Learn Vocabulary with Quizlet

Quizlet is a great way to practice and learn new vocabulary. It is an online application that allows you to make flash card sets. You can make your own sets or use one of the many available for public access.


There are several functions within the Quizlet application. After you have create a set, or found one of the many already created, you can familiarize, learn, or quiz yourself with the new vocabulary. There are also two games you can play which help to make vocabulary review fun.
There are several functions within the Quizlet application. After you have create a set, or found one of the many already created, you can familiarize, learn, or quiz yourself with the new vocabulary. There are also two games you can play which help to make vocabulary review fun.

The Familiarize function allows you to review each of the slides, switiching from side to side. You can use this option to review flash card sets for the first time, testing yourself to see what vocab you already know. This is also a great study tool to use when simply reviewing words.

The Learn function prompts you with either the definition or the target word, and asks for a write-in response. Quizlet keeps track of your correct and incorrect answers, so you know how well you're doing.

Scatter is a vocabulary matching game, where you can drag-and-drop words and definitions. When you match the two together the terms disappear. This is also a timed activity, so you can practice word recognition against speed as well.

Space Race is a game where each of the terms tracks across the screen. The player must type in the appropriate match before the term disappears. Points are given for each correct answer, and incorrect answers are recorded. This game is great for word recognition too, but the player must have good typing skills in order to input their answer quickly.

Finally, the Test feature generates a quiz out of the vocabulary in the flash card set. There are several multiple-choice, true/false, and short answer questions generated by the application, and every time you select the Test function, a new, randomized test is created. This allows the Quizlet user to test themself multiple times.

Quizlet easily supports English and other languages using roman letters. It is possible to use other writing systems, but the only way to input them into the program is with a separate word processer such as Unitype. To input words you will need to copy and paste the text into the Quizlet application. Read more!

Cloze Passage Builder

As part of my online CALL course, I've been investigating different interactive web applications that can be used for assessment. One way to test listening is to have students complete a cloze (fill in the blank) activity while listening to a song or text. I used an online cloze passage builder to create my own activity. Here is the example I made. Try filling in the correct words while listening to this song.
Read more!

Language Review - Online Flashcards

There are quite a few digital flash card programs, both online and available for download. Flashcard Exchange, SuperMemo, and Mnemosyne are three that I've investigated and would like to share. My favorite is Flashcard Exchange.

Flashcard Exchange is an online flash card library where you can also create your own sets of flashcards. It is a web-based application, but it's free to use. You can create your own flash cards, or you can use any of the other sets publicly available which are sorted according to their key-word tags. You can visit my sample flash cart set and try it out. Make sure to check out the matching game feature too. It turns studying into a fun game that you can play on your own or with a partner.

SuperMemo is a multi-platform software system that uses flashcards to practice vocabulary, grammar, and any other topics in language learning or studying in general. SuperMemo.net, the online learning system is free and offers several options for language study. There are multiple courses available, including some for TOEFL preparation. You can also download SuperMemo for Windows, and create your own flashcards.


Another program, which works in much the same way, is Mnemosyne. Just like SuperMemo, you can create your own flashcards. As you review the cards, you can grade them depending on how well you remember them, and the program will calculate how soon you should review them next. This organized revision helps to move new information from short-term to long-term memory.


In my own language study, I've started to use a similar flash card program online called Reviewing the Kanji. Just like these other applications, the flash cards are organized according to how well I know them while being tested on them. In addition, Reviewing the Kanji also includes a forum where different users can submit mnemonics and 'stories' to assist in studying.

Read more!

Skype

Skype is a great tool for communication and interaction with others. It's text, audio, and video chat options allow people from all around the world to share information and conversations in real time. This means that if you are in the USA, and you want to talk with your friend in New Zealand, you can chat for as long as you want. The best part about Skype is that it is FREE!

I first heard about Skype when I was studying abroad. Many of the other exchange students and Americans living abroad in New Zealand were using Skype as an alternative to international calling cards because the cost to call home for an extended period of time was quite pricey. The first time I actually used Skype was during an online conference chat with my CALL Online class at St. Michael's College.

Skype is a great way to connect with others around the world for language learning purposes too. Teachers can set up voice chats, or video conferences for groups of students to communicate across distances. Students can also use Skype to practice speaking and listening with conversation partners who may live in another area. In this way, Skype can provide language practice, and exchange of cultural information and experience. Read more!

Using Second Life for Educational Purposes

Second Life, created by Linden Lab, is an online environment where people from around the world can learn and interact with each other. Each user controls their own avatar, or character, and navigates through the virtual world, meeting other people’s avatars, and taking part in classes, business meetings, conferences, seminars, and social events. Second Life is a primary example of Web 3.0, the newest form of web-based interaction which goes beyond the constructed text-based Web 1.0 and more collaborative, user-created Web 2.0 to a web environment that is in fact a virtual world, where participants create all of the structures and content. Education and language-learning are not the main focus of Second Life, but the format of this virtual world supports these activities in an exciting and interesting way.

