Creating Audio-Visual Monologues

Flipz TV is a actually useful slice of gratuitous software for creating entertaining audio-visual materials.

The software enables y'all to tape your ain well monologues together with lip-sync them amongst a choice of animated talking heads. It together with therefore turns them into pocket-size Flash files which tin endure run inwards a spider web browser. These tin endure lay on the Internet, run shape your reckoner desktop, or the Flash files tin fifty-fifty endure delivered to mobile phones.

Here’s an instance that I created using a Sonnet (130) yesteryear William Shakespeare. (You’ll demand to cause got the well o your reckoner turned up)

Click hither to come across an example

Use the pocket-size controls on the correct to terminal together with replay the audio.

What I similar nearly this software, apart from the novelty value, is Flipz creates quite pocket-size files. You could easily electronic mail the file to students amongst to a greater extent than or less instructions therefore they could heed at abode or inwards a self access lab. Or lay them on their telephone or mobile device. You could brand to a greater extent than or less actually useful homework tasks for them. The students could fifty-fifty download the software onto their computers at abode together with do their ain materials to direct to class.

Creating something similar this is really easy. Just click through the v steps on the interface.

• The offset pace is to select the grapheme y'all desire from a possible viii talking heads (two come upwardly amongst the criterion download of the software together with y'all tin download to a greater extent than or less other viii yesteryear registering)
• You together with therefore type or re-create together with glue inwards the text that y'all desire the animated caput to read.
• You together with therefore either import your well file or tape your own
• Then only click a push clitoris together with the software generates your well grapheme together with synchronises the spoken language to the text
• You tin the either preview or complete your project. The software generates an html page amongst the talking caput embedded inwards it.

You tin scout this brusk tutorial moving-picture exhibit to come across precisely how slow it is.

Tutorial movie (Flash 523k)

Here are to a greater extent than or less ideas for combining this into your teaching.

• Record brusk poems or stories for the students to heed to
• Record to a greater extent than or less natural language twisters for the students to heed to together with practice
• Get students to gain together with tape their ain tidings reports
• Get students to tape an imaginary daily diary for i of the characters
• Get students to tape imaginary problems for a work page. They tin together with therefore heed to each other’s problems together with tape to a greater extent than or less advice
• You or your students could tape a vocal or import a vocal well file together with add together the words

You tin download Flipz for gratuitous from: http://www.flipz.tv/
It’s nearly 3.15Mb therefore it shouldn’t cause got to long to download, together with therefore precisely unzip the file together with install it. It exclusively runs on PC (sorry MAC users)

Click hither to come across how Flipz would await on a telephone or PDA
Flipz on phone

If y'all purpose Flipz or cause got whatsoever expert ideas for how to exploit it, yesteryear all agency post them inwards the comments below.

Best
Nik Peachey

Creating A Mobile Outcry Upward Website

With the increment inward involvement inward mobile too handheld learning, I idea I’d investigate 1 of the many novel Web 2.0 type start ups that are offering gratis (at the minute at least) services for setting upwards websites too spider web based communities to live on accessed on mobile phones too other mobile devices.

The 1 I’ve started alongside is a service called Winksite. On the dwelling identify page of their website the society claims that, “Winksite makes it slow to issue mobile websites too communities that tin live on viewed worldwide on whatever phone.” So I idea I would crusade to ready my ain site equally an extension of this blog.

What’s practiced virtually it
I was genuinely quite impressed at merely how slow it is too at the number of features on offer. Once you lot get got registered, Winksite offers users the chance to ready equally many equally five websites for mobile devices. Each site tin get got a make of features that you lot tin pick out too edit from a fairly slow to role spider web based interface. Some of the possible features for your mobile website include:

• Announcements
• Blog entries
• Journal entries
• Field reports
• Profile information
• User surveys
• Chat rooms
• Forums
• Feed syndication
• Plus a few others

I spent virtually an lx minutes on Winksite, yesteryear which fourth dimension I had;

• set upwards my mobile site
• added my profile
• personalised the expect of the site
• created a duet of surveys
• added chat too a forum
• posted a weblog entry too an announcement.

