SURVEY MONKEY

What is the link?
http://www.surveymonkey.com/ 

Survey Monkey is a professional online survey. There is a small fee for full administrative privileges; however, it is free for basic features. To begin, the user must first create an account. For the basic feature (free membership), the user can only create up to 10 questions and there are 15 types of questions to choose from, which can randomized. The background can also be changed depending on the user’s preference. Once a survey is complete, the user can collect responses via link or email and view the recorded results (progress bar).

Below is an image of a survey.

How to integrate Survey Monkey into the classroom?

• It can be used for its purpose which is to conduct a survey. The survey can be about what the students think of the class or which topics are the most useful to their language learning.
• The teacher can use this website to create mini-quizzes for the students.
• Students can create a questionnaire on topics they don’t understand.
• To make the task more interactive, the teacher can assign students make fun questionnaires for their group partner or fellow classmate.  For example:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=QnmTTKKMpQcq9SuUwHbUYw_3d_3d

Advantages:

Survey Monkey is definitely good in tracking the class' interest, difficulties, and their overall approval of the lessons/class.  In addition, since it can also be used for collaborative work, it allows students to interact and be creative with their questions. 

Disadvantages: 

For free membership, the user is only limited to certain features (i.e. only 10 questions).  Also, it is a survey or a list of questions, therefore, it's slightly difficult to ponder up creative ideas/materials/activities from this website.

ZIMMER TWINS MOVIE

What is the link?
http://www.zimmertwins.com/movie/create



Create Movie - Zimmer Twins is a story-making website that allows users to create their own animation/cartoon. Zimmer Twins is a multi-media website that is also both engaging and entertaining. 
There are three main characters and 4 different clips to choose from. The bubble clip, which allows users to type their own dialogue, the action clip, the expression clip, and the star clip, which can be use as a transition between clips. While editing a movie, at the bottom of the page is a sentence that describes a particular clip or what is going in a clip. The clips can be re-arrange by dragging them from left to right or vice versa.  Furthermore, users can also make changes to the scene, by clicking on the underlined words and choosing which object, character, or setting they want for their story. After an animation/cartoon has been, the user can save and email their work by registering on the website. Lastly, to make things easier, this website provides a tutorial video on how to create a “Zimmer Twins Movie.”

Below is a tutorial video on the Zimmer Twins website:

How can Zimmer Twins be integrated in the classroom?

For the reason that Zimmer Twins doesn’t limit its users to 10 clips, this website can be integrated in a TESOL classroom in numerous ways:

• Teachers can start with a story and have the students finish/create the second half of it
• Students can use it to make invitations or announcements (i.e. birthday, welcome party, etc).
• It can be use as a promotional tool. For example, if the topic of the day is about first aid, health, or safety, students can create a story out of the topics and have an give an valuable message for their last clip.
• Use the website to interpret they’re understanding of a reading assignment or a topic by creating a dialogue between the Zimmer Twin characters.
• Have the students explain their story in class, so that they can also work on their presentation and communication skills.
• The students can be given a themed writing assignment (i.e adventure, romantic, comedy, etc.), then afterwards create a cartoon out of it using Zimmer Twins.
• Students can comment on each others work.

Transitional clips, can also be use as an introduction to the next clip

Different types of facial expressions that the students can use.

Advantages:

For the reason that Zimmer Twins insights users to utilize their imagination and creativity, there are numerous advantages to this website:

• It reinforces vocabulary word through visual learning
• Students can easily expand their vocabulary words
• The sentence given at the bottom of the screen during editing can help students develop their sentence structure and proper writing habits.
• It’s familiar and relatable
• Through story telling, Zimmer Twins actually generates content from the users
• This website provides endless way to creating a cartoon

In summary, besides the fact that it’s free, this website provides various learning tools to language learners. Furthermore, it’s a cleverly imaginative and stimulating way to learn English.

