SCREEN CASTIFY

Screen Castify is an amazing tool. You can capture, edit and share screencasts.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/screencastify-screen-vide/mmeijimgabbpbgpdklnllpncmdofkcpn

ADVANTAGES

• It has a free edition and it is on line.
• You can sign in Google.
• No software download required.
• When you record a video you have three options: your entire desktop, current browser tab or your webcam.
• It enable you to use our annotation tools.
• It gives you more flexibility on how you use your webcam.
• You can share your recordings in the social medias.

DISADVANTAGES

You can creat a 10 minutes videos (free edition).

 It is only available for people that use the Google Chrome.

 it doesn' show the time that you have already recorded while you are recording.

ZOOM

Zoom is a platform where you can do video conferencing, online meetings. It is an amazing tool to work in online classes.You can sign in as a guest or host.

https://zoom.us/

ADVANTAGES

• It has a free edition.

• It offers the best video and audio, including portable recordings.

• It is enable the scheduling of meetings.

• You are connected wherever you are.

• You can send the invatation to join at the meeting from email.

• You can work and show with documents in real time with all the guests.

• You can record the meeting.

• The guests can participate in an interactive way.

•  It also adds video for the attendees.

• With the free version it allows up to 50 participants to join.

• There is a chat for the guests.

DISADVANTAGES

• The free edition only allow 50 minutes meeting.

• The signup process is a little confusing, you’re not quite sure what addons you need and don’t.

• With the live video from both you and attendees Zoom does have a more ad hoc and uncontrolled feel to it.

WORDLE

Wordle is an online app to creat ""word clouds" from the text that you hahave selected. It select the words that are the most prominence or appear more frequently in the text to creat the cloud.

For teachers word clouds are a fantastic resource and teaching tool because you can use to input a class, a topic.
http://www.wordle.net/create

ADVANTAGES

• It is free and on line. You need to creat an a free acount.
• You can use the text you want.
• There are too many colors for your "word clouds".
•  It allows anybody to really imaginative and creative word clouds.
• You can use it in your classroom, post it on twitter or on your blog.
• It automatically emphasis words that are repeated and increase them in size.

DISADVANTAGES

• Wordle only hasone size for the whole image.
• It doesn't work in Chrome. Only in Internet Explorer o Safari en Mac.

APPS FOR ENGLISH TEACHING

We are living in a new tecnological era, teaching to tecnological generation of people what is immersed in a interactive world of the Internet so, as a teachers, we need to be up to the innovation. There are hundreds os websites and apps to help as a foreign language teachers to do our work easier and more interactive and enterteining in a renewed way.

NEARPOD 

It is a platform to allow teachers share presentations  that can obtain quizzes, poll, videos,games, images in real time. 
https://nearpod.com/

ADVANTAGES

-It is a platform available in app and website.

-There is a free version.

-Share live presentation in person or remotely.
-You can manage content on student´s platform.
-You can creat slides  or turn your Piowerpoint, Google slides or PDFs into interactive Nearpod presentation. 
-The platform contain a wide range of topics already elaborated, lesson plans, activities, drawing-boards, warm ups, assessments, full lessons, professional developments, virtual reality and ideas for fun classes.
-It has a classification about grades.
-Share synchronized lessons with students across all devices, getting the answers immediately.
-It is a very real way to contextualize your students and make them their knoledge testing.

DISADVANTAGES

-There is not audio.
-If you want more storage in your librery you need to pay it.
-You and your estudents need to have Interet and mobile, computer, tablet...
-It has a paid and better version.
-Sometimes it is difficult to work with the app in the mobile.


As a teacher...
You can find in Nearpod many subjects. For example if you have been working with nouns, to make it clear and practice with that topic you can find the topic or creat it in the platform and work with it in real time in class.

FLIPSNACK

This is an amazing software that allows to everybody to creat a virtual book from a PDF document. 

https://www.flipsnack.com/es/accounts/sign-in.html

ADVANTAGES

-It is a free software, you only need to subcribe.
-You upload your PDF document designed as you want, images, type or color of words and images, even the cover of your book.
-You can add sound when you pass the page.
-You can save your books in your account.
-You can share your book in social webs.

DISADVANTAGES

-If you don´t have internet, you cannot see the book.
-Flipsnack just allows 20 sheets maximum.
-It takes time to upload your documents.

As a teacher...

It is usuful to teach, explain or give examples about a viewed topics in a interactive way. You can add imagges and colors as you want to do it more interesting and attractive to your students.
As well, you can ask your students to do a virtual book to explain what they understant about a topic and get realize if they are really getting the knowledge wanted.

PINTEREST

It is a web and a mibile application that allows to share images, GIFs, information and videos in order to allow other users to creat boards to keep ideas organized to discover and creat new ideas and hacks.

  

https://www.pinterest.com.mx

ADVANTAGES

-It is a free site, yoou just need to creat an acount.

-You can find ideas about anything you think (teaching, learning, food, etc.)

-You can creat your own board with organized ideas with you likes and interests.

-You can follow boards of others and see their ideas, images, hacks, GIFs, etc.