Once you’ve created your site at that spot is also a tool that allows you lot to import e-mail addresses from your address majority to shipping out invitations to join, thus you lot tin quite easily acquire people onto your site too publisise it to your friends.

The sites that Winksite creates comply to all the established standards for mobile site, thus that’s swell likewise too also way that the site tin live on accessed through other mobile devices. I role an Opera browser on my Nintendo DS Lite equally a sort of wireless palmtop equally I roam unopen to the identify too garden, thus to live on able to access the site on that for me is genuinely a swell bonus.

• Here’s a motion-picture present showing what my site should expect similar on a mobile phone.
  Winksite demo
  
• Here’s some other motion-picture present showing how to create your ain site
  Tutorial motion-picture present 1
  
• An this motion-picture present shows how you lot edit too modify the site
  Tutorial motion-picture present 2
  
• You tin crusade the alive site on your PC
  Interact alongside the alive Winksite

The Featured books department is also interesting equally it provides a way to access books on your phone, page yesteryear page too chapter yesteryear chapter, equally they are written. This also enables you lot to interact alongside the author equally the majority is written too hash out diverse elements through the forums too surveys.

What’s non thus practiced virtually it
From the Winksite homepage you lot tin also get got a expect unopen to at the other sites that are existence created. This isn’t thus impressive, equally it seems that lots of people are interested inward finding out how this industrial plant etc, but it’s hard to abide by whatever sites that get got to a greater extent than than 1 or ii members signed up, too non many get got much content added. That isn’t a criticism of the tool though, I scream upwards it’s merely that the audience / marketplace for mobile spider web content is soundless quite novel too at that spot is manifestly huge potential here. The makers get got also tried to steer you lot towards the best content yesteryear adding an Editor's choice section, equally good equally having a regular Featured site.

Unless you lot get got a practiced contract alongside your telephone provider that gives you lot enough of spider web access included, accessing the site could live on expensive. Having said this the pages the site create are all pretty visible lamp too should charge pretty quickly, thus comparatively, this won't live on such an expensive site to access.

How to role it alongside my students
This is a hard one. If you lot get got students who come upwards to degree regularly, are they genuinely going to desire to role a στοιχείο based spider web community to interact alongside their instructor too the other students from the class? I scream upwards belike not. There is also the work that some students may good non get got phones that are capable of browsing websites.

• If nonetheless you lot get got distance or online classes too thus I could meet the possible potential of using a tool similar this inward conjunction alongside other spider web based materials to back upwards students too locomote into easier for students to operate together too locomote on inward impact alongside you.
• The site could live on useful for a degree project. Get the students to determine on issues that they experience are of import to them, too thus ready the site based unopen to 1 of these issues too crusade to acquire students from other classes or schools exchanging opinions too polling each other.
• You could ready polls too surveys on Winksite equally a shape of activity inquiry to acquire anonymous feedback from students too create dialogue alongside them virtually some of the methods you’re using inward class.
• You could acquire students to create their ain site equally a shape of learner diary.
• You could ready a site to locomote on inward contact alongside the parents of your students too assist to locomote on them informed virtually what’s going on alongside their children too whatever events etc that are happening at the school. You could fifty-fifty post your homework assignments on the site thus that the parents cheque to meet that their children are doing the operate you lot laid them.
• You could crusade to acquire students to collaboratively write a book/ floor from their telephone or computer. Decide on the theme outset too and thus inquire students to get got it inward turns to add together a page each. Others could interact too vote on what they would similar to hap adjacent using the survey feature.
  

Conclusion
If you lot desire a multi-featured στοιχείο website alongside lots of interactive features, too you lot don’t desire to pay anything for it, this is a swell identify to start. The characteristic laid is rich too varied too the interface seems to live on pretty slow to use. It’s hard to enjoin though at the minute if having a website that is accessed though a στοιχείο has whatever genuinely meaning advantages over 1 that is purely accessed through a computer. I suppose a lot depends on how much modify at that spot is inward coming months / years regarding access the spider web through mobile phones. The popularity of Apple’s novel I-phone surely points towards, this happening, but looking at the costs involved at present, it’s soundless going to live on a spell earlier this sort of access is available to many inward poorer countries.

