Sync.in-Realtime Document Conferencing

Today's Website~

● Sync.in-Realtime Document Conferencing

Sync.in-Realtime Document converencing

What is it about?

●  Sync.in is a web-based word processor for everyone to write collaboratively in real-time.

●  Many people can edit the same document simultaneously, and you can see any changes

    on the screen instantly.  You can chat (on the right-hand side) at the same time, when

    edit the document together.

Why is the content good for language teaching?

●  It is useful for any notes (classroom/meeting), a place for brainstorming, project planning

    or training.

●  You don't have to sign up to create a new public note.

●  Different authors can choose different colors, and you can easily see each one's

    contribution.

●  Students follow the link (the note related by the teacher) and start the classroom

    activities.

●  The note can be exported as HTML file, Plain text file, or Bookmark file. 

How might you use it in a language teaching context?

●  This tool could be used best for collaborative editing, writing, brainstorming, project

    planning or topic discussing.  The teacher can write down some questions about the

    article students read.  Students can discuss in group,

●  Students can work collaboratively in group to rewrite a story, to summarize the article

    they read, or answer the questions after their discussion.

●  For lower-level students, the teacher can ask them to make sentences by the sentence

    patterns, vocabulary, or phrases they learned in class.

●  Students can collect some articles related to what they have read in class, and briefly

    describe the articles.  They could be a collection of some topics for students to keep

    as their resources.

●  The document could be saved or the teacher can paste the content in the class blog for

    students to review.

●  Students could learn from one another from reading the instant response.

●  Help teachers to assess students' language output after language input.  It can also be

    used to check students' understanding of what they have learned in class. 

Limitations

●  Sufficient computers are needed.

●  You can not add pictures, videos.  Writing activities are suitable for the tool.  It is better for

    collaborative writing and opinion sharing.

●  Even though they have a chat function, students still need to "speak out" to practice

    their speaking and pronunciation.

●  The teachers need to organize the questions or content they would like their students to

    answer in case it looks messy on the screen.

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Example~ Start to use Sync.in 

●  Click on "Create a new public note".

Create a New Public Note

●  Select your color, type your name, and start to write or edit.

Select the Color, Enter Your Name, and Start to Write

●  You can zoom in to make the content bigger, or hide the chatbox column to have more

     space.

Zoom In or Hide the Chatbox Column

●  Click on "invite", and you can paste the link, or send e-mail to invite your friends or 

    students to co-write or co-edit.

Invite Your Friends or Students

●  You can click on "Export" and download your document.  However, there is no PDF or

    Word format.  You can paste the content on the word and convert it into PDF format.

Export the Content

●  Quick Introduction to Sync.in

●  The Collaborative Authoring Activity in Warwick ELT (ICT & MM)

This is a collaborative authoring activity.  Our tutor provided several blogs (related

to ICT in ELT) and several links for us to search the tools for language teaching 

and learning.  We have to search for the tools for ELT introduced in some blogs,

discuss the tools, learn how to use them, and briefly describe the tools.  Each group

gave a brief description about the tools below each question.  You could see what

we did below. Click on the page to zoom in.

Created by Issuu Publishing Tool

Open publication - Free publishing - More syn.in

Chatzy-Free Private Chat room

Today's Website~

●  Chatzy-Free Private Chatroom 

Chatzy-Free Private Chat room

What is it about?

●  Chatzy is a free private chat room.  You can start a quick chat.  It has no registration 

    steps.  Just invite your friends or your students, they can join instantly. 

●  You don't need Flash or any installation on your computer to use Chatzy.

●  Chatzy is user-friendly.   It works on many major browsers and with any languages.

●  It is an ideal chat room for idea-sharing.   

Why is the content good for language teaching?

●  It is a user-friendly interface for learners to share their ideas and communicate with 
  
    one another.  It engages students in cognitive learning through communication. 

●  Encourage students to interactive with their peers through reading others' opinions

    and have a deep discussion about certain topics they explore in class.

●  Encourage students to share opinions and respect one another by using the discussion

    interface.

●  Everyone has a chance to speak out their ideas.  Shy students benefit from the different

    way of communication a lot, too.

