Creating Flash Educational Games For Your Class Using PowerPoint

Children learn better by using the language they are taught, this cannot be stated enough times. How do we make that happen though? In a classroom there are limited chances of creating ideal conditions during which this can be achieved. As ESL teachers in my country, we face limitations of time, space, budget and occasionally student reluctance. Our students are overwhelmed, stressed and even hesitant to take up an activity that is new to them. During my lessons I realised that though young children are showing surprising resistance to new types of tasks within a typical lesson, they took really well to interactive ESL Games we play online. I would give them an exercise in Simple Present and Present Continuous and they would moan and groan while doing it, but if it came to playing Grammar Ninja they would be bouncing off the walls. This is how this idea was born. Why not use my Powerpoint skills to make them an tailored interactive game ? After a relatively long Internet research, I realised that there were many teachers doing the same thing; creating their own interactive games using their own materials. So I started slowly and reluctantly building my first game. I started with a plain PowerPoint Internet template, which I customised to my taste. I created a main menu slide and then linked the question and answer slides between them, to create feedback. 

When I finished my game I saved it as a PowerPoint Show file and used it only for my classrooms, carrying it in my USB. That was way before I created my blog, and it was fine for me to use the games in class as a consolidation exercise. However, I started thinking that it would be great if my students could spend a few minutes working on this material on their own free time from home. How could I make this material available to them anytime, anyplace? So I decided to make a game that I would post online for them to play at any time. This is how the Alphabet Matching Game was born and I have to admit it took my a few months before I was able to successfully post it online. I used a PowerPoint Plug In called iSpring Free to turn it into a SWF file and then spent numerous hours online until I came up with a tutorial on how to post SWF files on Blogger. I finally managed to post it by uploading it to Google sites and using the link provided. If any of you needs a detailed tutorial just drop me a line and I will post one. 

This is my second "game" working on letter recognition and Lower and Upper Case association.

I really hope you like it because I spent countless hours on it!! 

Free Online Alphabet Matching Game

Alphabet Matching Game

Free Online interactive game made using PowerPoint

It took me a while but I finally made it! I originally used PowerPoint to make the Presentation, then I saved it as an SWF file. I hope you like it! 

Click on the Start button to enter the game. Once you are in the letter sellection slide, choose a letter to complete the task. To go back to the letter sellection slide, click either on the house image on the bottom right hand corner of the slide, or on the instructions box. 

Tagxedo Word Clouds, how to use in class.

When I first run into Tagxedo I was really amazed by the beauty of the images that I could produce, however I had little insight of how to use it in class. I have to admit I gave it a LOT of thought, because my time in class is very limited and tight and I didn't want to use this website just for show - off. I wanted it to be worthwhile. Giving the children something to do with the language they learn is the best way for them to learn, there is no doubt about that. Moreover their ability to use technology is undeniable, it gives them satisfaction and the false idea that they are actually playing, not doing homework. So I came up with a bunch of activities that we can do in class using Tagxedo and I am thinking of gradually introducing them to our lessons, depending on the aim, time availability and of course the children's age. 

Here are some of the ways you can use Tagxedo to teach vocabulary: 

Vocabulary Introduction:

1. While eliciting new vocabulary, ask on of the students to act like your helper. As you elicit, ask the helper to type the new words in Tagxedo, then the whole class decides on the colours, shape, font and theme of your new word cloud. You can even divide your new vocabulary into categories: Nouns, Adjectives, Verbs and so on. 

Ways to use the clouds: 

• You can use these clouds for sentence construction activities, in which a child picks a word they know and the rest of them have to produce a correct sentence using that word. 
• You can play Red Word Green Word. Divide the class in two groups. Ask one student to act as the game host. The host randomly picks words from the white board, then the teams take turns either producing a correct sentence, or giving the definition of the chosen word. Each team notes down the words they have used correctly. When they make a mistake, they loose five words. The game finishes when all the words are used. 

2. You can also make the word clouds before the class is introduced to the new vocabulary. In your cloud, include the word definitions in the mother tongue. Ask the children to identify and connect the definitions to the words. 

