 Iowa World Language Association |
Technology is changing the future of world language education by allowing teaching and learning to take place anywhere and everywhere.There seems to be a consensus that technology enhances teaching and learning, as well as language practice and collaboration among students, between students and teachers, and among teachers, who can work together even when separated by significant distances.
The linked article "Second Language Acquisition and the Information Age" from TESL Canada Journal article describes some of the changes to second language acquisition and the teaching and learning of world languages due to technology.
Here are two other useful articles about the role of technology in world language classrooms:
- CALICO article: The Expanding Role of Technology in the Foreign Language Classroom
- Rationale for Technology in Education
Flipped Classroom Resources
YouTube Video - The Flipped Classroom
Technology Resources
The global Internet community provides a number of resources online that prove invaluable for world language teachers and students. Here are a few of our favorites:
Dictionaries- WordReference.com - offers dictionaries in many languages, along with open forums for discussion
- TheFreeDictionary - Dictionaries, tools, and word games
- alphaDictionary,com provides various dictionaries by language
- yourDictionary.com links to dictionaries in many languages
Typing Special Characters & Phonetic Symbols
- Type it--website that allows you to type special characters & insert into documents
- International Phonetic Alphabet Type It
- Upodn Convert English text into IPA transcription
Media
- Live Television on the Internet (from many countries)
- Live radio on the Internet (World Radio)
- Foreign Language News and Newspapers (MIT libraries)
- Online Newspaper Directory for the World is an extensive listing
- World News large selection by the University of Texas
- Radio Canada Internationale (radio in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, Ukrainian, Russian)
Select Language-Specific Resources
Chinese
- Learn to Write Characters
- Online Chinese Tools for students of Chinese language
- AM1320 CHMB in Vancouver B.C., Canada a radio station in Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese)
- Chinese Newspapers & Magazines
- BBC - Languages - Materials produced to learn/practice Chinese
ESL (English as a Second Language)
- The ESL Teachers Board - resources for ESL teachers
- Activities for ESL Students
- Dave's ESL Cafe - popular ESL resource site
- Breaking News English - daily English lessons using current events
- The Linguist List: ESL/EFL Computer Resources - for students and teachers
French
- French learning materials
- Paris Match - French magazine
- BBC - French Language - Teaching French - Grammar
- Cours et exercices de français gratuits
- Litterature audio.com - free audio books
German
- Radio Züresee - radio in German from Zurich
- Deutsch Welle site for German instructors
- Die Welt - German News - free daily newspaper
- The Goethe Institute - German Cultural Institute - resources for teachers of German
- GROW - American Association of Teachers of German
Italian
- RAI Televideo (News, weather, and other services)
- C.I.A.O. Cultural Italian American Organization by U. of Michigan (Italian culture)
- Radio Dimensione Suono Network: (online radio from Italy)
- RAI-Junior (website for children)
- The American Association Teachers of Italian (AATI) newsletter
Japanese
- Calligraphy: Japanese Visual Art
- Japanese Culture Lessons
- Japanese Language Education Overseas / Teaching Materials - The Japan Foundation
- Resources for Japanse Language Learning and Teaching from Purdue University
- RussNet - national Russian language field resource with online learning modules
- Pravda - Russian daily newspaper
- Library of Congress Soviet Archives Exhibit
- Bucknell Russian page: (online resources)
- Radio Televisión de Andalucía - live radio
- ELPAIS Spanish online journal - daily - Madrid
- Radio Television Española - noticias, peliculas, documentales
- Museo Nacional del Prado - Prado Media
- El abuelo educa - aprende lengua castellana jugando
- Real Academia Española - Royal Spanish Academy site with dictionaries, thesaurus, and other linguistic resources
- TECLA - E-publication of Spanish-language activities, organized by level from basic to advanced
- Noticias - CNN
- Spanish Language Games - from Don Quijote Spanish Language Learning
Game-based learning
TED - Tom Chatfield "7 Ways Games Reward the Brain"
Web 2.0 Tools focus on moving from receptively using technology toward the creation of new media. The possible list of tools seems almost infinite. Here we have begun to curate a list of commonly used tools and resources. Utilizing carefully selected tools in your teaching can be highly motivating to students and helps to support learning through "real world" applications.
Brainstorming, Concept/Mind-mapping Tools:
Collaborative Writing Tools:
- WordPress
- Blogger
- KidBlog--safe and simple blogs for the classroom; more kid-friendly
- Lefora--Resource for creating forums, threaded discussions, etc.
- Tumblr - Microblogging & social networking site
- Twitter--Popular social networking site that can be used to create micro-blogs (up to 140 characters), too
Creating Review Activities:
- Jeopardy Labs --Allows you to use existing or create new Jeopardy-style games
iPad Resources:
Learning Management Systems:
- Moodle
- Course Sites by Blackboard--Can create up to 5 free courses
Online Flashcard Tools:
Poll/Survey Sites:
Social Bookmarking Sites:- Diigo--More robust site, allows you to annotate websites
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- Joining specific groups like Ed Tech for World Languages or Web 2.0 for Language Learning & Teachingwill give you access to many new resources
- Delicious
To suggest additional resources for this page, contact Stacy (slamling@dmacc.edu).