●  Encourage students to work collaboratively according to the tasks the teacher design.

●  Students could learn from one another from reading the instant response.

●  Help teachers to assess students' language output after language input.  It can also be

    used to check students' understanding of what they have learned in class.

How might you use it in a language teaching context?

●  First, introduce students Internet Etiquette in the virtual room, e.g. how to greet with one

    another.

●  The teacher could either ask individual student to make sentences (e.g. the sentence

    patterns they learned in class) to check their understanding, or ask students to work in 

    group to make a story (e.g. with vocabulary, phrases they learn in class or a topic  

    related to your curriculum).

●  Students can work collaboratively to rewrite a story, e.g. each group takes turns to write a

    sentence.  They should try to make the story cohesive and reasonable.  The teacher can

    give guidance to help students use appropriate linguistic meanings of  expression and

    generate appropriate content.  Students will learn a lot through the negotiation of meaning.

●  For low-proficiency students, they can do some simple spelling competition, type what

    they hear (words or sentences) from the teacher or news, or answer some simple

    questions to check students' understanding of the sentence patterns and the content.

●  The teacher could ask high-proficiency students what they know about the topic

    and the experience about the topic they are going to learn.  The teacher could also

    encourage students to reflect what they have learned in class. 

●  The script of the discussion or classroom activities can be printed out, which can be used

    to assess students' in-class performance.  The teachers can also reflect their own

    teaching and revise the curriculum, and make it more suitable for the students' learning

    process.

●  The students could always go into the room and review something they are unfamiliar or

    reflect their answers, or print out the transcript.

●  The teachers can paste the saved discussion in the class blog for students to review.

Limitations

●  Might need computers for everyone in order to assess individual performance.

●  If it is a large class, it might take students lots of time to read everything in a short time.


●  Students still need to "speak out" to practice their speaking, pronunciation and

    communicating skills.

●  It might not easy to read if there are too many students writing on the same screen.

●  It is better for collaborative writing and opinion sharing.

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Example~  How to Use Chatzy 

●  First Click on "Start Quick Chat".  Write down your name, and choose your color.

    After filling in your "Title/Subject", you can invite your friends or students.

 Start Quick Chat

●  You can either write e-mail or offer the link to your friends or students so that they can

    join the chat room.

Invite Your Friends

●  Now you can start to chat.

Start to Chat

●  Check on your visitors you invite.

Vistor List

●  Click on "Save/Print" to save or print out your discussion.

Save or Prin

●  Here is the video tutorial from YouTube.

●  Here is the transcript of our discussion in class.  "Second Life" in language

    learning was our topic in class.  And after the presentation of our classmates, and

    the oral discussion led by the presenters, guided by our tutor, our tutor asked

    some questions for us to think about.

    The transcript:

Classroom Discussion 1 (By using Chatzy-Free Private Chatroom)

Classroom Discussion 2 (By using Chatzy-Free Private Chatroom)

Learning Chocolate -Vocabulary Learning

Today's Website~

●   Learning Chocolate

  

What is it about?

●  Help the learners remember vocabulary in an easy and efficient way

●  Pictures and sounds come with the vocabulary.

●  Games are provided to make learning vocabulary fun

●  Select the category

●  Press the button of each vocabulary (below) the picture to listen

●  Try the games when you are familiar with the sounds and vocabulary

Why is the content good for language learning?

●  Pictures and sound help linking the words to the meaning

●  Learners could practice as much as they like, which leads to self-direct learning

●  Individual learners can learn at their rate.

●  The interactive function makes learning vocabulary fun.

●  Games are motivating and sometimes learners like challenge.

●  The repeating function enhances listening and pronunciation

How might you use it in a language teaching context?

●  Have students work individually

●  Select a category of vocabulary you'd like them to learn

●  Encourage them to listen carefully and try to remember as many words as they can

●  Encourage them to imitate and speak out the words

●  Ask them to write down or look up the words they are unfamiliar on the dictionary,

    and later they can compare them with their classmates.

●  Once they are familiar with the vocabulary, have them play the game.

