Web 2.0 Tools for Teaching Japanese

Web 2.0 Tools for Learning Japanese

Overviews of three Web 2.0 tools and how they can be used to support various learners in a Japanese class.

Web 2.0 Tool One: Voki 

The purpose of this tool is to create an avatar to give a presentation in your place. You can either record your voice or type a script for the avatar.

This could be used as a secondary resource in powerpoint presentations or to add an audio recording to print. It is a great resource for languages as you can set the typed content to be read in the accent of a particular language, and in various voices.

This can help reduce barriers for both students with presentation anxieties, as they can record their presentation, and for students who experience reading difficulties, as they can access an audio recording.

This web tool does require the user to be over the age of thirteen to make their own recording, as it collects personal information. However, the site does offer a paid subscription to Voki Classroom, which allows the teacher to create student files that do not require personal information.

Voki can be accessed at: http://voki.com/

Using Voki in a Japanese Class

Voki would be a great resource to aid in teaching Japanese. The audio recordings could be used to better assess pronunciation, as the students with presentation anxieties will be able to create these files in a non stressed environment instead of trying to remember while presenting. It can be used as a secondary resource for students to use for enhancing powerpoints as well. It would also be a great tool for helping reduce the barrier for students with lower reading levels or who learn better by listening. For example, the audio can be set to read out passages or lessons and linked in a class website as an audio for review purposes.

To view an English example click the link: http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=12461142&height=267&width=200

To view a Japanese example (simple self introduction) click the following link: http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=12461210&height=267&width=200

Web 2.0 Resource Two: Languages Online

This tool allows students and teachers to create language based interactive tasks such as cartoon stories and memory games.

This could be used as an assessment activity to assess student’s understanding of concepts by having the students create a project regarding a concept or by having them do a teacher-made activity.

This tool can help to reduce learning barriers for students in various ways. The activities are interactive and require the students to create the content. As well as this, there are various options in how the information is presented, helping to engage a wide range of students. Creating content such as the comics would appeal to kinaesthetic and visual learners. Students who prefer writing and reading could choose to create a sentence game. Auditory inclined students may choose to create a comprehension task with an audio file. As  far as assessment or teaching a concept, the teacher can create a comprehension task with both an audio file and written transcript, helping students with deficiencies in listening  or reading.

There is no required age for students and no login required. The task creators do, however, have to be downloaded.

Languages Online can be accessed at the following link:  http://www.education.vic.gov.au/languagesonline/default.htm

Using Languages Online in a Japanese Class

This would be a great tool for teaching and assessment in a Japanese classroom. There was an example provided on the site of a cultural lesson regarding ordering food at a restaurant in Japan. To make a comic strip like this and have it available for students on a class website would be a great resource for  examining cultural etiquette. The comprehension task would also help assessment of general comprehension of content, as it makes available both an audio recording and transcript for answering multiple choice questions. In order to engage students this site can also be used as a learning resource. Students can be given a concept and asked to use the tool that appeals best to them to present it.

To access an example of a Japanese culture lesson click the following link: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/languagesonline/games/cartoon/no_15/no_15.htm

Web 2.0 Resource Three: Animoto

This tool is used to create videos from photos and sync them with music and text.

This resource can be used in education as both a learning and assessment tool. It can be used by the teacher to create a presentation about a topic. This video can then also be embedded for students to refer to for review. The site can also be used by students to create a project for assessment purposes.

The creation of animoto videos covers all three of the commonly refered to learning styles; kinesthetic, visual, and auditory, and thus the creation of projects through the site should be engaging for almost all students. The use of these videos as a learning tool also helps to break down learning barriers. The videos can act as both a visual and audio resource, and for students who have difficulty with listening, subtitles can be provided. Likewise, students with a deficient level of reading can listen. These videos can also be uploaded to a class website, allowing students who were not able to grasp the concept to return and review at their own pace. This ability to return and review would be especially beneficial for LED students.

Site is for use for 13 years of age and older. There is a free trial subscription and a full, paid subscription available.

The Animoto website can be accessed be clicking the following link:  https://animoto.com/

Using Animoto in a Japanese Class

This resource could be used in a Japanese class as a learning tool or as an assessment tool. To use it as a learning tool, the teacher can create videos for introduction or review of concepts. These videos can be linked or embedded on a class website. Alternatively, to use Animoto as an assessment tool, The teacher can have the students create a video and evaluate their competence from the product. For example, they could be tasked with working individually or in small groups to create a video about a Japanese festival. This could allow students to focus on the music, text information, images, video clips, etc. The combination of visual, auditory, and physical engagement should help to include everyone in the activity. Likewise, assessment can change between groups depending on elements they focussed on.

Click the following link to see an example video: https://animoto.com/play/4CCeI1bTOFAIlsxcp0F0kg

Previously Unlisted Sources:

Voki. (n.d.). Retrieved February 29, 2016, from http://www.voki.com/

Languages Online. (n.d.). Retrieved February 29, 2016, from http://www.education.vic.gov.au/languagesonline/

Animoto. (n.d.). Retrieved February 29, 2016, from https://animoto.com/