Disadvantages: 

For beginners, Zimmer Twins might be a difficult website to use. For the reason that there is a lot of aspect to this site, it’s more of a group assignment versus an independent assignment. Another disadvantage is the characters only mouth off the dialogue, so there’s no possibility for the students to work on their listening skills. Lastly, if this website actually allows users to use their own voice, then the 4 integrated language skills would be utilized (reading, writing, speaking, listening).

BOOK-R

What is the link?
http://www.pimpampum.net/bookr/

Bookr is an online scrapbook/photobook website that works very similar to Bubblr. Similar to Bookr, users can use either their own Flickr photos or use the sites archive by typing a keyword on the tag box (seen on the bottom left corner of the screen). A slideshow of photographs can be seen at the bottom of the page. Afterwards, users can combine images and text to make great photobooks.  The pages can also be turned to create a "realistic" aspect to one's photobook.  This website is quite easy to use. 

• Write a title and drag a photo for the cover page of book.
• Once the cover page has been created, users can then add more pictures and text as seen below.

When a photobook has been completed, it can be emailed to friends or embeded in a blog.

Below is a tutorial video on how to use Bookr.

How can Bookr be integrated into the classroom?

There are various ways Bookr can be integrated into as a classroom:

• It can be use as a vocabulary tool by correlating images and vocabulary (text) on the pages.
• Students can create a story using photographs and afterwards present it in class; it’s a way to focus on communication and written skills.
• Specific images can be assigned and students must write a descriptive sentence about the images.
• A teacher can assign a particular theme and have his/her students use a newly learned vocabulary word for a couple of their captions.
• A teacher can have his/her students edit or comment on each others photobooks
• Bookr can also be used for students to talk about their culture or travels

Below is my very own photobook.

Advantages:

Since there’s a wide range of activities that can be done using Bookr, this website is quite purposeful in an ESL classroom. It focuses on a whole range of skills such as vocabulary, descriptive writing, grammar usage, and communication. Bookr caters to various English levels. The website is fun and interactive, thus triggering the students’ motivation to learn. The photobooks can be recycled and the captions can be edited so students can continuously improve their writing skills. Finally, Bookr allows learners to be autonomous and the finish product can easily be shared with friends or presented in class.

Disadvantages:

I only found a few minor disadvantages to Bookr. First, it might be difficult for beginners or students who aren’t techno-savvy to use this website at first, however since there are tutorial videos for Bookr this problem is easily remedied. And second, only a limited amount of sentences can be written on the text box. Nevertheless, I still believe Bookr is a great tool for language learning.

SPUD YOURSELF

What is the link?
http://www.walkers.co.uk/funstuff/spudyourself.html

Spud Yourself is a great text-to-speech website by allowing users to turn themselves into talking potatoes. Simply upload a photograph with your whole face facing the camera, type whatever text you want your potato-self to say, choose a speaking voice, and see yourself as a talking spud. This website also has directions on how to spud one’s self. Overall, Spud Yourself is a simple concept, that don’t require complex set-up or elaborate customization options.

How to integrate "Spud Yourself" into the classroom?

The simplicity of Spud Yourself is what makes this site fun for beginner language learners. It’s self-explanatory and straightforward. Teachers can have their students describe themselves and use it as a text for their talking potatoes. To create a more fun environment, a teacher can allow his/her students to use his/her photo and have the students come up with dialogues that the teacher might say in class. Spud Yourself can also be use as an introduction for students.

Advantages:

One of the advantages of Spud Yourself is that it creates a relaxed learning environment for students. It is a fun and entertaining way for language learners to create basic sentences. Also, because it is simple to use, learners can independently use this site to put together words and descriptions.

Disadvantages:

As one of my colleagues mentioned, this site is a marketing tool for Walker Chips’ to advertise itself. Therefore, the more often it is used, the more revenue Walker Chips’ will gain from this site. With the exception of the text, everything is done for the user; thus, not allowing learners to develop their communication skills. Furthermore, this website is quite limiting when it comes to improving other language learning skills. In summary, I believe this website to be quite entertaining at first, but it also quickly loses its novelty.

