Learning Tools

Here is a collection of tools from UBC for making learning objects. Whether a given tool actually works seems hit-and-miss, but there are some interesting ideas here. From the October, 2008 CALL newsletter.

Weboword

In the true spirit of Web 2.0, site members are jointly creating a visual dictionary of the English language. So far, it is tiny. But don’t just use it to look up what others have done. Consider having your own students contribute—thereby learning their target vocabulary thoroughly, while gaining a legitimate sense of accomplishment. From the May '09 newsletter.

Death in Rome

Another interactive fiction adventure from the Beeb. Good for testing reading comprehension.

The Roots of English

Here's a nice writing challenge with a secondary value. Students compose a poem with the words supplied, and are then told whether the words they have used come from French, Anglo-Saxon, or Norse roots.

Here's what I managed:

tremble tattered foot
screech sky
love is drink
loud the secret cry

Mostly Anglo-Saxon.

Battle of the Atlantic

From the BBC and the British taxpayer, a very short interactive fiction with a lot of text. Good for reading comprehension.

History Channel Games

Of possible ESL use, but great for teaching history at the el-hi level.

Student Writing Coach

This one is a little scary. Students are guided through the process of writing an academic paper, prompt by prompt, sentence by sentence, in a selection of genres. It just makes it all seem too easy.