MailVU

MailVU is a useful website for video recording. It serves as a tool where users can record videos of themselves by via webcam.

What I like about MailVu?

• The best thing about MailVu is the fact that it is free. No sign-ups or registrations are needed for users to use it. This website is totally affordable to everyone.
• MailVu is also one of the easiest video recording websites ever created. It only takes three simple steps for users to record themselves. The videos can then be sent to others and to users’ own email address.
• Although MailVu is intended for business purposes, I believe that it can also be used in ELT classrooms, especially in conjunction with the idea of ‘connected classroom’. For example, as a homework, students will have to record themselves presenting about the topic that they learnt in class earlier. This acts as supplementary or ‘follow through’ exercise so that the learning process does not stop when schools end.

What teachers should bear in mind:

• Proper equipments (computers, microphones, webcams, decent internet connection) are needed in order for this website to work properly. This may be an issue as not every student has these facilities at home.
• There is a limit of 10 minutes per recording for free users. Subscription of premium account is needed in order for users to record longer videos.

For video on how to operate MailVu, please click here.

If you find MailVu interesting, you may want to check out Keek.

ELLLO English

ELLLO English comes from the abbreviation of English Listening Lesson Library Online (ELLLO). This website hosts lots of listening exercises with different topics and formats.

The listening activities are divided into five sections which are views, mixer, game, scenes, and news. Each section has different format for its listening materials. For example, the news section contains listening materials in the format of news while the views section is more on people talking about their views and opinions on something. 

There is also a section called ‘Video Lessons’ (as shown in the picture above) where people around the world upload their videos talking about various topics. As the speakers come from different parts of the world, this collection of videos contains speeches with various English accents.

What are the benefits of Elllo English? 

• Elllo English is one of the best resources for listening materials and exercises. Even better, the listening materials are downloadable as audio files and the exercises are available in printable formats. It will benefits teachers in teaching listening to language learners.
• Besides listening, the exercises also cater other language skills such as reading (students read the transcriptions of listening materials) and writing (students write (spell) the answers in the boxes given).
• The website has a neat and organize layout which makes it user-friendly. Basic computer skills are adequate enough for users to operate the website. It also allows users to check their answers at the end of each exercise. As this website is accessible to students, it can be used as a supplementary to what students have been learning in class, thus promotes autonomous in their learning style.
• The ‘Video Lesson’ section is very useful in introducing students to global English. As English language is being used all over the globe, students should be exposed to a variety of accents used across the world. This will prepares them in using English language globally.

Things to consider when using Elllo English in an ELT class:

• The exercises featured in this website do not have pre-listening activities to activate students’ background knowledge. As most exercises come from places all over the world, students may not have the schema on respective topics. Therefore, teachers may want to consider of designing their own pre-listening activities as addition to the listening activities.
• Some exercises in the website are simplified in order to make it easier for students. Although this is good, it may be focusing too much on facilitating students rather than to challenge students’ ability and language proficiency.

For more information on Elllo English, please click here. 

Click & Learn

Click & Learn is one of the useful language learning website available online. What makes Click & Learn different from normal language learning websites is the fact that it focuses not only on English language but also on other languages such as French and Spanish.

Even though it is not stated on the page, I believe that this website is made for Spanish learners in order to assist them in their English, French, and Spanish language learning. One of the obvious reasons is because most introductions and instructions in this website is in Spanish, including the instructions for English and French exercises.

Why Click & Learn is useful in ELT?

• Clisk & Learn hosted thousands of English language exercises that vary from low level to suits each proficiency level. 
• Answers checking are also available at the end of each exercise. This will benefit users (students) as they can attempt the exercises at home. This will be a supplementary of what they have been learning in class, thus promoting autonomous in learning. 
• The exercises covers the all four language skills which are reading (students read the words), writing (students write the words in the space provided), listening (students can listen to the pronunciation by clicking on the words), and speaking (students practice their speaking skills and pronunciation by repeating the words). 

Precautions that should be considered:

• It contains animations that require Adobe Flash Player in order to run it. Therefore, computers with proper requirements are needed in order for teachers to use this website in their lessons.
• Although the animations are made in order to create interactive learning environment, there is a redundancy of animations and sound effects which might be annoying. For example, on the English exercises page, the word ‘interactive’ that follows the cursor as well as the loud noise distracts me from paying full attention on the page.
• There are no/unclear instructions for each exercise and activity featured in this website. Unclear instructions will make it difficult for students to understand the tasks thus de-motivated them from attempting the tasks.

For further information on Click & Learn, please click here.

Brainshark

Brainshark is an online tool that is very useful in making presentations interesting. With this website, users will be able to combine their Powerpoint Presentations with their own voice presenting the slides.

Here is an example of how useful Brainshark is:




For video guide on how Brainshark works, please click here.


What I like about Brainshark:

• This amazing website is currently free to be used by everyone. Therefore, it is affordable and accessible to everyone. 
• A majority of second language learners are afraid and not confident to communicate using the target language in public. This issue can be addressed by having them to do presentation slides with Brainshark, in which they can do it personally and with confidence. 
• Getting students to speak and use the target language verbally will also assist them in improving their pronunciation.    

However, bear in mind that:

• Teachers should assign students with easy and accessible topics depending on their proficiency level. This is important as for second language learners to speak using the target language is considered as a big test for them. Teachers should start easy and gradually increase the difficulty level as students progress. 
• This website is not accessible for first tome users. Basic training may be needed in order for students to operate this website. 

Lyrics Training

Lyrics Training is a website that transforms music videos into useful ELT tools. On this website, users (either teachers or students) will be able to listen and watch their favourite music videos from a range of music videos provided. Each music video is included with its lyric, and certain words in the lyric will be left blank. While the music video is being played, students will be given time to fill in the blanks.

What I like about Lyric Training?)

• Songs and music videos are part of teenagers’ life. Therefore, the use of songs and music videos in ELT will make lessons more interesting and help teachers to grab students’ attention. 
• This activity covers all four language skills which are reading (students read the lyrics), writing and spelling (students fill in the blank), listening (students listen carefully for missing words), and speaking (karaoke version are also available for students to sing along).
• Activities are divided into three different levels which are beginner (10% missing words), intermediate (25% missing words), and experts (100% missing words). Hints are also provided if students are unable to get the correct answer. 
• Students can upload their score each time they completed an activity. This will promote the sense of healthy competition where students will try their best to beat the top score, and therefore improve themselves.

In addition, I will put these points into consideration before using Lyrics Training in my lesson:

• In order to play the music videos, stable internet connection is needed. This might be an issue in certain countries. 
•  Some music videos are inappropriate for young learners as it contains explicit images and languages.
• It is usual for songs to use ungrammatical structure such as ‘wanna’ and ‘gonna’, as well as incomplete sentences. This might caused confusion students thus leads towards fossilisation of incorrect grammar.

For more info on Lyrics Training, click here.