BUBBL-R

What is the link?
http://www.pimpampum.net/bubblr/

Bubblr is an online tool that allows people to add captions or create comic strips using photographs. One can either make use of the available photos on the website’s archive - this can be done by typing in a keyword or a user - or by uploading photos from an existing flickr account (www.flickr.com). Ultimately, Bubblr allows the user to get creative with their photographs, share their finish project with friends, or embed it on their blogs.



Below is a step by step video from YouTube on how to use Bubblr.



How to integrate Bubblr into the classroom?

Bubblr can be integrated in a TESOL classroom in various ways.

• An instructor can assign the class a theme/keyword and create a comic strip using Bubblr. Once the students have saved their assignment and edited their writing, the instructor can then assign the students to present their finish comic strips in class. This method allows learners to work on their writing skills as well as communication skills.
• Teachers can also assign students to create a story line using photographs from their travels or hometown. Afterwards, the students can work in pairs and correct each other sentences or point out any grammatical errors found. Again, as a way to develop speech and communication skills, have the students present their photographs in class and allow them to make comments about the presentation.
• Bubblr can be use for character education by assigning the students to look photographs with people. The students will then have to come up with phrases, thoughts, or dialogues that describe the photograph. Below is an example: 

To sum up, Bubblr thoroughly utilizes the saying “a picture says a thousand words”.  Thus, for the reason that there are endless ways to create stories, captions, and dialogues using photographs, this website can be quite beneficial to language learners.

Advantages:

In my opinion, because there are countless of ways to describe a photograph, therefore, I believe Bubblr to be a very useful website for language learners. It allows students to create storylines through photographs, it helps them develop their speech and communication skills, it can be an interactive task, and it provides a lot of output from the students. With language learning comprehensible output, is just as essential as comprehensible input. In addition, since pictures and images are involved, this activity is a stimulating way to practice and learn a second or foreign language for beginner language learners.  Lastly, this website promotes independent work since the students are using their own description and observation from photographs. 

Disadvantages:

The only problem I found with Bubblr is that only a limited amount of words can be typed in the caption/dialogue box and it’s mainly catered to beginner language learners. If the caption box wasn't so limiting with words or if descriptions can be typed at the bottom of the photograph, then intermediate language learners can also use this site as a tool to improve their second or foreign language.

BOMBAY TV

What is the Link?
http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/index.php?lang=uk

One of the more fun sites we discovered is Bombay TV. This website is a fun and creative way for students to learn English. Basically, users must create their own captions/subtitles for clips from a collection of Indian movies. With this website students can develop their communicative skills by simply observing the movie clips and applying their understanding of it.

Depending on the clip, the users will have 3-5 subtitles to work with. Here’s an example.

Once a Bollywood Movie is Complete, you can email it to friends, embed it in a blog, or post it as a URL on a website. Below is my own Bollywood Movie.



How to integrate Bombay TV into the classroom?

First, the instructor can have the students pretend they’re working for a film production company and they need to write English subtitles for an Indian film. The students will then have to guess what they think the characters are really saying and type it on the provided subtitles. However, to utilize this site in a more creative way, instead of having students guess what the characters are saying, teachers can give the students a scenario and come with dialogues for it.  Teachers can also use this website as an advertising assignment. Using the movie clips, students can be assigned to come up with catchy dialogues or captions to advertise a product or a company.  Furthermore, to make this activity more interactive, the students can present their dialogues by dubbing it into the movie clips. 

Advantages:

To me, Bombay TV is a website that students can easily gravitate to. First of all, it’s amusing, interactive, and entertaining. It gives students the chance to be carefree and comical in a classroom setting. Moreover, instead of turning in a written work, students actually get to show a movie clip for their assignment; thus creating a fun learning environment for language learners.

Disadvantages:

Because only a limited amount of words can be typed in the "subtitle" box, this Bombay TV is only catered to the beginners level.  In order for this website to cater to more advanced language learners, I believe it needs more subtitles or longer movie clips.  Furthermore, culturally, this website is only entertaining if the language learner doesn't understand the language spoken (Hindi) in the clips.