English verb tenses

http://www.englishtenseswithcartoons.com/


Area : Grammar
Rate : ★★★★★
Target : Middle and high school students

The owner of this web site says,

Hello and welcome to EnglishTensesWithCartoons.com! A few years ago, when I was studying English, I thought to myself: "Wouldn't it be great if there was a website focused solely on the English tenses?". The subject of English Tenses is a vast and difficult one, so surely it deserves its own special place on the Internet! This is how this website was born.
To make the website more interesting, I enriched each of the 12 tenses with some funny animations (cartoons). So, what is the goal of ETC? In short, to make learning the 12 English tenses as easy as possible! At this stage, ETC is useful, but it still needs some work. So, your contribution is highly appreciated!

Cheers, Mark
Isn't it interesting? The visible verb tenses can improve your learner's understanding of the verb tenses.

At first, there are some explanation and examples about the tense that the learners choose.

And for helping the understanding of the learners, they offer very understandable flash for learners.

I think it is the best web site for learning verb tenses. Isn't it exciting? Whenever you try to teach your learners about verb tenses, the learners don't like the unexplicit and unclear explanation of the verb tenses. But now you can provide them explicit and clear concept of the verb tenses by introducing this web site! Try it!

And also they offer feedback or help for the learners who don't understand well in time.

1)Learner fit : The structured grammatical input fits the learners in terms of level, topic, and activities. And this web provides a means of matching the learners to the grammatical instruction they need. They can select weak parts of the verb tenses.

2)Interaction with the computer : The learners have opportunities for interaction with the computer to provide a variety of explicit teaching, discovery, analysis and production, of course. There are many helpful things for them.

3)Interaction with other learners : THe activities be used to spark conversation and collaborative work focusing on particular grammar points that I want to teach. And it provides an opportunity for learners to focus on form occasionally while communicating about something else. And they can share their thoughts in comment box.

4)Two types of evaluation : It provides feedback to learners about their responses. And the program provide evaluation of learning outcomes through quizzes that provide learners with information about their perfomance.

5)Strategy development : It helps learners develop skills for using corpora for gathering and analyzing language examples. And it provides guidance in assisting learners to develop strategies that will help them work with electronic text outside of class.

How to use?

You can use this web site both in-class and out-of-class. It is well organized, so students can learn grammar on their own. Also it can be useful in-class, but those words in this web site are not large enough to be seen all the students. So in-class, you will need handout or something. Or you just use it a supplement materials that would help your students' understanding.

I recommend you use it as supplement material that can be out-of-class. It's easy enough to understnad.

Digdic

http://www.digdic.com/

Area : Vocabulary
Rate : ★★★★
Target : All the students



Digdig offers many things. You can study English regulary with it.
But it is not free. If you want to use it, you should pay 5000won a month.

The three elements which are study, confirm and game support their web.
And your students can study their goal and they can confirm what they learn and repeat it.

So there are many menus for it.
By those, they can choose their goal, and many type of study and vocabulary can be choosable. And also games comparing others in this web offer your students fun!







They are usually for vocabulary.
And there are voca sets for many levels even for 3rd years students in high school.
So everyone who want to study English can use it effectively.

Boring memorizing vocabulary becomes fun and exciting!
Studying with game offers you many useful vocabulary in short time.

You can also use it by your mobile.
Isn't it interesting?

1)Learner fit
The vocabulary words fit the learners in terms of the topics that are covered. And the levels of the vocabulary are very various, so you can do what you have to do. And the students can see the need for learning the vocabulary words. ANd the words are chosen to match the students' levels of language. Actually this web is very good for learner fit.
2)Explicit vocabulary teaching
The activities provide explicit instruction to teach vocabulary. It is simple and easy to learn.
3)Interaction with the computer
The activities provide opportunities for interaction with the computer in a way that focuses students' attention on unfamiliar voca. And the computer can provide students with help understanding the voca that they do not know.
4)Interaction with other learners
The activities guide learners to work with online friends and contribute to online discussions. And other collaborative activities can be possible.
5)Two types of evaluation
It provide feedback to learners about their responses and also evaluation of learning outcomes throughquizzes that give learners information aobut their performance.
6)Strategy development
The activities promote good vocabulary learning strategies and reading strategies can be possible. And it provides guidance for students to develop strategies that will help them continue to learn voca on the Internet.

