Audio

Audio material is regularly used when teaching speaking and listening in foreign languages. Therefore the teachers and the students should be able to edit and modify audio as well as texts.
Probably the best freeware available for editing sound is called AUDACITY.


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!)

TASK 1 - TEACHER'S JOB

Browse Youtube for videos suitable for the topic you chose for HotPot tasks.
View, listen and choose; consider the target level and age!
Convert the video to mp3 using an online convertor.
Cut out a part of the recording, add an appropriate task and illustration and publish all that in your HotPotaoes index webpage (see the related blog entry for details).

You can use Free YouTube to MP3 Converter to get audio from youtube easily, or find online converters, eg. Here

TASK 2 - AN EXAMPLE OF A STUDENT TASK
You have just become a radio reporter!
Work in pairs. Choose an actual event from your real life, and prepare a 2minute talk on it.
Present main facts and your opinions.
Options: either pre-preapre the text, and record, or present the event in the form of live-talk, or an interview between you two.
Edit the recording in Audacity. Add appropriate sounde effects if necessary.
Finalise the file, export it and save as mp3, and add to your personal webpage.

TASK 3 - EXAMPLES OF GOOD TEACHING PRACTICE
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
Podcast on podcasting in ELT

More online podcasts and streams
Ted Talks on Education - free online lectures!
Paramind
Oxford University Podcasts

Free text to audio:
http://www.fromtexttospeech.com/

Sound files extensions:
wav -  Standard audio file container format used mainly in Windows PCs. Commonly used for storing uncompressed (PCM), CD-quality sound files, which means that they can be large in size—around 10 MB per minute. Wave files can also contain data encoded with a variety of (lossy) codecs to reduce the file size (for example the GSM or MP3 formats). Wav files use a RIFF structure

mp3 - compressed, MPEG Layer III Audio. Is the most common sound file format used today

flac - Free Lossless Audio Codec
ape - Monkey's Audio lossless audio compression format
ogg - A free, open source container format supporting a variety of formats, the most popular of which is the audio format Vorbis; compression similar to MP3

webm - Royalty-free format created for HTML5 video
aiff - Standard audio file format used by Apple. It could be considered the Apple equivalent of wav

ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_file_format



Sluchové pole (nebo oblast slyšitelnosti) je rozsah všech zvuků, které dokáže lidské ucho vnímat. Vnímání zvuku je u člověka omezeno slyšitelnými frekvencemi (přibližně 16–20 000 Hz). U každé frekvence je odlišný rozdíl intenzit, jež slyšíme. Lidský sluchový orgán je nejcitlivější v oblasti frekvencí 1–5 kHz.

http://www.wikiskripta.eu/index.php/Pr%C3%A1h_sluchu_a_sluchov%C3%A9_pole

Working with images

HOMEWORK

1. Take some pictures at the university premises (respect GDPR!). 

2. Make a collage of two chosen photos form your set of pictures - as if creating a hoax image. Insert the final photo with a suitable comment into your Homepage (index.html) and publish online. 
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Visual support is vital in any teaching situation. As English teachers, we use pictures of objects to teach vocabulary, photos of situations to stimulate communication, authentic visual materials to teach realia and culture...

What characteristics of an image influence its effect on remembering the vocabulary?

• context or the absence of context
• vivid colours
• contrast
• golden ratio
• the size of the target object

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Making a hoax in Photoshop:

1. ^A^C^V inserting img2 into img1

2. ^T for transformation - shift, rotate... place img2

3. Mask  - cover all (a black mask)

4. B - brush - paint into the mask (white brush) and uncover img2

5. X - switches between black and white brush (undo)

experiment with the brush settings (krytí, hustota)

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 WHAT ARE THE KEY SKILLS IN THE FIELD OF PHOTOGRAPHY FOR  THE ENGLISH TEACHER TO MASTER?

My suggestion:
1. Basic knowledge of the electronic image formats and their specifics.
2. Basic editing abilities: crop, contrast, colour adjustment
3. Basic photo-making skills and knowledge (to be able to prepare original materials, and to document school events, projects, students'activities and products).

4. Advanced editing abilities - collage (to create more original materials, and to be resistant to hoax), inserting text to the image...

Typical Viral :D

Any other suggestions?

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It is easier and more satisfactory to use one's own images and photos instead of stealing them from the web and risking troubles.

A teacher should be able to:
- draw a picture, scan, save and publish
- make a good photo which he/she can use in teaching, edit and save


The difference between good and bad photos is obvious to anyone! And it is not so difficult to follow several basic rules to make your photos better.

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What shall we know?

1. How to compose a photography

The basics of compositionand more practical tips (in Czech)

Golden ratio - zlatý řez

Practical tips:

concentrate on a single idea, object, feeling

get closer, fill almost the whole field with the target object/situation

2. How to save an image

raw - full data

jpg - compressed (lossy)

tiff - for print, usually lossless; can handle CMYK

bmp - full data (bitmap)

gif - small (and animated); saves only used colours; 8bit

png - lossless, successor of gif, 8-24-48 bit

For web, an image with the longer side of 1600px is big enough, Let's say the size limit is cca 50KB - to save space.

