that you need to have in order to operate this tool. Intervue enable you to make the process of gathering opinions from students easier as you no longer need paper or worksheets. All you have to do is set the questions you wish to ask and post it online on you Intervue account and obtain the responses via webcam. Interview for a lesson purpose can also be done through this tool and the most important thing is, it is free! 

How it works?

So how to use Intervue? It is easy and quick and free too! All you need to do is click Intervue and sign up for your own account. You need to provide your email and create a password. The same procedure applies to your students. 

Now you have your own Intevue account and you can start making your own short interview video or set up you own  questions to be answered by your students. You can also view and commet on your students' video responses and interview. 

Intervue in ELT:

Advantages:

1) The main advantage for using Intervue in your language classroom is that it allows your students to practice speaking privately because the recording can only be listened by you and your students. This will encourage your students to practice speaking with confidence especially those who are lack of self confidence to speak in front of their classmates. This in turn will motivate them to practice speaking more.

2) Intervue also allows you to keep record of the video responses that you gathered from you students. You can monitor the progress of your students in any lesson especially speaking lesson by using this tool.

Disadvantages:

1) Intervue has limited recording time which is only 60 seconds. It is a disdvantage for low level students where more time is needed for them to speak promptly.

In conlusion, Intervue provides you a useful way to encourage your students to speak. Guidlines and practice should be prepared by teachers to allows students to speak in Intervue especially for the low level students to speak within the time limit.