-You can creat and upload your own information or post images from other websites in you Pinterest.

-You can interact with each other through liking, commenting and repinning each other´s stuff.

-You can find ideas in any language.

-As a blogger, it is a good site for promoting and marketing your content.

https://pin.it/cunv3sdxqvt4ej

DISADVANTAGES

-You can´t share something in Pinterest unless it has a image.

-It is easy steal images from others, there is not protection.

-Pinterest realies enterily on look and not really text to sell ideas.

As a teacher...

Pinterest is very usuful web because you can find activities, printables, ideas or images about a class or how to explain a topic. For its very visual aspect you can use this site to capture interest in a board and use it as a portafolio as well. Then you can show it to your students. 

INFOGRAPHICS AND PRINTABLES

INFOGRAPHIC

It is a visual representation (diagram) with explicative and easy images, the purpose is to summarize, explain and communicate information in a entertening, fast and visual to help understanding.

PRINTABLES

It is an amazing idea to help us as a teachers to creat physical material for our students, it could be grammar, vocabulary or culture exercises.


Recommended websites:
http://pointlesscorp.com/
http://www.digitalpodge.co.uk/2009/
http://www.chappybarry.com/ 
https://www.griplimited.com/
https://www.good.is/infographics#/home

PIKTOCHART 

It is a web which allows us to creat printables and infographics in a easy way. 
https://create.piktochart.com/dashboard

ADVANTAGES:

-It is online and free.
-You can add to many images and graphics.
-The web brings many ideas and templates which are innovative, colorful and interesting.
-They are very useful for teachers for planning and prepare lesson and design materials.
-Graeter student egagement.
-With infographics  is easy to remember and assimilate complicated information.
-The printables are easy to elaborate, the web brings ideas to do it.
-You can add your oun image in the background.
-You can add GIFs in your infographic.
-You can share it in the socia media.

DISADVANTAGES:

-You need to pay for templates which are more complex and professionals.
-It is a little be difficult to work with all the little images that the templetes have.
-It works better in Chrome or Firefox.

VOKI

WHAT IS VOKI?
Voki is a online tool where you can creat a animated character (called avatar) which speak what you want it say.

http://www.voki.com/
http://tinyurl.com/y6uyelpm

ADVANTAGES:

• You don´t need download the software, it is on line.
• The basic form is gree.
• You can creat an avatar which seems like you.
• You can add a text and the avatar will say it or you can do it with your own voice.
• It is a good idea to learn and practice English (or any other language).
• It is a interactive and funny idea to teach and practice for the students.
• You can post your voki (avatar) in blogs, websites or in a social network.

DISADVANTAGES:

• If you want a premium form for your avatar has more details you need to buy it.
• You can only write 100 words for your voki says.
• If you want to do it with your own voice, you just have 60 seconds to record your voice.
• Only can creat one avatr in each presentation.
• The voices that voki has sometimes sounds weird.

Activities:

Voki is a useful tool into the classroom, as a teacher, you can creat many activities to work with it:

•  You can ask your students to creat their own voki recording their voices.
• You cans chose the topic according to what you can evaluate: vocabulary, pronunciation, use of tenses, use of english, etc.
• They can introduce themselfs, to talk about an important topic as the global warming, rasicm or bullyng in the school, even basic thing like what they are doing right now or their likes and dislikes.
• They can share with their classmates their voki, watch it and talk bout the voki of others in classes (here they will practice the oral comprehension and the oral production).

SINGING AND LEARNING

SONGS IN ENGLISH CLASS

Teach English using songs it is a good tool which well used, can help our students get knowledge in a easy, funny and effective way.

ADVANTAGES:

• The music is an easy habit.
• It is easy for the students memorize vocabulary about words and expressions, with everyday or colloquial language, learning the culture of English speaking.
• They get in touch with the pronunciation.
• Get new vocabulary.
• You can choose the song according to the students, their age and their likes.
• There are too many songs with which you can teach grammar and vocabulary.
• On Internet a lot of activities, ideas and songs which you can use.

DISADVANTAGES:

• You need to be careful with the song and the topic you want to teach, in order that the topic be clear in the song.
• Some songs use a difficult language, which is not commonly used.
• Some of them goes quickly.
• You need to be careful with both pronunciation, in the song and the pronunciations that you want them to get.
• Take the control in the class, in order that the students not only sing, they also learn.

ACTIVITY EXAMPLE

I want to teach some verbs in past simple:

1) Firstable, I play the song and ask them what about they think the song talk about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj3nFNIV2jY

2) Then they hear a second time the song in order the students recognize some verbs and tell me which ones they heard.

3) I continue giving them the lyrics of the song with some empty gaps which they have to fill with the song played for the third time. (The gaps are filled with verbs in past simple)

4)Ask them to compare answers.

5)) To check answers I'll play the song with the correct and complete lyrics for the last time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9TnTlPLHc8

What do you notice in the words that were missing? 

