ESL Software / Apps

Some are wondering if Language Centers will become a thing of the past. Since every student will probably own a computer, there will no longer be a need to go to a computer lab or language center. I also wonder about the role that language software will play in the future. Will everything be web based? Or will there still be a need for stand along computing?

Some of the problems we are now facing in our language center is the computers have been upgraded to a new operating system which won’t run some of the older but useful software programs we have purchased. This has frustrated the teachers as now things that used to work in the past are not working any more. Some teachers go into survival mode and simply cut out Language Center assignments until it can be figured out if new software will be purchased to replace older versions that no longer work, or if there is better software available. Sometimes the conclusion is made that the software was really not needed and the teacher is leery (distrustful) about using the materials found in the language center.

Regardless, this lesson focuses on four software packages as well as other materials useful in helping English language learners.

Language Center SoftwareWrite a review/reaction paragraph(s) about each of the software programs listed below. Include print screens of the software that is relevant to your review.

[A review/reaction paragraph not only summarizes what the software can do, but also gives your opinion and feelings of the software.]

Pop Cap Games => Typer Shark DeluxeReview/Reaction/Screen Shot:

This game tests your typing skills. It helps you improve your knowledge of the keyboard and enables you to learn how to type quickly. It is easy to use and

understand. You simply have to type the words on the sharks or fish before they get to the scuba diver. It is definitely a fun game. I think students would enjoy it. ESL students would be able to learn English words and how to use an English keyboard by using this game.

Read Up – Speed UpReview/Reaction/Screen Shot:

Read Up – Speed Up is a software that helps test reading comprehension skills. First, students can choose how many lines they want to read at once and for how long (seconds) they want to be able to read the lines for. After the reading has been shown completely, the students are able to take a quiz about the reading. I found that the program was fairly easy to use. The menus are easy to navigate. I also like that students can choose which kind of story to read. There is a wide variety of topics, so there is sure to be something to interest everyone. I think this program would be really useful for ESL students because not only does it help them improve their reading speed, but it also tests comprehension. Both of these are important skills that students need to develop.

Pronunciation Power 1 & 2Review/Reaction/Screen Shot:

Pronunciation Power 1&2 was pretty easy to use. I had to investigate a little bit by exploring the various tabs. It had tabs for lessons, exercises, dictionary, and games. The program would take you through lessons on pronunciation and would finish by allowing you to play games to practice your pronunciation. I think this software would be really helpful to ESL students. It had a feature where you could see how people pronounce certain sounds and then record yourself to see if your pronunciation matched theirs. I think that ESL students would find that very helpful. I also think that the games would be a fun way to motivate them to practice.

ESL Renegades (levels A, B, or C found at the Front Desk)Review/Reaction/Screen Shot:

In ESL Renegades, you can play a game in which you identify the part of the sentence which is incorrect. The game is set around a Western theme, with the goal of recruiting as many people as possible. This game does seem a little old, but the content of it is still good. I liked that the game gives you feedback after each answer so that you can understand why you got the question right or wrong. I also noticed that each round focuses on a few specific problems that are common to ESL students. I liked that it is organized that way so that you can see whether you’re mastering that skill or not.

Tense Buster: http://www.ClarityEnglish.com/area1/TenseBuster/Start.php?prefix=BYUHReview/Reaction/Screen Shot:I found Tense Buster to be a really helpful and user-friendly software. The way the icons were set up made navigating this software easy. First of all, you could choose which level to focus on. I like this because it means that this software can be used for any ESL student at any level of learning English. I also like that students can advance to practice more difficult tasks as they gain proficiency. Like many of the other softwares, Tense Buster had segments where students can learn about the skills, and then later on they can be tested on those skills. I think that this software really has a lot to offer students because there are many areas that they can practice and there is also varying level of proficiency available for practice.

Demo Software online (choose one): http://www.clarityenglish.com/program/Pronunciation.phpor http://media.pearsoncmg.com/intl/elt/pcdp/fog/samples/fog3/start.htm Review/Reaction/Screen Shot:

I really liked the Clarity English software. Each unit starts out with a pre-test so that you know how much material you already understand. Then, there are readings and practices with the unit material. There is even a review section. At the end, you can take a post-test so that you know how well you understood the material. I think that this software is very useful to ESL students because they can learn things completely online when an instructor is not available. If they have learned the material before, this is a great way to review what they have learned or to practice skills they make be weak on.