How to use?
I recomment you just to use it complement material out-of-class.
Just introducing this webs can be effective to your students' vocabulary ability.
They can do their own. There's no need to teach them partly.
If you think it is not enough, just check your students achivement in this web site.
After your class, or after many years ago, students can use this web site as learning materials.

Power Typing

http://powertyping.com/

Area : Writing with computers
Rate : ★★★★★
Target : All the students
(Not for very young who can't use a computer)

PowerTyping is an online free typing tutor for Qwerty,US standard 101 keyboard and Dvorak keyboard, the US alternative ANSI standard keyboard.
This typing tutor offers free online typing games with other things.
This tutorial is designed to teach, develop and practice, step by step, typing skills. Separate lessons are written for Dvorak and Qwerty. One should go through lessons in sequence because they rehearse keys already learned as they add new ones. Instructions for hand positioning over a keyboard are included in lessons.

Check out the educational typing games. Some are enhanced with music. The most popular typing game is the Barracuda and its less graphical version the BarracudaS. Then there are the Foggies a typing game without boundaries.

Help barracuda keep its river clean. Type words into the box as they appear floating down the river. Barracuda will knock them out. It is a loosing battle and river will grow darker as barracuda slowly looses. When barracuda starts gaining, the river will get bluer.


The Alphabetic Rain typing game focuses on letters. The Falling Words challenges a typist with words or numbers. The latest game The Jibe practices random letters or numbers.




The latest game The Jibe which is my favirite practices random letters or numbers.
You are on the quest for 7 golden eggs. First, you must paint a ghost boat to sail across strange waters. Then, conquer a monster, and finally a golden egg is within reach.
Match three rectangles with the same letters/color vertically or horizontally. Strive to clear the stage to trigger change in number of letters per rectangle. There is an extra bonus for each change.
How to Play is easy.
Select level. Level 1 is the easiest.
Select letters or numbers.
Click "START" button.
Click with the mouse on the white input box and type into it letters appearing in a vertically moving rectangle. When typed correctly, the rectangle will move horizontally in a row and stop.
Align 3 rectangles with the same letters/colors next to each other vertically or horizontally. When aligned, they disappear, and points are added.
Typing text correctly on the way "up" gains extra "1" point.
Aligning rectangles with more letters generates more points.
The game ends when any row is full, or 7 eggs are gained.
Clearing the stage down to 6 rectangles triggers change in number of letters displayed. Such change is awarded bonus points.
Bonus is also awarded for moving from one venture to another.
Selections can be change during the game. Click on a new selection and back on the white typing area to bring a focus back on it. You can go to higher or lower level, or you can change letters to numbers or the other way around. The new selection will take an effect when number of letters is changed from maximum to minimum for that level. Meaning, continue clearing the stage, and the change will eventually take an effect.



Your student can learn and practice typing and also they can learn the words used for it. Let's get two bird with a stone.

1)Appropriate models : it can be good for leveling learners.

2)Explicit instruction emphasizing genre and language : If computer typing is one of the genre, it provides very explicit instruction about it.

3)Interactive help and feedback : There is not help but activities and the computer will provide impromtu feedback for learners.

4)Evaluation : Leaners can see their score.

5)Developing strategies for writing : They should know how to type most easily.

How to use?

There can be the time when you should teach English to your students with computers. In information age, computer is very important material, so we have to teach them how to write in English by typing. Are you agree with me? Then use this web sites. There are many game to develop your students' typing skills. Let them take their own time to practice their typing skills in-class or out-of-class.