Vocabulary homework

1. You can also use these clouds for vocabulary practice, if you have a website or blog that you can upload your clouds. Give each child some word definitions in their native language. Ask them to go to your page, find the equivalent English word in the cloud and produce a short text or sentences using the words they found. 

2. Ask the children to make their own clouds at home as copying practice. Typing the words in can be very helpful for them in order to remember the spelling. It would be a good idea to ask them to type the list in Word first, spell check and then copy paste the words in Tagxedo. 

Depending on the age, you can even ask them to download their clouds and send them to you via e-mail. 

Here are some word cloud examples I have made for my FCE students using Tagxedo. The words are used can also be found in my Spelling City page, so have a look and tell me what you think! 

Teacher Education: When Teachers Never Stop Being Students or Seven Books Every Teacher Should Read.

As teachers we spend a lot of time reading and correcting other people's work, preparing for our next lessons and grading the ability of our students to perform. However, we some times tend to forget that we belong in that category of professionals that can never stop studying themselves. Teacher education is something that we tend to neglect either because we rarely have time to join online courses or read for ourselves or because teacher training books are considerably overpriced and can't be easily found in countries like mine. Some of us are lucky enough to be able to afford a second master's degree or even a doctorate, but the rest of us have to do with reading and re-educating themselves over and over again.  In this attempt the Internet has been my valuable friend and supporter. There are numerous sites that offer free online programmes that offer insight and advice from qualified teacher trainers. What is more nowadays us teachers can find books to buy online in considerably lower prices than in the bookstores. 

What follows is my top seven books that have helped me the most and that I turn to from time to time when in doubt.

1. Music and Song By Tim Murphy

As a student I was very certain that listening to music improved my vocabulary and confidence in the target language. I seemed to remember words, structures and phrases much better when they were embedded in one of my favourite songs. In his book, though an old publication, Tim Murphy shows us how to integrate popular music in our lesson plans in order to strengthen certain language skills. I personally love this book. 

2. Language Testing in Practice: Designing and Developing Useful Language Tests by Lyle F. Bachman and Adrian S. Palmer

How can we be sure we test our students correctly? This book offers the theoretical base behind ESL testing as well as practical advise. 

3. Computer Applications in Second Language Acquisition, Cambridge Applied Linguistics, by Carole Chapelle 

Photo via Amazon

4. Grammar Games: Cognitive, Affective and Drama Activities for EFL students by Mario Rinvolucri

5. How to Teach Grammar by Scott Thornbury

Photo via Amazon 

6. Beginning Syntax by Linda Thomas 

Know your syntax before you can teach it. 

Photo via Amazon

7. Learner Contributions to Language Learning, Applied Linguistics and Language Study edited by Michael Breen, general editor Christopher N. Candlin

I am specifically attached to this one since it reminds me so much of my student years. I was lucky enough to have met Michael Breen since he was my Professor during my MsC. He is one insightful linguist and a charismatic teacher. 

Vintage Alphabet Books Revisited

I have always been a fan of rare, vintage and out of print books, however their cost has never been within my reach. This is why is love Project Gutenberg, an online community dedicated to making rare and out of print books accessible to people. I spend many hours browsing through their catalogues for vintage books I can't find where I live. I read a lot of e-books, not because I prefer them to paperbacks, but because they are easier to find and they definitely cost less. Anyway, today I though of looking through their calligraphy and lettering section and I stumbled upon a collection of  antique alphabet books for children. I was amazed by how witty and well made they were, and I thought I should share some of them with you!

My first find was Kate Greenaway's A Apple Pie. It is  an alphabet book with a short of a story. Kate Greenaway managed to deliver a new sense of the alphabet. The children learn the letters while compiling, sentence by sentence ,a story. Her beautiful illustrations are witty and colourful. 

My second find is Dame Wonder's Amusing Alphabet. The moment I saw the following photo, I just knew I had to make my own alphabet book. Of course it is not going to have that vintage look but I bet it is something my students will enjoy. 

The Absurd ABC, has a funny, witty disposition we don't find in alphabet books these days. 

Next I came across with Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes by Crane, Gilbert, Tenniel, Weir, and Zwecker. It is a compilation of the most popular nursery rhymes but is also offers really breathtaking illustrations. I really like the fact that letters are personified and that aspects of one's personality that would be characterised as negative are depicted with great sense of Humour. They remind me of Edward Gorey. 