Do a web search for ESL Software/Apps. What software would you recommend our language center purchase that we don’t already have? Support your recommendations with why need this software/app and how it could be used?Recommendations & Support:

I would recommend that the language center purchase a software called Tell Me More. This software seems really neat because it has speech recognition technology that can help analyze students’ speech and correct them if they are not pronouncing English correctly. They have a version for adults, as well as one for kids. In the version for kids, they make learning fun by incorporating things like karaoke, games, and cartoons. In the adult version, Tell Me More can personalize the study to the individual learner. This seems like a great idea, since each individual has his or her own struggles and needs. This feature will allow the student to progress at his or her own pace. This sounds like a great program that would benefit the students at the language center.

Other Language Center MaterialsMany ESL schools focus solely on helping students pass the TOEFL or TOEIC test. Our language center has some preparatory materials which can help a student do so.

Look through the TOEFL or TOEIC materials that the Language Center has and then write a review/reaction paragraph about the material. Include enough details about the materials to show that you actually looked at the materials and learned something.Review/Reaction: The TOEFL or TOEIC materials that the language center has seem like they would be very helpful to an ESL student preparing to take one of these tests. Some of the materials they have are vocabulary books, guides to writing essays, and software to help you practice your speaking. I definitely think that these resources would be helpful to ESL students. They are great study materials to help students prepare for the tests. I learned that not only does the TOEFL test the vocabulary of the students, but it also tests their ability to write an essay and to recognize speech.

Do you think Speaking tutors are a necessary part of learning a language? Explain.Answer: I do think that speaking tutors are a necessary part of learning a language. While students can learn most everything on a computer now, I still think that interaction with a real person is crucial to language learning. For one thing, interacting with a computer is not quite the same as interacting with a real person. Speaking with a real person will help students to gain real life experience. Also, I think that speaking tutors are very valuable because they provide encouragement and support for students. Learning a language can be difficult

and daunting at times, and having the support of a tutor can make it less burdensome. Computers cannot provide this support for students.

Other Online Software sites:http://www.knowledgeadventure.com/http://www.thecenterweb.org/alrc/pdfs/softwarevendors.pdfhttp://www.tesol.net/teslsoft.html

Apps for mobile devices are the new rage in teaching. There seems to be an app for about everything. List several apps that you think would help you in your teaching. If you don’t have a mobile device, you can still add apps to your Google Chrome page. http://chrome.google.com/webstore

1. App name: _Suvobi 2_Review/Reaction/Screen Shot:

This app is designed to help you review vocabulary. I really like how at the start screen you can choose what kind of vocabulary you want to review. You can review vocabulary that is specifically designed to help you prepare for the TOEFL. However, there are other lists as well, such as SAT, junior high school, or academic word lists. The app is pretty straight forward. Once you have selected which lists you want to review vocabulary words from, the app gives you one word at a time that you can review. I like how it has an option for you to hear how the word is pronounced, as well as see the pronunciation guide. After you have reviewed some words you can take a quiz to make sure you learned what those words mean. I think this app would be really helpful to anyone who wants to learn English vocabulary words. It is fun and easy to do so!

2. App name: _ESL Prep_ Review/Reaction/Screen Shot:

This app is designed specifically to help students study and prepare for the TOEFL test. It allows students to take quizzes to test their readiness for the test. It has questions in many categories such as reading comprehension, structure and grammar, and sentence completion. If you get a question wrong, the app brings up a screen telling you what the correct answer is and why it is the correct answer. One the main menu screen the app shows what percentage you answered correctly in each category. I think this app could be really helpful to students who want to study for the TOEFL test. It is easy to navigate. It also offers practice in many areas. My favorite feature is how you can easily see which categories you need to work on when viewing the main screen which shows the percentage you answered correctly in each category.

3. App name: _ESL Robot_Review/Reaction/Screen Shot:

In this app, you can chat with a robot to improve your English. The app is very simple to use. There is virtually no navigation required at all. As soon as you open the app, you can just begin typing so that you can talk to Mike, the robot. I like this app because students who are learning English may be hesitant to use it with native English speakers at first, but with this app they can get a little bit of experience. While this app does have limitations since you are not really talking to an actual person, I still think it is a good way for ESL students to practice their English and to gain confidence in using English.

4. App name: _iVerb____Review/Reaction/Screen Shot:

This app is simply a list of the irregular verbs in English. It is a dictionary comprising some of the most common irregular verbs. I like that the dictionary has sample sentences of how the verbs are used, as well as an option for the student to hear how the verbs are pronounced. I think this could be a helpful resource for students who are learning verbs in English. It could be a good

reference for ESL students when they may be unsure of the irregular changes in verb tenses. I think this app could be improved if it had quizzes about these irregular verbs.

Finishing Touches

Blog after every class about what you are learning.

Add a border and a background color to this document, but make sure it is still easy to read.

Name this document “ESL Software” and save it as a PDF or Word Document in your portfolio folder.

Link the file to your Home Page.