Akinator

http://en.akinator.com/

Area : Reading
Rate : ★★★
Target : Middle and High school students

It is fun!
Let the akinator guess who you think!
Akinator, the Web Genius is an internet game based on Twenty Questions that can determine which character the player is thinking by asking him or her a series of questions. It is an Artificial Intelligence program that can find and learn the best questions to be asked to the player. Created by three French programmers in 2007, it became popular in November 2008, according to Google Trends. While playing "Akinator," the questions are asked by a genie. The game became famous in Europe in 2009 and Japan in 2010 with the launch of mobile apps by french mobile company SCIMOB,reaching highest ranks on app store.

In order to begin the questionnaire, the user must hit the play button and is then asked to input a user name, their age, and their gender. Then, it begins asking a series of 20 yes or no questions in order to narrow down the potential character that the user is thinking of.[3][4] If the answer is narrowed down to a single likely option before 20 questions are asked, the program will automatically ask if the characters is correct. If the character is guessed wrong three times in a row, then the program will prompt the user to input the character's name, in order to expand its database of choices










In my case, he never got wrong!
He answered all my favorite actors.



Wow, I like it!
But it is not that effective for English learning.
That's why my rate is low though it is very very fun.
However, it get their attention definitely!

Let your students try this web site!
And recommend them be friendly with it.
Then they should know expression that can describe people.


1)Learner fit
The language of the reading activities fit the learners in terms of level, topics and activities possibly. And the program provide a means of matching the learners to the appropriate level of language enough.
2)Vocabulary and grammar
The activities don't help learners focus on particular linguistic aspects of the reading.
3)Interaction with the computer
The activities provide opportunities for learners to interact with the computer by Genie in the ramp.
4)Interaction with other learners
The activities don't guide learners to work with classmates and contribute to online discussions. But we can plan to do with it offline by one computer.
5)Explicit language teaching
The activities provide explicit instruction to teach specific linguistic points found in the contexts but not texts. And it doesn't come with materials to help you preteach and develop follow-up activities.
6)Two types of evaluation
It can't provide feedback to learners. But it is kind of quizzes that can be solved if the learner answers correctly.
7)Strategy development

It may promote good language learning strategies. But learners can develop their reading ability by authentic needs.



How to use?

This amazing web site can help your class actively. But I recomment you to give your students homework based on this web site. Let your students choose one character and play with akinator. And allow them write about the character based on akinator. For example, "Wonbin is male and handsome". And share them with all the students. It will be good at both writing and reading.

English Club

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-games/vocabulary/index.htm

Area : Vocabulary
Rate : ★★
Target : Middle and High school students.


English club is an interesting website.





You can play crossword games and cloze games.

A crossword is a word puzzle that normally takes the form of a square or rectangular grid of white and shaded squares. The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases, by solving clues which lead to the answers. In languages that are written left-to-right, the answer words and phrases are placed in the grid from left to right and from top to bottom. The shaded squares are used to separate the words or phrases.

Squares in which answers begin are usually numbered. The clues are then referred to by these numbers and a direction, for example, "4-Across" or "20-Down". At the end of the clue the total number of letters is sometimes given, depending on the style of puzzle and country of publication. Some crosswords will also indicate the number of words in a given answer, should there be more than one.

A cloze test (also cloze deletion test) is an exercise, test, or assessment consisting of a portion of text with certain words removed (cloze text), where the participant is asked to replace the missing words. Cloze tests require the ability to understand context and vocabulary in order to identify the correct words or type of words that belong in the deleted passages of a text. This exercise is commonly administered for the assessment of native and second language learning and instruction.










In this case, here is the hangman game.




