Week 6

Hello everyone!

This week we learned about new tools that can help as with the teaching of speaking or writing skills.

I would like to recommend you about the five tools that I think are the most useful.

Storybird- this is a very cool website that enables students to write stories and poems. I choose this tool because it provides the option to improve writing skills in a unique, creative and enjoyable way. These are the steps to use the site; first, you choose an illustration from the wide verity offered in the site.  Then you choose whether you want to create a poem or a story.  Later you add words and pictures into your picture book. You can also publish your work to the site public library.  I would ask the students to create a story/poem at home. The next lesson they will present it in front of the class. Eventually I would ask them to enter the website again and to comment to some of their friends' stories.

Spelling Bee – this website is great for practicing listening and spelling skills and that is the reason I chose it. The activities in the website are divided into levels. For example, high schools students will listen to separate sentences and then spell the words from each sentence. At the end of the activity, the student gets a grade and the opportunity to see the right answers. I would let the students using this tool in the class as well as at home as homework.

Graphic Organizers – this website contains different types of graphic organized forms. I chose this tool because I think that it can assist students in generating ideas and planning their essay. Graphic organizers enable the students to organize information logically and to present their ideas in an effective way. I would present the students to several graphic organizers before the actual writing stage.

Idebate – this website contains a collection of hundreds debates topics. It also provides for and against arguments for each topic. I believe that this tool can be very useful for students who need to prepare for a debate. I would introduce this website to the class before the debates, so that they would be able to learn the arguments before the debate and focus more on their speaking skills.

Voice chat – Skype – I have never thought of using Skype in the classroom. I have to admit that I really like the ways that were presented this week regarding using it in the classroom. I strongly believe that as English teachers our main goal should be teaching the students to communicate orally in English with other people. That is why Skype can be very useful. For instance, I can ask the students to use Skype in order to discuss with other students about a specific topic. For more ideas you can click here.