Finally I came across with a book so aesthetically pleasing that I have to get a copy of this somehow! It is called the Fire Side Picture Alphabet, and it is certainly one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. The colours are amazing and the text so well written, I wish I was a child when it was first published. 

The little sweep has washed his face,

But not as we advise;

For black as soot he's made the soap,

And rubbed it in his eyes.

Here's Master Mack presenting fruit,

Of which he makes display;

He knows he'll soon have Lucy's rope,

And with it skip away.

Here's Topsy-Turvy, upside down,

The ceiling seems the base;

Reverse the ground and 'twill be found

The things are out of place.

All these wonderful pictures from books made me want to start my own alphabet book and card series which is now under way. Of course they are not going to look like that... However given the help of some good people that have made several fonts and released them as public domain fonts, I was able to get started. My first attempt is already finished. All that remains is for me to print them out and get started preparing them for my lessons! 

Vocabulary That Sticks For Advanced Learners

One of the most demanding tasks our students undertake is to learn new words. With younger learners we mostly focus on picture-word association, but when it comes to advanced learners, this may not be applicable.What is more, we often ask our students to memorise words with abstract meaning, that is not often found in simple contexts. My university  professors used to claim that people cannot easily memorise new vocabulary, unless they find it in context, however this is not always easy to provide. I have encountered this problem as a teacher numerous times, especially while preparing students for Cambridge exams like FCE and CPE, as well as with my 6th grade students. I think I have found the answer in a combination of traditional as well contemporary approach to teaching vocabulary. Literature and technology are a killer combination.

Literature

I have always been a fun of reading, not only because I find it a great way to spend one's time, but I have also come to appreciate its educational value. Once more I try to bring my love for books in my teaching, and I have come to realise it actually works. It provides the necessary context for the vocabulary to be understood and retained. It also provides a lot of variety of new words, that are introduced in a pleasurable way.

This year I am hooked on mystery chapter books. They remind me of endless nights staying up reading my books to the last page to find out who the culprit was. I am also somewhat of a retro fan, so I have started re reading my Enid Blyton collection. After that I am going to bury my teeth into Nancy Drew novels and probably the Boxcar Children. I am also planning to recommend them to my students. They are teenage novels, relatively easy to read while providing a challenge, and they have a mystery to solve. I have started making the materials I am going to use along with the books. 

I am using a sample paragraph from Enid Blyton's The Secret Island to show you how I do this. 

sample paragraph


The three children listened, their eyes wide with astonishment. An island on the big lake! Oh, if only they could really go there and hide - and live by themselves - with no unkind aunt and uncle to slap them and scold them and make them work hard all day long!
“Are you too tired to walk down the lakeside to a place where you can see the island?” asked Jack. “I only found it quite by chance one day. The woods come right down to the lakeside opposite the island, and they are so thick that I don’t think anyone has ever been through them, and so no one can have seen my island!”
“Jack! Jack! Take us to see your secret island!” begged Nora. “Oh, we must go. We’re all tired - but we must, must see the secret island.”
“Come on, then,” said Jack, pleased to see how excited the others were. “Follow me. It’s a good way.”

After the students read a chapter, they have to fill in a new words form. I provide them with a dictionary that they can use to do that. Looking things up in a dictionary, printed or online, is a basic study skill.

See-Cover_Copy_Word_List

 In order to make it more appealing for them, I try to involve them in as much sleuthing as I can. This is why I have made a Mystery Case File,that the children have to fill in as real detectives. This includes main list of characters, suspects, evidence and clues. 

Mystery Case File Cover
Χρηστίνα Τσιαγκλή

Technology

I know that students prefer spending time online rather than reading a book. In order to accommodate that I have opened a Spelling City account. In this account my students can find word lists from our lessons, and practice on them. I use this account for my FCE and CPE candidates as well as my other students. Unfortunately I haven't got a premium account, but maybe one day I will. 

Have a look at the current lists I have added:

FCE Wordlist 1

FCE Wordlist 2

FCE Wordlist 3

Student Poetry Projects Using Powerpoint - Εργασίες Μαθητών της Έκτης Δημοτικού της Σχολής Χιλλ.