When reducing the size, always keep the original untouched! Save the small version as a new file, say, IMG2345_Small.jpg. 

JPEGS reduce the size exponetially, so if you reduce the original at 80%, the amount of data may be reduced form 12MB to 1,5 MB. 

More in Wiki (in Czech)

and Wiki (in English)

Formaty pro ukladani fotografii

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What shall we know?
3. The basic editing skills you should master:


1. Compressing, saving in various formats (with different extensions) and size
2. Crop (ořez)
3. Changing brightness, sharpness, hue and other basic features
4. Making a part of the image transparent

Tasks:
1. Open your image in Photoshop. Work with Crop first (C). Remember - the main part of the image should be taken by the main object (or idea, or situation)
2.  Use LEVELS to set the Lightning (Photoshop: Ctrl+L, or Obraz - přizpůsobení; Menu in Gimp: Enhance - Adjust Lightning - Levels)
3. Adjust sharpness. play with blur :)
4. Working with layers and masks in Photoshop:
Open the image
Duplicate the layer (Ctrl+J)
Choose the type of layers combination (Měkké světlo, závoj...)
Přidejte masku vrstvy (možnosti - odkrýt vše nebo skrýt vše)
Malujeme do masky!

COLLAGE
5. Use GIMP: Find two images and combine them into one, applying transparency (e.g. Donald Duck walking through Usti nad Labem :) )
6. Advanced: Try to do the same in Photoshop: make a collage of two photos!
tutorial in Czech
List of  Photoshop Hotkeys - EN
List of  Photoshop Hotkeys - CZ

B - Brush
C - Crop
H - Hand
J - Healing brush
L - Lasso
S - Stamp
W - Wand

TIPS
How to make things transparent in Photoshop:
New Image - Background transparent
Import the image into a new layer
Magic wand - choose parts which should be transparent

Layer - Mask - Hide the choice (Vrstvy - maska - skrýt výběr)

How to make things transparent in GIMP:
Layers – Transparency – Add alpha channel
Choose the background using the magic wand.
The simplest method is to use Edit → Clear

You can also test transparency in Word - add the image into text and choose Formát obrázku - pozice - před textem.


Want a top quality image legally?
Visit Getty.

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Product Photo

Choose an object within the class and make a picture which shows only the object - as if you needed an illustration of the word.

What shall we know?

4. How to make a photo of an isolated object

- check the background

- fill amost the whole image with the object

- search for light

- use simple aids, such as lamps, scarfs, sheets of paper

- experiment 

Link to Product Photography at digineff

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... want to know more?

http://digineff.cz/

http://www.digimanie.cz/

http://www.fotoradce.cz/

http://fotoroman.cz/

"Kreativní fotografie si neklade za cíl zobrazit realitu (takové to tam Mařenko bylo) ale zobrazit 
něco víc. Zobrazit emoce (pocity, nálady ...), které autor na místě cítil a chce vám předat.

Když se díváte na fotografie z vaší dovolené obvykle si vybavíte pocity, jaké to tam bylo (jé podívej - tady jsme byli ...). Díváte-li se ale na fotografie z cizí dovolené, vidíte jenom obyčejné pláže, hrady, zámky atp. Prostě emoce spojené s místem a zážitkem vám chybí a proto vám často tyto fotografie připadají obyčejné. Dobrá fotografie vám dokáže předat pocity a zážitky i z míst, kde jste nebyli. A o tom to je...

Když stojíte v lese, vidíte široko okolo sebe, vnímáte vítr, šumění lesa, vůni jehličí a do zad vás pálí slunce. Toto vše na fotografii však chybí. Je tam jen obrazový výsek a to ještě ve 2 rozměrech (3 rozměr prostoru / perspektivy chybí). A proto je to tak těžké. A proto je pokoušet se o to taky tak krásné!"

http://fotoroman.cz/

HotPot is not a dish!

HOMEWORK: 
Bring a camera for the next lesson!

1. choose a target group and a topic for your hotpot project. Make a list of 10 vocabulary items you want to present + practice through all three HP exercises.
Example: Domestic animals, age 8, elementary. 
ENTER your choice into the comment to this blog.

2. Continue developing the layout and contentn of your web. Make sure you know how to insert links and images.



Hot Potatoes is probably one of the oldest freewares focused on teaching. See http://hotpot.uvic.ca/!

TASK:
At the hot pot page go to tutorial. Choose Standard Tutorial for Windows, Start and go to The Potatoes, one by one - JMatch (matching exercises).
Open the HotPot program in your PC, go to the green potatoe - matching exercises.
Explore the possibilities of setting, start creating the exercise, call for help if necessary.

