Learning Call: October 2015

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Week#9 Odds & Ends + Social Networking

Google offers a variety of useful tools which are included for free with a Google account. Below are screencasts that describe some of these tools. There were also recorded last year, but are mostly up-to-date.

Gmail	Drive	Google Plus & Photos	Calendar	Translate
Screencast	Screencast	Screencast	Screencast	Screencast

(the video file links are there in case you want to download these for offline viewing)

To Do Possibilities:

Add a forwarder from your Gmail account to your main email account (if gmail isn't your main account)
Create a calendar, add an event, and send yourself a reminder.
Upload a photo or two (or 100) to your Google photo space and share them with your TTP Classmates classmates in Google Plus.
Use Google Translate (online or mobile) and see if it can accurately transcribe you speaking these Pronunciation Practice Sentences and Minimal Pairs

Chrome TOOLS

There are also a variety of ways to 'extend' Google's Chrome browser to add functionality.

You can see all extensions in the 'Chrome Web Store'. (despite the word 'store', extensions are free)

Below are some CALL-related extensions.

Watch this Screencast Guide>>>: Screencast

Screenreaders
Speakit: Chrome Extension https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/speakit/pgeolalilifpodheeocdmbhehgnkkbak?hl=en
List of other screenreader options at: http://usabilitygeek.com/10-free-screen-reader-blind-visually-impaired-users/

Dictionary Extensions

Google Dictionary

This can be useful for quickly checking the meaning and pronunciation of words online. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-dictionary-by-goog/mgijmajocgfcbeboacabfgobmjgjcoja?hl=en

Other Options

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-chrome-extensions-lookup-words-meanings-browse/

Social Networking

Take a look at the Social Networking Guide and watch the Social Networking Screencast.

Explore some of the ELT groups and communities on Google+, Facebook, Diigo, LinkedIn, and elsewhere .

Join ones of interest, bookmark them with Diigo, and/or create a blog post about any interesting discoveries.

If you're feeling ambitions, join twitter, find some people to follow and send out your first tweet.

Check out a few more Odds & Ends

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Week#8 - Site Building Potpourri

To Do

Take turns updating your class Quizlet with definitions/translations for vocabulary words. Quizlets: Class 1 Class 2

Buffet Odds & Ends

Part#1 Site Building Tools

Take a look at the Site Building Tools Guide and watch the Site Building Screencast.

To Do:

Create a Padlet and WordCloud and post them on your blog.
Use one of the photo manipulation tools to create a funny photo and post it on your blog and/or Google+ space.

See Jeff's lovely children
(Optional) Create a Comic Strip panel and post it on your blog.

Screencast Guides

Using Padlet

Using Wordle

Using Photo Manipulation

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Week#7 - Presentations, Graphic Organizers, & Mind Maps

Presentations

Take a look at the Presentation Guide.

Things to Do/Try

Look for presentations of interest on Slideshare, Authorstream, or Prezi and post them on your blog.
Create your own Prezi, PowToon, or Google Presentation and post it on your blog.
Find presentations relevant to your teaching on Waygook.org Lesson Materials
(Login required: you can use bufsttp/4ttp-fun)

Graphic Organizers, Mindmaps,

Take a look at the guides for Graphic Organizers and Mind Maps.
Try to create a simple mindmap or graphic organizer and post it on your blog.

Examples: Lesson 2 Flowchart Information Transfer Activity K-12 Templates

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

TTP Week#6: Audio Tools & Resources

Explore the Audio Guide.

Things to do/try

Play with speech recognition.
Google Doc Speech Recognition Add-on
Explore the audio-related sites listed in the Audio Guide. Use Diigo to bookmark at least three interesting sites (from there or other sources). These can include audio activity sites, podcasts, audio utilities, or anything else that is related to the use of audio for language learning.

Recording and editing an audio file with Audacity. Audacity Introduction Screencast

Audacity should already be installed on your BUFS laptop. If not, you can download Audacity here.
Record a short conversation or monologue about anything you like.
- Export it as an mp3 file.
- Then either
- upload it to your Google Drive and share it privately with pufslebow@gmail.com
- Upload it to Clyp.it and post the flash player on your blog like this:

Phone Audio Practice

Recording, Converting, & Publishing Audio from your Smartphone Screencast Guide Here

Smart phones can be an easy way to record conversations in a language class. Andriod phones come with a default recorder and there are many free apps available for Android and Iphones.

Task: Record some audio on your phone (this can be a short chat with your students, reflections on CALL so far, or anything you like). One of the issues with phone recordings is that they are sometimes saved in file formats (like .amr or m4a) that are not easily shared via Kakao, Band, or other apps. There are several ways to convert these files to friendlier formats. You can use online converters (listed on the Audio Guide) or upload your phone recording to your Google Drive and install the Driver Converter app by clicking 'Open with/Connect More Apps/and find 'Drive Converter'. I suggest converting that file to an mp3 file. You can also install the Clyp.it app and record that way (although you will not be able to download an mp3 and/or edit the file).
Register at Voki.com, create a Voki chatbot, and post it on your blog.
Voki Screencast Guide here