MailVU - A video email

LINK: http://mailvu.com/

WHAT

Email is a the fastest way of mailing another person. Evolution of mailing system is increasing rapidly where email is not for an electronic letter, but video as well. Let say, writing a letter is too time consuming, why don't you just send a video of yourself speaking? MailVu is the website that allow you to send a video of you speaking (rather than writing) to the receiver's email adress. The receiver could reply using the same method, thus creating an enjoyable interaction. Simple enough?

Another speaking activity that could be done, in a more interactive way. Imagine video call, it use almost a similar concept, it is just that the conversation is delayed. Teacher could come out with different activity to encourage students to record themselves speaking. (explaining about students personal life, interview etc).

What best about this website is, it directly send it to the email adress, a very common way of communicating electronically. So, if teachers want the students to use target language during long holiday, ask students to send their video mails in English informing of their well being. Teacher could give feedback in the same way, to encourage communicative language. 

HOW

1. Sign up (optional) - Basically, you do not really have to sign up and pay but still enjoy sending video mails.
2. Allow access to video and microphone.
3. Click record - start talking, :)
4. Send - send to the receiver emel adress
5. Share - it will provide you with the URL link of the video

ADVANTAGES

1. Interesting - rather than writing an email, students could send their video. If you see the video of the sender, facial expression, hand gesture is visible as well.
2. Speaking - teacher will be able to assign homework that get the students to speak the target language outside classroom. 
3. Promoting objects - Students would be able to share some solid object to the senders, rather than describing it in term of words. 
4. Pronunciation - students would be able to practise pronunciation and discourse making, in order to make their speaking understandable.
5. Free - It is simple and free so that students could use this easily. 

DISADVANTAGES

1. You have to pay for better applications provided.
2. It is not downloadable - it stay forever in the internet. 
3. The limited time of recording.

CONCLUSION

I would definitely suggest this as one of the activity in classroom because teachers do not necesserily apply this during teaching but as a homework. Rather than writing an email (which is also a good activity), teachers and students or students and students could exchange real communicative language.

British National Corpus - Learning Real English

LINK:  http://www.natcorp.ox.ac.uk/

WHAT

British National Corpus is a useful website for teachers and students to find how to use a word/vocabulary in a sentence in a correct way. It is a word collection of sample of written and spoken language in British English from vast sources.

90% of it are written English collected from newspapers, journals, books etc while the rest are spoken language transcripted from informal conversation and spoken language from different context.

I would suggest this website as a reference to look into an unfamiliar word that is rarely used in writing. Teachers may want to show students how a word is used rather than give the definition.

In language learning, it helps in promoting spoken language which suits the context and situation of where it has taken place. It also consider culture and appropriateness of the use of the language in different event. It encourage the usage of real language.

EXAMPLE

• Enter word - type the text in the search box and click 'Go'.

• Sample of text - If I type pretty in the search box, it will provide you with the examples taken from various resources of the use of the word in British English. 

ADVANTAGES

1. Useful tool to search for the real usage of a word in real life.
2. Sources are trustworthy. 
3. Quick and simple.
4. Advance search is available where users could search the words by part of speech or also looking for phrases. 

DISADVANTAGES

1. Some of the sample is quite complicated and may not be of a good sample.

CONCLUSION

One of the language teaching aims is to prepare students for real life communication, which is beyond classroom context. Learning new vocabulary has been a necessity for students to enhace their command of language. However, the priority on correct use of language and passing exam may discourage the use of real language for communicative purpose. In other words, students may have difficulties expressing themselves in real communication.

This is a recommended tool for teachers and students to deal with any unfamiliar words that may cause communication failure if it was used in a wrong way.

Dvolver - Creating interesting comic!

LINK - http://www.dvolver.com/moviemaker/make.html

WHAT

Dvolver is a fantastic website for English teachers who look for variety in their language teaching. It is a video making website that include a cartoon comic strip where we choose from few themes, characters, and backgrounds given. In brief, learners could create their own dialogue and present it in the form of movie, depending on their own creativity.

Rather than asking the students to create dialogue on paper, in pairs or group, Dvolver promote a more interesting and fun way of creating dialogue. Due to its colourful and animated nature, students will have more interest and feel excited to create a dialogue. If they are excited about it, it is more likely that they will remember what is being taught and language is processed effectively.

The activity of creating comic strip also contribute to cognitive development, especially when students have to create a scene that suit their intended dialogue.

HOW

• Select background and sky

 

• Select the plot. It has four plots. 

• Choose the character.

• Type in the character line. 

• Choose the background music. You may want to add a new scene, depending on your story line. 

 

• Select the movie title and include your name too. 

• You can preview the movie, and send it to anyone through email. You could also choose 'back' button to make some changes. 

 

EXAMPLE

Title: Teach me dvolver

Author: myself

ADVANTAGES

1. No sign up - It is easily accessible where you could start right away without signing in. 
2. Choices - There are choices of background and theme as well as characters, which are interesting and able to encourage dialogue making. 
3. Free - This website is totally free. 
4. It is simple - You just follow the instruction and you could always go back to the previous step if you made some mistakes. 
5. Allow creativity - It is a good practice of English because learners will come out with their own idea while performing the task. 

DISADVANTAGES

1. Choice - The limited choice of theme or plot. It means, learners may not possibly come out with a broader theme aside from what is given.
2. Speakers - The maximum speakers are two, which is also limited. 

CONCLUSION


The fact that multimedia is always an interesting tool for anyone regardless age and gender make Dvolver a powerful website. Everyone would favour a comic dialogue, especially when it is simple and easy to make. Language teachers will not escape any opportunity to create another classroom activity that apply this concept. For that reason, I do not fine any limitation not to use this in classroom or as homework or project. Though they might be issue of technical problem (lack of computers / no internet access), it can still be done with careful plan. Good Luck