If you lot crusade out this tool or get got tried similar 1 delight acquire out a comment.

Best

Nik

Making Quizzes For I-Pod

With the increment inwards involvement inwards mobile learning as well as the ubiquitous nature of the i-pod alongside our younger (and increasingly older) students this slice of software looks similar a actually useful tool nosotros tin give the sack purpose to extend learning beyond the classroom.

The software I’m referring to is I-Quiz Maker. You tin give the sack download I-Quiz Maker for complimentary at:
http://www.iquizmaker.com/

Once you’ve installed it yous tin give the sack brand quizzes using either True / False query types or Multiple Choice questions. The quizzes a real unproblematic to brand as well as yous tin give the sack brand every bit many questions every bit yous similar as well as every bit many quizzes, every bit yous like.

• This demo tutorial shows yous how to create the quiz

This looks similar a actually useful tool to:

• help revise as well as educate your students vocabulary. You tin give the sack write a vocabulary quiz as well as up- appointment it each calendar week with novel words that your students convey learned
• get the students to create quizzes for each other as well as percentage them
• set upward revision exercises

Although in that place is a fleck of move involved inwards creating the quizzes, 1 time yous made them you’ll move able to proceed them as well as purpose them 1 time to a greater extent than with other students.

Once yous convey finished creating your quiz yous tin give the sack as well as hence export it to your desktop as well as it tin give the sack move uploaded to the I-pod through I-Tunes. The exclusively grab hither is that yous as well as / or your students volition bespeak to purchase the I-Quiz game for your I-pod. It is actually inexpensive though (less than 1 United States of America dollar / 79 p inwards the UK) as well as it does come upward with some ready-made quizzes.

What I similar most it

• You tin give the sack laid the quizzes hence that students acquire a maximum discover of questions inwards each game as well as hence that they release later a specific discover of incorrect answers. This should croak far to a greater extent than competitive.
• The game volition randomise the questions hence yous could input fifty questions as well as they would acquire 10 or xx random questions each game.
• It’s real tardily to purpose as well as is but unproblematic betoken as well as click
• You tin give the sack update quizzes hence that they grow every bit your students’ cognition grows
• There's a version for PC as well as for MAC!
  

What I’m non hence certain about

• Students volition bespeak an i-pod, they can’t but run the quiz on their estimator or i-Tunes
• The game is exclusively compatible with Fifth generation i-pods (This may croak an wages every bit to a greater extent than people merchandise upward to to a greater extent than modern versions as well as the older ones croak available to a greater extent than cheaply minute hand) which isn’t much assist for students with older i-pods.
• I couldn’t acquire the user manual to download hence in that place wasn’t much documentation to assist me larn how to purpose the software
• I recollect in that place may convey been 1 to a greater extent than query type, but I couldn’t acquire the push clitoris for it to move ??
• Students volition convey to purchase the I-Quiz game (though every bit I said it’s quite cheap) as well as that agency setting upward an i-tunes account.

On the whole though, despite the higher upward drawbacks, if yous convey a classroom amount of students who comport i-pods most as well as hence this could move but the matter for you.

Let me know how it goes

Best

Nik

Creating Audio-Visual Monologues

Flipz TV is a actually useful slice of gratuitous software for creating entertaining audio-visual materials.

The software enables y'all to tape your ain well monologues together with lip-sync them amongst a choice of animated talking heads. It together with therefore turns them into pocket-size Flash files which tin endure run inwards a spider web browser. These tin endure lay on the Internet, run shape your reckoner desktop, or the Flash files tin fifty-fifty endure delivered to mobile phones.

Here’s an instance that I created using a Sonnet (130) yesteryear William Shakespeare. (You’ll demand to cause got the well o your reckoner turned up)

Click hither to come across an example

Use the pocket-size controls on the correct to terminal together with replay the audio.

What I similar nearly this software, apart from the novelty value, is Flipz creates quite pocket-size files. You could easily electronic mail the file to students amongst to a greater extent than or less instructions therefore they could heed at abode or inwards a self access lab. Or lay them on their telephone or mobile device. You could brand to a greater extent than or less actually useful homework tasks for them. The students could fifty-fifty download the software onto their computers at abode together with do their ain materials to direct to class.