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http://hotpot.uvic.ca/wintutor6/tutorial.htm


Inserting images into a webpage:
1. Save the image into the WEB folder you had made.
2. Open the html file.
3. Click "insert image" and choose your prepared jpg form the folder.
4. Save the changes in html.
5. Upload BOTH files (html+ jpg) to your online site.


HP HotLine:

1. Keep all files in the same folder. Do not change the names after you link them.
2. HP create two types of files:
*.j?? (jcl, jmt...) - "Teacher's book" - can be edited; save it carefully!
*.html  - "Students'book",  the exported file - interactive, but cannot be edited
3. Save, export, check.

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HotPot Index or Teacher's book:
a place/page which basic information:
1. Target group (proficiency, age)
2. Topic (preferably a list of new vocabulary items you are teaching)

You can create a whole  HotPot site, combining and connecting various task formats. This is the suggested order of exercises (Can you guess why?):

1. Matching
- 10 items (target vocabulary)
- if using pictures, set the same height for all of them  (e.g. 100 pixels)
- find out how to set the timer, shuffle questions, show a limited number of questions

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

Good feedback: motivating, positive, informative

3. 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 real life.
+ Do not skip determiners, e.g. articles:)
+ do not hesitate to include images, links, or audio!


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.

 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

4. What is the HotPot index?
It is a html file which includes links to all three hotpot exercises, and the basic info:
- the author
- the aim of the exercises, e.g. "Teaching the names of family members"

- the target group description, e.g. "Third grade, basic school, elementary level"

ICT in ELT - Credit Requirements

Welcome!

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

active participation, working on classroom tasks
80% attendance

Projects: (submission deadline April 9, 2019)
1. A personal website (includes: HotPot index with basic info (topic, age, level) and links to all HP exercises, a link to Interactive Board material)
2. Hot Potatoes project (matching, multiple choice, gapfill, min. 10 questions each)
3. Interactive Board material (A SINGLE FILE includes: T's information = target group, objectives; topic presentation and explanation, various tasks for practice, audio, video = link to youtube, illustrations, active links, inner links -- ALL ACTIVITIES PRACTISING THE SINGLE CHOSEN TOPIC)
4. Class-based projects - to be included into your website: e.g. your hoax image, your podcast entry

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TIP: ALWAYS BRING
- a pen drive
- headphones


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Task 1
Read the following article: https://www.myenglishpages.com/blog/ict-tools-and-english-language-teaching/
Note down any terms you have never encountered, and tools you have never used. Make a personal plan - choose which of the unknown tools you will try out during the lesson.
TIP: Always note your plans down - writing supports logical thinking, reasoning, timing, and enables final check.

Task 2
Reflect your personal experience and preferences. Make a list of three activities using ICT which you regularly use to support your studies. use PEN AND PAPER! You need not sign the sheet.
When finished, pass the paper on. Read the lists written by the other students and compare.

Task 3
Watch the video HERE.
Who made it? How? For what purpose?
What do you think of the video? Summarise your opinions in the comment to this blog entry.

Task 4
For publishing and sharing anything, you need a space you can edit freely. Let's create a private website!

Create a folder named PCSkills on your pen drive.
Create the index.html file in NVU. Save it into the PCSkills folder.
Write a short introductory text into the file index.html. You will improve it later.

[WYSIWYG editors for Mac]

Experiment with formatting, colours, consider the role of images and graphics...

• Insert a link to the KAJ Dept. page.
• Insert a picture you took (avoid copyright problems!).
• Create an Avatar HERE and add the link into your index.html.

Create a free account at webzdarma.cz. Design a catchy name for your domain.
Upload your index.html and the image to your site in webzdarma.

Bask in glory, admiring your first hand-made web page!

Experiment with formatting, colours, consider the role of images and graphics. Check the links below for ideas:

Inspiration:

http://www.colorpicker.com/

http://www.jakpsatweb.cz/

http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Simple-Webpage-Using-Notepad

Psychologie barev
ColorSchemes
Colors for web - Theory 
WebcolorsWiki

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Internet Survival Guide

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HOMEWORK
1.  Prepare texts you will publish in your website, e.g. personal profile, hobbies etc. (see the Credit Requirements for details). Save the texts in .txt file (poznamkovy blok).

2. Choose a topic and target group for your project - example:
target group - 5th grade (11 years), elementary
topic - domestic animals
textbook - Project English 1

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WORKING WITH PC AND WEB - BASIC RULES:

1. Save, save, backup, save...
2. All files in one folder.
3. No spaces, no diacritics in filenames.

First think, then click!
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LESSON SUMMARY:
You should be able to:

• create and format a html file in NVU
• choose the appropriate structure of the page and suitable graphics
• insert links and images into your webpage
• start a website at webzdarma.cz
• create a speking avatar and add it into your web