Foreign+Language+Best+Web-Based+Practices

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= Integrating Instructional Technology into the Foreign Language Classroom =

Learning a second language is about more than just words; it's about culture and experience. With today's web- and computer-based technology you can brief your language to life right in the classroom. Imagine enhancing speaking and listening activities with just a click of few buttons and your students having 24/7 access. Or streaming video and audio content with minimal equipment. Even better, hold a global classroom experience with students from around the world. All this is FREE and possible through the links below:

Lessons Plans

 * Click [|here] to access foreign lesson plans
 * EDSITEment
 * Culture Grams
 * Thinkfinity
 * iTunes Education Resources You will need to download the application and then you will be able to search for Foreign Language Resoruces

Speaking and Listening

 * With podcasts you or your students can practice speaking and translations by recording speech using Audacity. Audacity is a FREE program that allows you to record voice and music that can be saved as an MP3 file and uploaded to a desktop or published on the web. For more info on making podcasts click here: DIY Podcasting.
 * **__Lesson idea__**: have students submit recordings of speaking skills; discuss an article or book review in French; translate a song in German.
 * [|Voicethreads] is a Web 2.0 tool that allows users to collaborate on a multimedia slide show record voice, text, audio, or video (webcam) commentary about an event using images or video; you can comment and annotate as well
 * **__Lesson idea__**: document conversational language skills on an holiday, event, architecture, etc.
 * [|Gcast] allow your students to record a podcast from any phone with a toll-free call.
 * Teachers create an ID and pass code
 * small fee involved
 * [|Audio Dropboxes] -students record an audio file and can send it to you. Site has good instructions. Excellent for ESL or Modern Language learners Embed an audio player in your webpage with [|mioplanet] [|mediacollege] [|quicktime]
 * [|voki] - create your own talking avatar for use on your wiki or blog.

Vocabulary
Students can build flashcard sets online to access anywhere, anytime from their computers or cell phones. __Both offer social networking capabilities to share between all of your classes.__
 * [|Flashcard Friends] lets students create vocabulary cards in four modes (list, flash, flip, and print). Students can test themselves and add pictures and sound. They can also share with friends or find other lists to modify.
 * [|Word Champ](my fav) also allows students to create, find, and modify flashcards with drill exercises (Absolute Recall detects when you need more practice), but it also has a web reader to help students read foreign language websites. Students can also find language partners with members from all over the world.
 * **For Teachers** Word Champ also offers a FREE cou rse management system for tracking progress, assign homework actitvities, and listing websites. Enrollment is free for K-12 students.

Translators
I know, I know...this sounds like cheating. But, keep in mind that students still must demostrate mastery in your authentic assessement and have access anyway, so figure out a way to make these sites a friendly visitor to your classroom experience.
 * [|Babel Fish] or [|Google Translate] - both translates a block of text or an entire website in over 30 languages.You can also add it to your wiki or blog.
 * [|dotSub] - find thousands of translated video (subtitles); videos can be embedded right into your wiki or blog

Virtual Field Trips
When discussing cities and the countryside of spectacular countries abroad, have you ever wished you could take your students there. Now you can with Google Earth and it's FREE.
 * type in the name and fly to your location
 * select street view a see in it 360°
 * create field trips or tours to locations or have your students
 * tours can include text, video, and audio
 * click here for how-to at DIY Google Earth

Social Networking
Remember having a pen pal in elementary, well students can now have Epals and Taking It Global. Connect and collaborate in an online, safe learning environment on academic or cultural projects; or blog with friends for FREE. Your class can:
 * connect with classrooms around the world
 * talk and visit each other's classrooms with Skype
 * join existing projects or start your own
 * exchange with emails, blogs, or forums

iTunes
Subscribe to FREE podcasts and vodcasts posted by colleges and unversities. All you need to do is:
 * email the helpdesk to have [|iTunes] installed on your desktop
 * browse through iTunes store under iTunes U
 * select "get tracks" or "get video"
 * files automatically saved in the My Music folder under iTunes
 * easily uploaded to wiki, blog, or Schoolwires webpage

ANVILL
- A National Virtual Language Lab is a project of the Yamada Language Center at the University of Oregon.

[|ANVILL] is a speech-based toolbox for language teachers the reinvents the language lab console of old into a web-based audio and video tool. It's focus is on the practice of oral language and includes: [|ANVILL] is FREE to qualified educators. Create media-rich lessons for your students. Engaged them in new and exciting ways.
 * Voiceboards (an asynchronouse speech tool) where students can respond with text, audio, and video in a discussion board environment.
 * LiveChat (a 4-way conversation tool) allowing users to talk in a synchronous format
 * TCast (a widget for instant recordings) for students to record speech
 * Quizzes and Surveys
 * Forums
 * Course managment system for lesson authoring, assessment, forums, and lesson storage. A simple means of managing curriculum.
 * Teacher controls membership
 * easy design and editing features like most Web 2.0 tools

CLEAR
- Center for Language Education and Research is U.S Dept. of Education sponsored language resource center at Michigan State University.

[|CLEAR] features several web-based tools that allow you create a virtual language lab anywhere your students have Internet access.

Click [|here] to access CLEAR's library of video tutorials.
 * [|Audio Dropboxes] - embed into any webpage for your students to deposit their recordingsmedia type="custom" key="3983727"
 * [|Broadcasts] - create your own podcast channels to host your episodes; students can subscribe when you publish to iTunes
 * [|Conversations] - record Q & A session for mulitple students to participate in conversation style
 * [|Mashups] - combine video, audio, text, and interactive exercises
 * [|SMILE] - create your own interactive language-practice exercises
 * [|Viewpoint] - record your own audio/video online with a mic or webcam or upload exsting media; link or embed to your webpage
 * [|Worksheets] - interactive worksheets to use with your textbooks

= 2010 Regional World Languages Mini-Conference 2.0 Dropbox = - Please submit a short comment on how you plan to use the dropbox in your classroom.

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