The word to guess is represented by a row of dashes, giving the number of letters and category of the word. If the guessing player suggests a letter which occurs in the word, the other player writes it in all its correct positions. If the suggested letter does not occur in the word, the other player draws one element of the hangman diagram as a tally mark. The game is over when:


The other player completes the diagram:
This diagram is, in fact, designed to look like a hanging man. Although debates have arisen about the questionable taste of this picture,[2] it is still in use today. A common alternative for teachers is to draw an apple tree with ten apples, erasing or crossing out the apples as the guesses are used up.

The exact nature of the diagram differs; some players draw the gallows before play and draw parts of the man's body (traditionally the head, then the torso, then the arms & legs one by one). Some players begin with no diagram at all, and drawing the individual elements of the gallows as part of the game, effectively giving the guessing players more chances. The amount of detail on the man can also vary, affecting the number of chances. Many players include a face on the head, either all at once or one feature at a time.

Some modifications to game play to increase difficulty level are sometimes facilitated, such as limiting guesses on high-frequency consonants and vowels. Another alternative is to give the definition of the word. This can be used to facilitate the learning of a foreign language.

"The origins of Hangman are obscure, but it seems to have arisen in Victorian times," says Tony Augarde, author of "The Oxford Guide to Word Games" (Oxford University Press). The game is mentioned in Alice Bertha Gomme's "Traditional Games" in 1894 under the name "Birds, Beasts and Fishes." The rules are simple; a player writes down the first and last letters of a word for an animal, and the other player guesses the letters in between. In other sources[where?] the game is called "Gallows", "The Game of Hangin'", or "Hanger". Hangman has featured in the 1978 Speak & Spell video game system under the name "Mystery Word" and is sometimes played today as a forum game.


But quizes in here are not explicit so students can have many problems to solve the quizes.
And its plain designs can't grab young kids' attentions.


1)Learner fit
The vocabulary words can be controlled to fit the learners in terms of the topics that are coverd. And the students can see the need for learninf the vocabulary words well. Also vocabulary words are chosen to match the students' levels of language.
2)Explicit vocabulary teaching
The activities don't provide explicit instruction to teach vocabulary.
3)Interaction with the computer
The activities provide opportunities for interaction with the computer in a way that focuses students' attention on unfamiliar vocabulary. And the computer provide students with help understanding the vocabulary that they do not know.
4)Interaction with other learners
The activities can guide learners to work with classmates and but not to contribute to online discussions. I think other collaborative activities we could develop that are based on the vocabulary.
5)Two types of evaluation
It can't provide details of feedback but they are quizzes themselves, also reactions are immediately appeared.
6)Strategy development
When the learners want to know vocabulary of other topic, they can use it again. So it promote good vocabulary learning strategy. But it is not close to reading strategies.

How to use?
This classic and nice games will help you to teach your learners. Well, there is a saying " The simple is the best"! You can print them out and share with your students. Let them decode the puzzles. All play hang man together in-class. It will improve your students' vocabulary skills.

Speaking Max

http://www.speakingmax.com/maxTool/selectcourse.php

Area : Speaking
Rate : ★★
Target : Middle and High school students

Well, it is actually good, but it's not free!
That's why the rate is low.
Students can speak or dictate what they heard.
Though it is not all free, they can use free version.




Isn't it interesting?

Speaking Max makes students see the differences between their own pronunciation and native speaker's pronunciation clearly because of the visual feedback.

There are many interesting and funny videos with exciting games that can grab students' attentions, so it is not boring and students will do their best.

If there is the Internet, you can use it anywhere, anytime.

If students repeat native speakers' speech everyday, their pronunciation can be like theirs.






Just introducing this website can be good for your students.
But it's not free, it is hard to use in the classroom.



1)Learner fit :
The accent is various. So learners may have problems to takc appropriate programs. But basically they are fine.
2)Explicit teaching :
The activities can help the learners focus on some words not particular sounds including how they are made and how they contrast with other sounds. And also the program doesn't come with materials to help preteach and develop follow-up activities.
3)Interaction with the computer :
The activities provide opportunities for interaction between the learner and the computer to practice frames in contexts. But The interactions allow learners to speak but not to record their own voices. Howeber the language of the interactions provide interesting useful material for learners to use in other activities.
4)Evaluation and visual feedback :
The activities provide accurate evaluation but not feedback to learners about the correctness of their responses. And the program can't provide visual feedback.
5)Strategy development :
It fuides learners in developing strategies that will help them find and use technology for oral language outside of the class.

