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.

Go Animate

Go animate is a software where you can work with a animate video which you can use to introduce a topic in a funny and interactive way.

ADVANTAGES:

• It is an amazing idea to give a topic or introduce it.
• It is free and on line.
• You can add sounds, voice, images and videos.
• It has to many animations.

DISADVANTAGES:

• At first it is difficult to use it.
• Some times doesn´t load fast.
• You can buy it for better version.

https://goanimate.com/videomaker

https://goanimate.com/videos/0B2Sl2DziIdE