Creating something similar this is really easy. Just click through the v steps on the interface.

• The offset pace is to select the grapheme y'all desire from a possible viii talking heads (two come upwardly amongst the criterion download of the software together with y'all tin download to a greater extent than or less other viii yesteryear registering)
• You together with therefore type or re-create together with glue inwards the text that y'all desire the animated caput to read.
• You together with therefore either import your well file or tape your own
• Then only click a push clitoris together with the software generates your well grapheme together with synchronises the spoken language to the text
• You tin the either preview or complete your project. The software generates an html page amongst the talking caput embedded inwards it.

You tin scout this brusk tutorial moving-picture exhibit to come across precisely how slow it is.

Tutorial movie (Flash 523k)

Here are to a greater extent than or less ideas for combining this into your teaching.

• Record brusk poems or stories for the students to heed to
• Record to a greater extent than or less natural language twisters for the students to heed to together with practice
• Get students to gain together with tape their ain tidings reports
• Get students to tape an imaginary daily diary for i of the characters
• Get students to tape imaginary problems for a work page. They tin together with therefore heed to each other’s problems together with tape to a greater extent than or less advice
• You or your students could tape a vocal or import a vocal well file together with add together the words

You tin download Flipz for gratuitous from: http://www.flipz.tv/
It’s nearly 3.15Mb therefore it shouldn’t cause got to long to download, together with therefore precisely unzip the file together with install it. It exclusively runs on PC (sorry MAC users)

Click hither to come across how Flipz would await on a telephone or PDA
Flipz on phone

If y'all purpose Flipz or cause got whatsoever expert ideas for how to exploit it, yesteryear all agency post them inwards the comments below.

Best
Nik Peachey

Creating A Mobile Outcry Upward Website

With the increment inward involvement inward mobile too handheld learning, I idea I’d investigate 1 of the many novel Web 2.0 type start ups that are offering gratis (at the minute at least) services for setting upwards websites too spider web based communities to live on accessed on mobile phones too other mobile devices.

The 1 I’ve started alongside is a service called Winksite. On the dwelling identify page of their website the society claims that, “Winksite makes it slow to issue mobile websites too communities that tin live on viewed worldwide on whatever phone.” So I idea I would crusade to ready my ain site equally an extension of this blog.

What’s practiced virtually it
I was genuinely quite impressed at merely how slow it is too at the number of features on offer. Once you lot get got registered, Winksite offers users the chance to ready equally many equally five websites for mobile devices. Each site tin get got a make of features that you lot tin pick out too edit from a fairly slow to role spider web based interface. Some of the possible features for your mobile website include:

• Announcements
• Blog entries
• Journal entries
• Field reports
• Profile information
• User surveys
• Chat rooms
• Forums
• Feed syndication
• Plus a few others

I spent virtually an lx minutes on Winksite, yesteryear which fourth dimension I had;

• set upwards my mobile site
• added my profile
• personalised the expect of the site
• created a duet of surveys
• added chat too a forum
• posted a weblog entry too an announcement.

Once you’ve created your site at that spot is also a tool that allows you lot to import e-mail addresses from your address majority to shipping out invitations to join, thus you lot tin quite easily acquire people onto your site too publisise it to your friends.

The sites that Winksite creates comply to all the established standards for mobile site, thus that’s swell likewise too also way that the site tin live on accessed through other mobile devices. I role an Opera browser on my Nintendo DS Lite equally a sort of wireless palmtop equally I roam unopen to the identify too garden, thus to live on able to access the site on that for me is genuinely a swell bonus.

• Here’s a motion-picture present showing what my site should expect similar on a mobile phone.
  Winksite demo
  
• Here’s some other motion-picture present showing how to create your ain site
  Tutorial motion-picture present 1
  
• An this motion-picture present shows how you lot edit too modify the site
  Tutorial motion-picture present 2
  
• You tin crusade the alive site on your PC
  Interact alongside the alive Winksite

The Featured books department is also interesting equally it provides a way to access books on your phone, page yesteryear page too chapter yesteryear chapter, equally they are written. This also enables you lot to interact alongside the author equally the majority is written too hash out diverse elements through the forums too surveys.