Don't you just love it when your students take initiative and transform what you have given them into something of their own? 

 I was trying to go through my last year's materials, in order to tidy up my messy computer, when I came up with projects made by my 6th Grade students. It all started when I made PowerPoint presentations of their grammar poems, which the students loved. Some of them were acquainted with the use of technology and offered to make presentations of their own. I have included three of the presentations that they made, and I must admit I am really proud of the work they have done. I have more Student Projects in one of the computers at school, which I am going to include in a later post. I hope you like them as much as I do. This is what happens when children try something off the beaten track. 

• The first presentation is contributed by Irene M. (12 years old.) It was presented during our Earth Day celebration. 

• One more presentation by Irene M. 

The last presentation of the day belongs to Kostis G. (12 years old) 

I am looking forward to this new school years projects. I am sure my new students will amaze me as always. 

Back To School: 2nd Grade Starter Packs

The summer of 2012 is gone. It has been a weird summer for many of us, and it must be said that I welcome the New School Year with somewhat of a relief. Getting back to business, settling down and enjoying the familiarity of day in - day out routine. Before I come to that though, I must undergo the sometimes painful stage of last year's evaluation. I make a point of writing down my plan for every year. Then somewhere in mid July, I read through it and decide what to keep and what to throw away for next year. Now that this process is over, I can finally get down to business and start preparing my materials for next year.

When it comes to second grade I am almost ready, as I am not planning to change much from last year. Most of the techniques I tried worked out fine. I am adjusting some things though and I am introducing others. 

• One of the things I am definitely keeping is my Class Rules. Class rules should be a few, so the children can memorise them easily. They also must be simple and concise. The class rules I am using are the following:

a. Always raise your hand to speak. 

Photo via Discovery Education
Classroom rules 

b. Don't talk when someone else is talking. 

Photo via Discovery Education 
Classroom rules 

c. Keep your work and space tidy.

Photo via Discovery Education
Classroom rules 

d. Thinking caps on! Always come prepared to learn. 

Photo via Discovery Education
Classroom rules   

e. Treat others the way you want others to treat you.

Classroom rules

I compiled these pictures in one chart that I give the children every year. These are ready to be printed out, the moment I find out the number of students I am going to have this year. 

• The second thing I am keeping is my custom made alphabet chart. This is also printed out and given to the children for the purpose of reference. 

Alphabet chart that I give out
 to my students in Hill School.
Copyrighted material. 

• The above two materials are used in the children's nameplates. Their nameplates are simple A3 pieces of thin cardboard. The children write their names and draw a picture of themselves on one side. The other side contains the class rules and the alphabet chart. We use the nameplates to get a quick lesson start. The moment we get in class the children have to grab their name plates and find their seat. Each child gets a sticker when they seat and raise their hands. The nameplate also helps them define their working space, so we don't have arguments about desk space. When we do exercises the children can easily refer to the alphabet chart on the nameplate without opening books and notebooks. It also helps when it comes to class management, cause the children have the rules before them at all times and we can easily remind ourselves. 

• Last year I also used writing samples, in order to give the children a sense of progress. In the beginning of each semester I gave out a name practice chart that the children filled in. This also helps to identify cases of dysgraphia and be able to help the child from the beginning. 

1st Semester Writing Sample
Σχολή Χιλλ

Second Semester writing sample.
It is evident how much this child has improved! 

This year I am thinking of taking it a step further: 

Name Writing Practice Sample

• One new thing I am going to try this year is a homework portfolio, so the children as well as the parents at home, know exactly what they have to do to prepare for the next lesson. I am still working on it, so I am going to show you only a few sample pages. 

Homework Portfolio Sample
Ctsiagli (c)
Σχολή Χιλλ 

Homework Portfolio Sample
Ctsiagli (c)
Σχολή Χιλλ 

These are some of the things I am definitely using this year. I hope they work as well as they did last year. Every time I get allocated a new class of students, I try to keep an open mind. Some materials work like charm every time, others need changing and others don't work at all. What I try to do is start with a chore plan and then adjust as I go. 

To see what we did with second grade last year follow the links below:

Beginner Level 

Class Books and Readers

Games