The opportunities for educational activities in Second Life are recognized as a way to reach students of the computer-literate, gamer generation. There are many locations within the virtual world of Second Life, including areas operated by colleges and universities, where students can participate in virtual classrooms and work on collaborative projects ‘in world’. There are also a number of locations, such as EduNation, which provide space for educational activities and professional development for teachers, as well as teaching resources and links to educational sites, wikis, and groups on the web. The worldwide access of Second Life allows people from all around the world to be involved in these virtual educational environments, so learning can be intercultural, and students from different language backgrounds can interact in an authentic, meaningful way.

Language learners can benefit from the interactive aspects of Second Life, and the opportunities to gather in online communities with other language learners and native speakers. This is particularly beneficial for English-language learners, as much of the text and multimedia available ‘in world’ is in English. Second Life is also available in Japanese, Korean, and German, and there are additional areas and events within the virtual world where other languages are used. Language teachers can utilize these features to provide their students authentic interaction with classmates, or other users, through projects, activities, and events in Second Life that focus on communication, collaboration, and negotiation of meaning to develop their language skills.

Second Life is restricted to an 18+ audience. However, there is a separate Second Life grid for teens 13-17, which is controlled to prevent access from those over 18 unless they are educators or supervising administrators. Therefore, for educational purposes, Second Life is best suited for college/university and adult students who are at least somewhat technologically literate. Additionally, for language-learning, it depends on the environment chosen by the teacher, but the level of difficulty of the text in navigation alone may be frustrating to lower-level students. Although the learning possibilities in this virtual world are exciting, engaging, and supported by an incredible amount of multimedia support, the technological skills required to navigate Second Life take some time to learn, and one can not immediately sign up and join a virtual classroom. The environment of the virtual world itself can sometimes be a hindrance, as it is easy to get lost or find oneself unable to move one’s avatar. Registration for Second Life is free, but in order to access certain features one must pay for property and multimedia space.

Overall, Second Life seems to offer many new possibilities for language learning by integrating it together with the technology of a virtual world. If it is used in such a way that helps to motivate students to learn, and connects them with others in meaningful interaction, then Second Life can be a great tool for ESOL teachers and their students.

For more information on educational uses of Second Life, check out these videos:
An Introduction to Second Life and its Educational Possibilities (2007)
Educational Uses of Second Life (2007)
Graham Stanley's Web 2.0 and Language Learning Read more!

YourDictionary

YourDictionary is an online dictionary that offers much more than a simple definition. You can search for a particular word and find its definition, as well as examples of idioms, synonyms, and ways you can use that particular word. There is also an audio player which allows you to hear how the word is pronounced.

As an example, I typed the word 'monkey' into the search text box, and clicked search. Under the entry for 'monkey' there were 6 definitions and an etymology describing a short history of the word. There were also two idioms, including 'a monkey on one's back' and 'make a monkey out of'. These were each followed by a short description/definition. After the lists of synonyms and usages for 'monkey' there was a list of related dictionary entries.

This web-based dictionary is a great tool for English language learners to use for finding new vocabulary items. The examples of how the word is used really make it useful and helpful for learners to understand the multiple meanings a word can have. YourDictionary can supplement other dictionary sources and resources in the classroom. Since it is electronic, students can use it outside of class too.

Additionally, YourDictionary has a vast number of links to translation sites and non-English dictionaries on the web. There are also links to language learning resources, authentic texts (newspapers, etc.), and streaming radio stations from around the world. Read more!

Teaching Resources and CALL Projects

I'm currently working on putting together a page of resources for teaching ESOL and using computer technology. I'll also include examples of projects completed for the Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) course I'm taking at St. Michael's College. You can access individual posts of each topic from this list.

Vocabulary:
YourDictionary - YourDictionary is an online dictionary, and much more. You can look up word definitions, synonyms, idioms, specific ways you can use a word, and there are plenty of examples. There are also links to non-English dictionaries, translation sites, and other language learning resources. Read my post about YourDictionary for more information.

FlashcardExchange - Flashcard Exchange is an online application where you can create your own digital flash cards and share them with others. From your review of the cards, and whether you remember them or not, the application determines the next time you need to review. You can also play flash card matching games. For more information, read my post about Flashcard Exchange and other online flash card applications.

Quizlet - Similar to Flashcard Exchange, Quizlet is an application which allows you to create and share digital flash cards. There are also several study games you can play with these flash card sets, as well as computer-generated quizzes to test your knowledge of the vocabulary. Read more about Quizlet in my post.

Writing:
Lang-8 - Lang-8 is a social networking site (like Facebook or MySpace) with a focus on practicing reading and writing in other languages. Read my blog post about Lang-8 for more information.