What’s non thus practiced virtually it
From the Winksite homepage you lot tin also get got a expect unopen to at the other sites that are existence created. This isn’t thus impressive, equally it seems that lots of people are interested inward finding out how this industrial plant etc, but it’s hard to abide by whatever sites that get got to a greater extent than than 1 or ii members signed up, too non many get got much content added. That isn’t a criticism of the tool though, I scream upwards it’s merely that the audience / marketplace for mobile spider web content is soundless quite novel too at that spot is manifestly huge potential here. The makers get got also tried to steer you lot towards the best content yesteryear adding an Editor's choice section, equally good equally having a regular Featured site.

Unless you lot get got a practiced contract alongside your telephone provider that gives you lot enough of spider web access included, accessing the site could live on expensive. Having said this the pages the site create are all pretty visible lamp too should charge pretty quickly, thus comparatively, this won't live on such an expensive site to access.

How to role it alongside my students
This is a hard one. If you lot get got students who come upwards to degree regularly, are they genuinely going to desire to role a στοιχείο based spider web community to interact alongside their instructor too the other students from the class? I scream upwards belike not. There is also the work that some students may good non get got phones that are capable of browsing websites.

• If nonetheless you lot get got distance or online classes too thus I could meet the possible potential of using a tool similar this inward conjunction alongside other spider web based materials to back upwards students too locomote into easier for students to operate together too locomote on inward impact alongside you.
• The site could live on useful for a degree project. Get the students to determine on issues that they experience are of import to them, too thus ready the site based unopen to 1 of these issues too crusade to acquire students from other classes or schools exchanging opinions too polling each other.
• You could ready polls too surveys on Winksite equally a shape of activity inquiry to acquire anonymous feedback from students too create dialogue alongside them virtually some of the methods you’re using inward class.
• You could acquire students to create their ain site equally a shape of learner diary.
• You could ready a site to locomote on inward contact alongside the parents of your students too assist to locomote on them informed virtually what’s going on alongside their children too whatever events etc that are happening at the school. You could fifty-fifty post your homework assignments on the site thus that the parents cheque to meet that their children are doing the operate you lot laid them.
• You could crusade to acquire students to collaboratively write a book/ floor from their telephone or computer. Decide on the theme outset too and thus inquire students to get got it inward turns to add together a page each. Others could interact too vote on what they would similar to hap adjacent using the survey feature.
  

Conclusion
If you lot desire a multi-featured στοιχείο website alongside lots of interactive features, too you lot don’t desire to pay anything for it, this is a swell identify to start. The characteristic laid is rich too varied too the interface seems to live on pretty slow to use. It’s hard to enjoin though at the minute if having a website that is accessed though a στοιχείο has whatever genuinely meaning advantages over 1 that is purely accessed through a computer. I suppose a lot depends on how much modify at that spot is inward coming months / years regarding access the spider web through mobile phones. The popularity of Apple’s novel I-phone surely points towards, this happening, but looking at the costs involved at present, it’s soundless going to live on a spell earlier this sort of access is available to many inward poorer countries.

If you lot crusade out this tool or get got tried similar 1 delight acquire out a comment.

Best

Nik

Making Quizzes For I-Pod

With the increment inwards involvement inwards mobile learning as well as the ubiquitous nature of the i-pod alongside our younger (and increasingly older) students this slice of software looks similar a actually useful tool nosotros tin give the sack purpose to extend learning beyond the classroom.

The software I’m referring to is I-Quiz Maker. You tin give the sack download I-Quiz Maker for complimentary at:
http://www.iquizmaker.com/

Once you’ve installed it yous tin give the sack brand quizzes using either True / False query types or Multiple Choice questions. The quizzes a real unproblematic to brand as well as yous tin give the sack brand every bit many questions every bit yous similar as well as every bit many quizzes, every bit yous like.