(They were verbs, in past simple)

Lyrcsgaps is a website where your students can improve their competences and abilities in English through songs and activities.

https://www.lyricsgaps.com

WORKING WITH WIKIS

WHAT IS A WIKI? A wiki in the classes

This is a website that allow any user to edit and add information about anything. This app is very helpful for teacher and students to work each other, for learning and a better way to get knowledge inasmuch as everybody can contribute with new information.

ADVANTAGES:

• The content on the 'wiki' can be modified by its users in collaboration.
• You can discuss and communicate across the network.
• You can add links redirecting to another website to complete your information.
• Your students can do a content in relation with they have been learning during the course.
• Otherwise you can give them more information about the topics viewed.
• You can find hundred of wikis about many topics and languages.

DISADVANTAGES:

• Because of the number of users the information can´t be truthful totally. some of them just write that they know, within research deeply.
• There is not supervision about the writings on the wiki, it is lent to plagiarize.
• Sometimes there are person who find the way to filter inappropriate material and information.

TYPES OF WIKIS

a) Accessibles On line: network online that allows creat a count and use the system online.

b) Accessible by  downloading a server: A downloaded system to use ir in a server, we can configure and use it.

c)Public: Anybody can edit and write on it.

d)Public and protected: Anyone can read the content but just some people can edit and write on it.

e) Private: Only people who is registered can read, edit and write on it.

Examples of wikies applied to the Teaching English.

• https://eoienglishclub.wikispaces.com/home: Exercises and resources on Internet for Students learning and teachers teaching.
• https://rededuca.wikispaces.com/Ingles: Resources on line, data and links for students English learning.
• https://recursosdeingles.wikispaces.com/home: Games, songs, grammar activities, vocabulary, listenings, readings, treasure hunts, webquests.
• https://culturaylengua.wikispaces.com/home: Self training tool for teachers.
• https://mariana-2idioma.wikispaces.com/home: To do writings and projects. 

Let´s TIC English is a wiki which serves as support for primary education teachers. You can fin vocabulary, structures, review activities, drafts, etc, share ideas, resources and experiences with other teachers.

https://letsticenglish-voc.wikispaces.com/home

PODCAST IN LEARNING ENGLISH

WHAT IS A PODCAST?
It is a serie of multimedia files as audio or video which it could contain subtitles or text throught a diffusion system. In terms of English Learning there are many websites and apps to study english with podcasts because they allow listen or/ and watch videos with a topic and then, be able to work in insomuch as some of them has activities or test practicing what you learned.
Next I will show some example:

BRITISH COUNCIL
It is a website where you can find podcast and activities in order reinforce and review the information given in the poadcast. You can work in differents skills.

ADVANTAGES:

• It is online and free.
• You don´t have to subscribe, unless you want to leave a comment.
• You can practice listening, Reading and writing skills.
• The podcasts have a very good audio.
• It has to many activities for every podcast.
• It has topics for every edge and any level of English.
• It has extra funny and interactive activities and games.
• It is divided in teaching English for kids, teaching English and learn English teen.
• You can find many activities to practice gramar.

DISADVANTAGES:

• No the whole podcasts have videos.
• The podcasts don´t have trascription.
• The website has a video zone, rarely you can watch it because of YouTube problems with the web.
• There are no many images as examples.
• Some instructions are no understandable.

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en

For example, you enter in the British Council page, in the entry page you find the video zone, and chose any topic. The podcast start. You can read the transcription if you want.

Then, below the podcast you find the exercises in relation with it and get your score.

VOICE OF AMERICA Learning English

English lesson through podcasts that your students can use to practice vocabulary, listening and comprehension with interactive activities.

ADVANTAGES: 

• It is free and online.
• You don`t have to subcribe.
• It is for diferent levels of English.
• The podcasts have audio, video and the transcription of the videos.
• The topics are about daily life and breaknews.
• The speakers have a very good and understandable pronunciation.
• There are to many activities for improve the vocabulary, listening and oral comprenhension.
• It has many visual examples.
• You get feedback.
• You have a close interaction with English culture.
• You can share any activity or broadcast by twitter, facebook, google, e-mail.
• Put the language in context for a better comprehension.

DISADVANTAGES:

• I think it is for teen or a mature age people because of the issues.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/

 There are many apps to practice listening by podcasts as well, so I will introduce an app that seems useful for me.

LUKE´S ENGLISH PODCAST
It is an app which you can download in your cellphone. This software offers podcast in audio and video with English native speakers.

ADVANTAGES:

• It is a free app.
• It has video and audios, most of them have transcritions.
• It has native speakers that has a very good pronunciation.
• The podcasts have good sense of humor.
• You can have feedback about the topics viewed.
• The topic podcasts vary between grammar, culture and news.
• You find the same app online.

DISADVANTAGES:

• You can use it just with Internet.
• The videos doesn´t show visual context about the topics.
• Some of the videos doesn´t have transcription or feedback.

https://teacherluke.co.uk/

You open the app and you can see the options.

If you chose videos, you can see the podcast and their topics. You chose the podcast (for example in the image I choose Difficult words to pronounce in English) and the video start to explain. Below the video it is the transcription if you want to read it and some links where you can send a mesagge or find more information. The feedback it is explained at the end of the podcast.