How to use?
Web sites for speaking ability is very rare. So you can use it in class. Make your students repeat what the video shows. With this web, your students' listening ability also can be developed. Actually you can't give them feedback directly. But try to give a chance to some students to get feedback. And encourage your students to use this web site.

Speak right now

http://speakcare.com/zone/speak_four.php

Area : Speaking
Rate : ★★★★★
Target : High school students

If you have a mic, it will be a very good website for your speaking!
Actually games for English speaking are very rare.
You can choose what you repeat!

There are many speeches of famous people.
Its high quality context will help other areas of your students.
Before speak, a student has to listen what the famous say.
So I can say it is good for listening, too.

How to play is very easy.
First, you listen and after 3 seconds you repeat what you heard.
The computer will tell you how you speak.
If you speak correctly, the computer shows you OK signs.




I think it is a very good website.
You can use it in many ways for your students.
You can use it in classroom or for homework.
Be creative and try it for your students!

1)Learner fit :

The accent used in the activity is within the appropriate rage of dialects for the learners.
But the program can't provide a means of identifying the oral features with which learners need help. Just indicate what is wrong and correct.

2)Explicit teaching :

The activities can't help the learners focus on particular sounds including how they are made and how they contrast with other sounds. The program comes with materials to help preteach and develop follow up activities. It doesn't care of minimum things.

3)Interaction with the computer :

The activities provide opportunities for interaction between the learner and the computer to practice frames in contexts. These interactions allow learners to speak and record their own voice. And the language of the interactions provide interesting, useful material for learners to use in other activities.

4)Evaluation and visual feedback :
The activities provide accurate evaluation and feedback to learners about the correctness of their responses. The program provide visual feedback that teachers and learners can understand. So it can offer almost accurate evaluation and feedback to learners about the correctness of their responses. But its feedback cannot pin-point where errors are appeared.

6)Strategy development :

The activities guide learners in developing strategies that will help them find and use technology for oral language outside of the class. They can learn how to shadowing and keep using this web site for their oral language outside of the class.

How to use?

Refer to above. I think it is a best web site for developing speaking ability. Their contents are very high-quality and reliable. But not that difficult to repeat it. So If you want to improve your students' speaking ability, get your class with it. It will be great to study speaking by using it in class. Of course you can give them assignment by it. But if you are good at giving feedback of speaking, I recommend you to use it in class. It will be great to practice speaking together. Let them speak right now!

Free rice

http://www.freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1949

Area : Vocabulary
Rate : ★★★★
Target : All the students

It's a very kind vocabulary website.



For each answer you get right, they donate 10 grains of rice through the World Food Programme to help end hunger.

We can study vocabulary happily and we can help end hunger.

It is "killing two birds with one stone"!




Teach your students not only vocabulary but also love and help.



1)Learner fit :
We can't control it.
2)Explicit vocabulary teaching :
Its way to play is simple and easy enough.
3)Interaction with the computer :
The computer can offer immediately feedbacks.
4)Interaction with other learners :
There is not interaction with other learners.
5)Two types of evaluation :
They will offer both feedback and quizzes.
6)Strategy development :
Actually, it is not that much good at learning vocabulary.
But it is good thing to help the world.
That's why I introduce this web site.
Though its level of words is not authentic, but students' motivation can be strong in the authentic pleasure.


How to use?
It is an optional web site. But isn't it nice to teach them both English and warm heart? By using it, you and your students help the poor. So use it in class. Actually it is not a permanant study way. But it is worthy to give a shot. Try it. Let them know and make them do it in class or out of class whenever they want to do.