• This demo tutorial shows yous how to create the quiz

This looks similar a actually useful tool to:

• help revise as well as educate your students vocabulary. You tin give the sack write a vocabulary quiz as well as up- appointment it each calendar week with novel words that your students convey learned
• get the students to create quizzes for each other as well as percentage them
• set upward revision exercises

Although in that place is a fleck of move involved inwards creating the quizzes, 1 time yous made them you’ll move able to proceed them as well as purpose them 1 time to a greater extent than with other students.

Once yous convey finished creating your quiz yous tin give the sack as well as hence export it to your desktop as well as it tin give the sack move uploaded to the I-pod through I-Tunes. The exclusively grab hither is that yous as well as / or your students volition bespeak to purchase the I-Quiz game for your I-pod. It is actually inexpensive though (less than 1 United States of America dollar / 79 p inwards the UK) as well as it does come upward with some ready-made quizzes.

What I similar most it

• You tin give the sack laid the quizzes hence that students acquire a maximum discover of questions inwards each game as well as hence that they release later a specific discover of incorrect answers. This should croak far to a greater extent than competitive.
• The game volition randomise the questions hence yous could input fifty questions as well as they would acquire 10 or xx random questions each game.
• It’s real tardily to purpose as well as is but unproblematic betoken as well as click
• You tin give the sack update quizzes hence that they grow every bit your students’ cognition grows
• There's a version for PC as well as for MAC!
  

What I’m non hence certain about

• Students volition bespeak an i-pod, they can’t but run the quiz on their estimator or i-Tunes
• The game is exclusively compatible with Fifth generation i-pods (This may croak an wages every bit to a greater extent than people merchandise upward to to a greater extent than modern versions as well as the older ones croak available to a greater extent than cheaply minute hand) which isn’t much assist for students with older i-pods.
• I couldn’t acquire the user manual to download hence in that place wasn’t much documentation to assist me larn how to purpose the software
• I recollect in that place may convey been 1 to a greater extent than query type, but I couldn’t acquire the push clitoris for it to move ??
• Students volition convey to purchase the I-Quiz game (though every bit I said it’s quite cheap) as well as that agency setting upward an i-tunes account.

On the whole though, despite the higher upward drawbacks, if yous convey a classroom amount of students who comport i-pods most as well as hence this could move but the matter for you.

Let me know how it goes

Best

Nik

Creating Multimedia Stories

I know that it's piece of cake to live on cynical close Microsoft, simply every directly as well as therefore they practise create bully things for free! Photo Story iii is 1 of those bully things, as well as yeah it is free!

Photo Story iii a slice of gratis software that yous tin download to your PC as well as operate to practise multimedia photograph stories consummate alongside images, transitions, effects, text, background music as well as your ain vocalization narration.

• Here's a 2 infinitesimal Flash movie showing yous how to operate it as well as some of the features.
• Here is a painting present I created alongside it to present off my Second Life office. There are ii versions
• Silent alongside ameliorate prototype character (2.1 Mb wmv)
• Lower character 1 alongside music (500k wmv)

I know in that location are a lot of online Web 2.0 ap that practise all of this too, simply for those of us alongside slower, unreliable or to a greater extent than expensive connections, it's prissy to cause got a fleck of software that tin practise the chore for us without using whatsoever bandwidth at all (apart from downloading it of course).

You should live on able to download Photo Story iii from here.
It's a v Mb download, therefore that shouldn't cause got besides long fifty-fifty over a dial upwards connection.

How to operate this alongside students
You tin operate it to practise multimedia materials for your students, whether is for operate inwards degree or to cause got dwelling solid for homework. Here's some things yous tin do:

• Create some narratives for them to view
• Create narratives which illustrate grammer points
• Create a serial of pictures as well as words which illustrate dissimilar sounds from the Phonemic alphabet

Having software similar this that tin create a professional person looking terminate production tin live on actually motivating for students as well as actually aid them to force themselves to create accurate polished work. Here's some things yous tin acquire your students to do:
It's ideal for presenting the results of projection work.

• Get the students to cause got photographs as well as upload them to tell their ain stories to the class
• What they practise each day
• What they did at the weekend / on holiday
• Stories close their family
• Get some pictures from Flickr as well as acquire the students to guild them as well as practise a storey or therefore them.

