Interactive Board Project

1. the aim: teaching vocabulary; choose 10-12 vocabulary items
2. choose and design various activities

inspiration: www.veskole.cz, http://www.pekarjeucitelonline.cz/

 The finalised ITB Project will be published online in a chosen format (Activ or Smart) - as it will be probably too big, please use dropbox and insert the active link into your page.

The project must include:
• Introductory page – Topic, Target group, Objectives, Author’s name, Date
• All references
• Active URLs
• Listening task + tapescript
• Lots of interactivity
• Inner links among pages whenever necessary
• Feedback and keys to ALL tasks
• Teacher’s Book  - instructions

 Most frequent mistakes:
• Vague tasks, not defined objectives
• Too many visual effects without purpose
• Missing keys and feedback, or missing multiple correct answers
• The pages are too long – cannot be seen in one screen
• strange combinations of colours
• misspelled words, slips, grammatical mistakes

Tips for Smart: Flash-based activities

Sound Editing

1. What does the word "podcast" mean? Go to Podomatic, create an account and browse the site. How can we use it in teaching English?

Good examples - Teacher Luke at Podomatic, Splendid Speaking for advances learners

2. Download two audio files - some text and some music (separate files, max. 3' each). Open Audacity - sound editing freeware - and try to combine the two files into one :)

A crude minicast - a format suitable for teaching  and having fun

Audacity Basics - you should be able to
- install Audacity and the lame library which enables export to mp3
- open a file in Audacity
- edit the file: cut and paste, fade in/out, change speed, delete, add silence
- create a new file
- combine two files (e.g. speech + background music)
- inserting silence (e.g. as a space for an answer)
- changing the speed or pitch (carefully!)

REMEMBER - before editing, create a backup copy of the original!


Online audio for teachers:



http://www.download-esl.com/audio.html
http://www.123listening.com/
http://thoughtaudio.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/
http://www.eslpod.com/website/index_new.html
http://www.esl-lab.com/
listening materials with quizzes
http://www.rong-chang.com/qa2/
 short stories for listening
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/listening-pre-intermediate.php

Examples of galleries with audio comments created by your colleagues:

http://www.dzblecht.wz.cz/My%20home%20town.html
http://skipit.wz.cz/galerie.html
http://vvalova.wz.cz/gallery.html
http://romankalecky.wz.cz/gallery.html
http://www.springday.euweb.cz/fotogalerie.html
http://personalpage.unas.cz/Personalgallery.html

Activ Inspire

... is a variable and creative tool. For teaching purposes, this trick comes in handy:

USING CONTAINERS
1. Text to be moved:
Identification: Name = Hamster
Contain: Return if not contained = True (should be set for all distractors)


2. Image or a space where to put the text/answer:
Can Contain = Specific object
Contain Object = (Select Object) Hamster
Contain Rule = Completely contained

Aktualita na závěr

PŘÍŠTĚ SI PŘINETE SLUCHÁTKA!!

Interactive Board for Beginners

ITB works as a multifunctional tool: you can present text, images, audio, video, internet resources...
But you (or the students) can also INTERACT with the board - write answers to questions, drag and drop, draw, or play games.

Our task today is to explore the possibilities of SMART and Activ ITB software. The editor works intuitively, and some choices are similar to those available in MS office. To get an idea, we will also evaluate some internet-available examples.

1. Open Mozilla, go to a iste sharing interactive board materials:
http://www.veskole.cz/
http://www.jazykyinteraktivne.cz/
http://www.pekarjeucitelonline.cz/
http://www.gymnaziainteraktivne.cz/
http://www.activucitel.cz/

2. Choose some ITB material for both types of software, download and view. Which positive and negative features can you identify? Enter your ideas into the comments to this blog.
3. What makes a good ITB material? Think and discuss - work in pairs. Enter you comments into this blog.

4. Create your own project! Open Smart or Activ Inspire. Start a new file.
5. Insert a text, an image, a weblink, explore the pen function and the flash animations which are included in the gallery. Browse all menus. Feel free to experiment and have fun creating. :)

Hot Pot Intermediate

Today you will develop your HotPot project; you should create three exercises, practicing the same set of 10 vocabulary items. The compulsory formats are matching, multiple choice and gap fill (10 questions each); you can add more, of course.
Let's make our HotPot a bit more interesting!

1. Multiple choice
- 10 questions
- 4 distractors (no mistakes!)
- use sentences, not isolated words
- feedback - additional information, input

2. Gap fill
- 10 gaps
- context (e.g. a story)
- choose the gaps wisely  :)

Tips:
+ Create feedback which is interesting and informative; do not hesistate to include facts from our rela life.
+ Do not skip articles :)

HP exercises can be interonnected using the menu Configure - Buttons.


Suggested course of actions:

1. Create HP matching exercise Ex1. Connect it to the index.html. Make sure you have all the files, including images, in the same folder as the exercise. Save, export.
2. Create a HP multiple choice exercise Ex2.Connect it to the index.html. Carefully fill in the feedback! Save, export.
3. Create a HP gap fill exercise Ex3. Connect it to the index.html and Ex1.html. Save, export.
4. Connect Ex1 to Ex2, and Ex2 to Ex3. Save, export.
5. Open your index.html in NVU. Add links to all three HotPot exercises. Save.
6. Upload all files (index.html, Ex1.html, Ex2.html, Ex3.html, all images) to the web.



Do not forget:
+ No diacritics, no spaces in filenames.
+ Save everything you want to put online into a single folder. No subfolders.
+ Regularly save your changes.


Visit HotPot homepage for download and tutorials!

You also need a HotPotIndex html page, which will present information about the target group you want to teach, about the topic and objectives, and other useful information for a teacher, e.g. instructions.

When creating the exercises and the feedback, please remember:
- NO MISTAKES ALLOWED (correct spelling and grammar, punctuation etc.)
- the feedback should bring ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- include illustrations (images, texts, audio, video, links...)
- be positive, creative and friendly, do not offend the user

FAQ
1. Do I have to use an authentic text in jcloze (gapfill) exercise?
YES.
Try to find an authentic text which will focus on the topic; some of the target vocabulary items should be included, but not necessarily all of them.
Such a text activates the passive vocabulary of the student, helps them understand the new words in context, and is much more informative than isolated sentences.

Tip: explore primary level sites for native speakers, e.g.
BBC for kids
British Council
Encyclopedia for kids


2. How do I make a good feedback in multiple choice?
Just follow these simple tips:
- DO NOT use capitals, exclamation marks, "NO!" "Unfortunately..." etc.
- be positive :) - do not start the feedback with "Sorry, no..."
- add extra information, eg.
Where do lions live? Chosen answer: "India"
Feedback: "Tigers live in India, but lions live in Africa."

3. How should I set the colour scheme?
- Remember that the text should be easy to read - the font and the background should be constrasting.
- The backgroud itself should not bee too bright, not to tire the eyes.
- study the Color Wheel site