●  Check their scores, and make sure they can pronounce each word

●  Encourage them to challenge "fill in" and "dictation" games when they are able to 
    
    spell the words.

●  If some of the students finished all of the session quickly, you can have them 

    challenge another related category of vocabulary. 
 
●  Encourage students to challenge each category of vocabulary at home.  It helps

    them foster their autonomous learning. 

Limitations~

  

●   Need sufficient computers for each students

●  The levels of vocabulary in each category are different.  Some are too difficult.

●  Vocabulary should be learned in sentences to learn how they are used.

   

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 Example~ 

The category:

●    Continents and Oceans

●  Review
    Learners can click the sound
                                                   

   Try to be familiar with the pronunciation, the continents and oceans and

   their locations
 

●  Match up 1 

     Learners click the sound and drag it to the matched word.
 

●  Match up 2

    Learners drag the continents and oceans to their locations.

●  Match up 3

     Learners drag the sound they hear to the matched continents and 

     oceans.
 

●  Fill in

    Learners fill in the continents and oceans they learn.
 

 ●  Dictation

    Learners click the sound and fill in what they hear.

Lyrics Training- Learn English from Lyrics and Songs

Today's Website~

●   Lyrics Training

  

What is it about?

●  Learn English (or other foreign language) through the music and lyrics of the songs

●  It helps you with listening and pronunciation.

●  Search for the song you'd like to learn and start to play

●  You can listen to a song many times.

●  Select your level

●  Listen and write in the missing words

●  The song won't start until write in the missing words.

●  You could click on "help" to see the instructions. 

Why is the content good for language learning?

●  Music and songs help learning language effectively

●  Can be familiar with the pop culture of the target country

●  Authentic English/World Englishes

●  Learning with sounds and video makes it interesting and deepens the impression.

●  Interactive, challenging, and motivating

●  The repeating function enhances listening, pronunciation and memory.

●  Foster autonomous learning if students are willing to try it at home.

How might you use it in a language teaching context?

●  Have students work in group, and play the song first.

●  Encourage them to listen carefully and hum the melody

●  Remind them of noticing some linking sounds

●  Have students guess the meaning from the video and the lyrice they hear

●  Then have them to start to listen and write in group

●  Encourage students to imitate the pronunciation and sing the song

●  Have them write down or look up the words they are unfamiliar on the dictionary

●  After they finish the activity, introduce related sentence patterns or vocabulary

●  Students' performance (singing the song) could be an assessment.

●  Encourage students to sign in and practice their favorite songs.

Limitations~

  

●  Might take time to finish the whole activity

●  Teachers have to select appropriate songs beforehand.

●  The levels of the songs are variable.  And some pronunciation is hard to figure out.

●  Need computers and sufficient broadband Internet. 

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 Example~

 Beatles: Yesterday

●  Lyrics Training Instruction- "Yesterday" by Beatles

●  Select the Mode.  Here we choose Beginner: Fill in the blanks

●  Start to fill in the blanks.

●  See your score or check the high scores

●  Check out the "Help" key.  The three keys you use the most often are:


    Backspace → Replay line

    Tab →  Skip word

    Enter → Play/Pause

Today's Meet- Chatroom for Classroom Activities and Idea Sharing

Today's Website~

● Today's Meet 

Today's Meet

 

 

What is it about?

●  It is more like a chat room for students in English class.

●  The teacher creates a room and invites students to join the classroom talk.

●  Students follow the link and start the classroom activities.

Why is the content good for language teaching?

●  Encourage students "talk" and communicate in the virtual room

●  Encourage students to read other students' language outcome.

●  Encourage students to share opinions and respect one another

●  It is interactive.  Everyone has a chance to speak out their ideas, especially shy students.

●  Encourage students to work collaboratively or individually

●  Sudents could learn from one another from reading the instant response.

●  Help teachers to assess students' language output after language input

How might you use it in a language teaching context?