What I liked close it

• It's free
• Easy to operate as well as quick to learn
• Really liked some of the filter effects
• Liked the way yous tin easily practise a broad gain of background musics
• File sizes were quite reasonable as well as exports pretty easily for a seat out of dissimilar devices

What I wasn't therefore keen on

• It's a shame that it's therefore express inwards the the formats that it exports to (mainly dissimilar sizes of wmv) , simply I approximate in that location are enough of converters yous could operate if yous wanted to modify it for an i-pod or something similar that.
• I also thought that a fleck to a greater extent than command over how the text was placed over the images would cause got been actually handy.
• There's no version for MAC of course, simply if yous cause got a MAC yous won't ask this every bit yous acquire lots of prissy stuff that does all this for yous ready installed when yous purchase it.

Photo Story iii isn't a revolutionary slice of software yesteryear whatsoever means, simply I'm certain it tin live on used to actually engage your students inwards some enjoyable learning.

Hope it industrial plant for you

Best

Nik

Goolge Maps For Directions

Love them or loathe them, y'all accept to acknowledge that Google does offering us all trend of useful gratuitous tools. One of my favourites is Google Maps, specially useful on my strange trips to London (when I never look to last able to shout out upward my A-Z!)

So, I've been thinking nearly how nosotros could purpose this 'real world' tool to assistance our EFL students too to railroad train their abilities to seat too empathise directions. It's truly quite elementary to use. You simply acquire to http://maps.google.co.uk/ or http://maps.google.com/ Click on 'Get Directions' too and thence come inwards your showtime indicate too destination. Click the Google logo below for a quick video tutorial that shows some of the features.

Click for flash video tutorial (1.4 Mb)

So how tin nosotros purpose this alongside students?

• Choose a place too finish too acquire Google Maps to practice your directions, too thence impress upward a map of London alongside the 2 destinations on too inquire your students to score the road on the map.
• A variation on this would last to accept the map printed alongside the road on too cutting upward the directions too inquire your students to position them inwards the right order
• Print upward a road map too directions too edit out some of the telephone commutation words, too thence acquire your students to write inwards the missing words.
• Give your students a map showing exclusively the showtime indicate too read out directions for them to follow. They accept to nous too say y'all what the finish is.
• Print out unopen ups of each phase of the journeying too purpose them equally flash cards. Get your students to tally each pace of the journeying to the right flashcard.
• Print out a road map too inquire students to write their ain directions for the map (You could seat 2 groups unlike destinations too thence acquire them to commutation directions to meet if the other grouping tin purpose their directions to uncovering the right destination.)
• To download an instance gear upward of directions + road map too blank map to impress upward too purpose for these activities click here: Example materials >> (500k pdf)
• To impress upward maps too directions for yourself simply click on the Google maps 'Print' icon.
  

What I similar nearly it

• Google maps is gratuitous too truly elementary to use
• If y'all accept an i-pod deport on or an i-phone, at that spot is a fantastic Google Maps widget which y'all tin install (great for mobile learning)
  
• Gives proficient clear instructions too slowly to impress maps (just purpose the 'Print' icon)
  
• A truly useful 'real world' tool
• You tin purpose it alive if y'all accept a figurer room or information projector / interactive whiteboard inwards class, or simply impress upward materials for purpose off line.
  

What I'm non thence certain about

• The particular of the maps for some developing countries is pretty sparse

Hope y'all uncovering this tool useful too if y'all accept suggestions for other activities I'd dear o listen them.

Best

Nik

Using Wise Quotes Alongside Efl Esl Students

I've ever flora wise (and sometimes non in addition to hence wise) quotes actually useful, both inside the classroom amongst students in addition to every bit a mode of introducing a theme when writing materials. I've used lots of dissimilar websites to honor quotes over the years, simply Get the News Through Images

Adventure Narratives for EFL ESL Students

Exploiting 2 computer-based RPGs

Exploiting Travel Images

Art Photography every bit a Basis for Language Activities

Create Image Books

A Picture's worth

Picture phrases

Best

Nik Peachey