Virtual Classrooms:
Second Life - Second Life is an online virtual world created by Linden Lab. The entire virtual environment is created by the users themselves. Language learners and teachers can find resources in several areas including EduNation. Read my post about Second Life for more information.

Assessment:

Teach-nology - I used the Teacher Rubric Maker to make this Writing Assessment rubric. There are many other rubric templates available as well.

Projects:
Newsletters - Creating electronic newsletters in Microsoft Word are a great way to supplement language learning with technology. Its also a great way for groups of students to work together, and the final product can be shared with other classes, teachers, and parents via a class website. Here is an example of a newsletter that I made for the CALL online course I'm taking.

Collaborative Website Review - My classmates and I completed a website review project. In order to complete the assignment we used both synchronous and asynchronous communication over the web to organize the project. Then we sent our individual pieces to each other for peer review. It is amazing the way the internet allows for this kind of interaction. Myself and each of my classmates are spread around the world, so we would not have been able to communicate in a similar way if not for email and Skype!

PowerPoint - This is a great tool to use for instruction as well as for student projects. I created a PowerPoint slideshow about the uses of social networking in language learning. Please feel free to check it out!

Read more!

Favorite Links

I've arranged these links into several categories. I'll include teaching resources, language learning resources, and links to pages that I find helpful in my own language study.

Online dictionaries/translation sites:
YourDictionary
PopJisyo

Social Networking:
Lang-8
Facebook

Communication/Interaction:
Skype
Yahoo Messenger

Digital Flash cards:
Flashcard Exchange
Quizlet
Reviewing the Kanji

Online activities/Applications:
Lextutor - Cloze passage builder Read more!

About Me

Hi. My name is Stephanie. I have a BA in English from the University of Vermont and I am currently a TESOL Graduate Student at St. Michael's College. I also work at St. Michael's College as a Graduate Assistant and as a Student Assistant for International Students. My favorite part of my job at St. Michaels is conversing with other students, especially those that are from different countries and language backgrounds.

I've been studying Japanese since High School, and I would love to teach English in Japan someday.

My hobbies include travelling, watching movies, spending time with my family and friends, playing with my dog, and working on craft/art projects. My faith is very important to me, and although it is often a struggle, I trust that God has a plan for me. I am continually amazed by the grace and forgiveness He shows me. 1 John 1:10 Read more!

Lang-8

In my CALL class, we're looking at different ways that computers and technology can be used in language learning. I went to my Professor's office today to introduce myself, and we began discussing some of the ways students can use online interaction for language practice. She showed me a new book that she had recently found about practical applications of CALL, and one of the heavily underlined sections on Grammar stood out to me. It mentioned that students learn grammar best when they have the opportunity to produce sentences including whatever grammar points are being taught. However, it is additionally helpful for this grammar production to take place in interaction with others, making online/computer based interactions specifically helpful.

This point reminded me of a post I had read a week or so ago at tofugu.com (A special thanks to Koichi, and his fantastic blog on Japanese language and culture.) In this post, Koichi describes Lang-8, a kind of social networking site with a focus on language learning.
I checked it out, and this site is really cool. Members sign up, specify which language is their native language, and which language(s) they are learning. As a member, you can write journal entries in the language you are learning, which can then be corrected by native speakers of that language. You can also edit others' journal entries, if they are writing in your own language. Lang-8 is a great way to practice grammar, because it allows authentic interactions between language learners and native speakers. It also breaks down the distance barrier, allowing people from different parts of the world to interact.

On the downside, Lang-8's site is only available in English, Japanese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Spanish, and Korean. For students who are not especially proficient in these languages, set-up might be a little difficult at first, but with some guidance, I think students would be able to figure out how to post journal entries and comments.

I like Lang-8 as a tool to practice my Japanese, but it would definitely be a great tool for EFL and ESOL classes. It expands the classroom to include people from all around the world, thus increasing interactions between students of English and native speakers. Read more!

こんいちは

こんいちは。 私の名前はステファニーです。 サントマィケルズ大学校の院生です。 第二言語としての英語教育を勉強します。趣味は映画で、 旅行することで、 物を手作りで作ることです。そして、友達と家族が好きです。 高校と大学校で日本語を勉強しました。いつか、 日本で英語を教えりたい。

(Sorry, there are probably a lot of grammar mistakes. I'm working on it though) Read more!

First Post

I've actually been meaning to start blogging again. Lately, I just haven't been entirely inspired, or haven't found the time. However, I'm currently taking an online class through St. Michael's College called Computer Assisted Language Learning. It seems like it will be very interesting. I haven't had much experience using technology in my own language learning or teaching, but I'm excited to see the many different ways computers and online resources can be used. Especially in learning other languages, the internet is great because there are so many people with different linguistic backgrounds all in the same environment. Distance is diminished and communication can connect people from opposite sides of the world.

I will be using this blog as a place to share what I've learned in this course. I will also post links to CALL materials and resources I investigate.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope that it is informative and interesting! Read more!