●  First, introduce students Internet Etiquette in the virtual room, e.g. how to greet

●  The teacher could either ask individual student to make sentences (e.g.

    with past tense) to make sure they understand the grammar, or ask students

    to work in group to make a story (e.g. with past tense, words students learn

    in class or a topic related to your curriculum).  Each group takes turns to write a

    sentence.  The story should be cohesive and reasonable.  The teacher can give

    guidance to help students use appropriate linguistic meanings of  expression

    and generate appropriate content.  The story should be cohesive and reasonable.

    (The teacher could introduce conjunctions)

●  The teacher can encourage low-proficiency to key in the vocabulary,

    words or sentences they hear or they remember from the last lesson or

    some topics (e.g. Name one animal you know).  If the teachers would like to

    know whether students are familiar with the sentence patterns and the content,

    the teacher could ask simple questions and encourage students to answer

    them to check their understanding and students' language output  (e.g.

    What does Mary usually do before she goes to bed?).

●  The teacher could ask high-proficiency students what they know about the topic

    and the experience about the topic they are going to learn.  The teacher could also

    check students' understanding by asking them to answer certain questions

    in class or at home. 

●  The teacher could print out the script and assess students' in-class performance, and also

     it could be used to reflect the teacher's own teaching and revise the curriculum, adjusting

     to students' learning process.

●  The students could always go into the room and review something they are

    unfamiliar or reflect their answers, or print out the transcript.

Limitations

●  Might need computers for everyone in order to assess individual performance

●  If it is a large class, it might take students lots of time to read everything in

    a short time.

●  Students still need to "speak out" to practice their speaking, pronunciation and

    communicating skills.

●  Might take teachers too much time to assess students' performance if they

    have too many students to teach in a short time.

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Example~ 

TodaysMeet

Our Tutors Russell and Tilly created a room for us to sharing the ideas about

the tool "Wordsift" we learned in class. The link is: http://www.todaysmeet.com/wordsift

Here is the transcript:

● Transcript of the "Ideas about Wordsift"

    The transcript:

Listen and Write - Using Videos and Audios to improve Listening Skills

Today's Website~

●   Listen and Write

  

 

 What is it about?

●  Listen and Write is a free website for you to practice listening. 

●  You could select a video or an audio according to your level.

●  The listening practice is divided into several tracks.

●  Dictate and listen to the content as many times as you want.

●  Try to listen and write until you have your dictation all correct.

●  You may use "hint" or change different Modes according to your learning rate. 

Why is the content good for language learning?

●  Variety of topics from the latest one to the knowledgeable one.

●  Can be familiar with different accent .

●  Authentic English/World Englishes.

●  Listening with visual aids makes it fun.

●  Interactive, challenging, and motivating.

●  Automatic repeating enhance listening.

How might you use it in a language teaching context?

●  Have your students work in group.

●  Ask them to think about the vocabulary or sentences about the topic.

●  Write down or look up the words they are unfamiliar on the dictionary.

●  Make sure they can tell some linking sounds.

●  Could let students try Blank Mode first to fill in the blank.

●  Try Full Mode to be familiar with the content if time is sufficient.

●  Try Quick Mode if they are beginners.  They only write down the first sound of the word.

●  Learners can always try a more challenging Mode if they like. 

●  Encourage learners to use the "hint" function when they are in trouble. 

●  Ask them to write down the words they miss.

●  Encourage students to use the "dictionary lookup" function. (Problem Solving)

●  Encourage students to practice listening at home.   (Learner Autonomy)

●  Provide learners guidelines and select the appropriate video or audio for individual

  
    students (according to their levels) to practice at home.

Limitations~

  

●  It probably will be hard to work in group if students have to log in and listen together.

●  There are no sufficient materials for lower level learners.

●  The measurement of the levels seem inconsistent.  Some clips are easy 

    
    but they are classified  into a higher level.

 

●  There are still some technical problems.  For example, at the end of some tracks, the

    

    sound of the last word is cut off or can not hear clearly.

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Example~

●  Listen and Write Bridget Jones: The edge of reason

●  Select Full Mode

●  Start to dictate

●  Use the "Hint" key.  If you can't figure out the word, click "Hint".

●  Make use of "Dictionary Lookup" function.  For example, click the word "diary".

●  Select Blank Mode

●  Fill in the blanks