Top 10 Tools for Digital Creativity in MFL

Helena Butterfield

http://helenabutterfield.net

A bit about me…!

• MFL Teacher

• International Co-ordinator

• Former Head of Department

• Blogger at http://helenabutterfield.net and http://langwitch.org

Things to consider…

• Are we talking about teacher creativity or pupil creativity?

• Blocked?

• Accounts

• eSafety

• Sharing work

• What if the internet isn’t working!

1. Wordle: http://wordle.net

Create word clouds

How to do it

• Paste in text OR paste in the URL of a website

Create

C’est quel film?

What do I have to do to get a Grade C?

Other uses• Starters • Introduce a topic • Introduce, learn, memorise, revise or practice

vocabulary• Analyse the content and gist of a longer text • Compare two texts at different levels • Teach pupils how to do a presentation without

reading from a sheet • Use key words as a writing promt• Pupils create a “Key Words” wordle• Pupils put written work into Wordle to check

that they haven’t been too repetitive.

2. Image chef: www.imagechef.com

How to do it

Create an account

Choose Visual Poetry

Choose your shape and type in your words

How could I use it?

• Inspire creativity

• Independent writing

• Display

• Consolidating vocabulary

• Making calligrams

3. Wallwisher: www.wallwisher.com

Create a wall of sticky notes

How to do it

Create an account

Build your wall

Revision

Key points from a lesson

Plenary

Homework

Collaboration

Other uses

• Brainstorming ideas

• Share success criteria

• Revision

• International projects

• Collaboration for staff in your school / in other schools

4. Voicethread: http://voicethread.com

Upload a picture

People can record themselves

People can write comments

Voicethread link

Possible uses

• Spontaneous speaking

• Prepare for presentations

• Collaboration

• Creative speaking / writing

5.Voki: www.voki.com

• Make speaking activities more interesting• Use for Speaking Assessments• Create one account for all pupils to access• Make the sound recording in Audacity before they make

the Voki

Create a talking avatar

How to do it

Create an account

Create your Voki

6. Toondoo www.toondoo.com •Easy to make

•Pupils can create their own accounts

•Choice of layouts

How to do it

Account needed

Choose Toondoo maker

7. Go Animate: www.goanimate.com

Video

•Pupils create their own accounts

•Give specified number of slides to create

•Pupils can email you the URL of their video

How to do it

Account needed

Choose animation studio

How to do it

8. Xtranormal: www.xtranormal.com • Text to voice animated cartoon creator

• Make speaking test answers into Xtranormal

• Demonstrate model answers

• Pupils edit pre-made videos to improve the language

Used as a listening comprehension

9. Storybird: http://storybird.com

• Write a book

• Develop creative writing

• Pick out key words

• Reading comprehesion

• Some MFL teacher have already made several Storybirds which can be found here: http://mfl-storybirds.wikispaces.com

How to do it

10. Glogster: www.glogster.com(Educator accounts available)

• Introduce a topic

• Plenaries

• What have you learned in this topic?

• Environmental campaign

• Healthy eating campaign

• All about me

Possible uses

More information

The Langwitch Chronicles: http://helenbutterfield.net

Durham Tees Valley MFL Ning: http://stocktonmfl.ning.com

Email: helena_butterfield@yahoo.co.uk

Twitter: @Langwitch