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.

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.

VISUWORDS

What is the Link?
(http://www.visuwords.com/)

As demonstrated on the website, Visuwords is a multi-purpose online dictionary that students can use to improve and enhance their vocabulary skills.  This website is very similar to using a thesaurus, however it does more than present word synonyms and antonyms. When a word is entered in the search box, the site inputs the learner's own visualization of the searched term.  Furthermore, the site illustrates how the words relate with each other as well as provide definitions. 

How to integrate Visuwords into the classroom?

This website is a good source for vocabulary words, definitions, synonyms/antonyms, etc.  Students can use it when working on their writing, reading, or vocabulary assignments.  To make the activity more interactive, students can repeat or sound out their new-learned words.  Furthermore, teachers can have learners categorize or label the words based on the eight parts of speech.  Lastly, this website can be use as a writing assignment tool (i.e. writing sentences, vocabulary list, etc.).

Advantages:

Visuwords is quite beneficial when it comes to developing the students' vocabulary skills.  Normally, when people conceptualizes words in their mind, they produce a type of image in their heads that is very similar to the image Visuwords presents; thus making the site relateable and user friendly.  It's straightforward and very useful when it comes to developing and/or expanding vocabulary. 

Disadvantages:

Although Visuwords is a good site for vocabulary development, it provides limited language learning skills to learners.  In addition, the graphics used illustrates a non-linear approach to word visualization that can be perceived as chaotic or confusing to some learners.