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| http://www.wordle.net/ |
What is Wordle? What does it do?
Wordle is a website made by an IBM software engineer, Jonathan Feinberg. Users either type or copy-and-paste text into the system, which then creates a corresponding 'word cloud' from it. Words that appear more frequently are made larger than others and users can play with the clouds using a variety of colour schemes, layouts and fonts. Wordle is a free tool and the pictures users create with Wordle are theirs to keep. Users can print them out or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with the public.
Why is Wordle relevant to language learning?
Wordle is relevant to language learning because it is visually attractive and thus can boost students' motivation. It can, moreover, show word frequency and highlight the key words of the texts given.
How can we use Wordle to foster language learning in class or outside class?
In class
Wordle is a great tool for teachers to use to engage students in pre-reading activities.
1. Teachers can show students a Wordle created from a text and ask students to guess what the text is about. For example, if I want to use Wordle to teach an English song, I will first show the Wordle I have made from the lyrics of a song and ask students to discuss what they think the lyrics are about.
2. Teachers can then ask students to find words they already know in the Wordle given and have them read those words out loud for practice.
3. Following that, students could be asked to find 10 words they don't know in the Wordle (or those they are least familiar with) and make a list of them.
4. Before the class is dismissed, students could be set homework, making 10 sentences based on the list of 10 words.
Outside class
Teachers can ask students to go home, find texts that interest them, make their own Wordles, and then write 10 sentences, each containing a word they previously didn't know. By doing so, teachers encourage students' autonomous learning.
Wordle is a great tool for teachers to use to engage students in pre-reading activities.
1. Teachers can show students a Wordle created from a text and ask students to guess what the text is about. For example, if I want to use Wordle to teach an English song, I will first show the Wordle I have made from the lyrics of a song and ask students to discuss what they think the lyrics are about.
2. Teachers can then ask students to find words they already know in the Wordle given and have them read those words out loud for practice.
3. Following that, students could be asked to find 10 words they don't know in the Wordle (or those they are least familiar with) and make a list of them.
4. Before the class is dismissed, students could be set homework, making 10 sentences based on the list of 10 words.
Outside class
Teachers can ask students to go home, find texts that interest them, make their own Wordles, and then write 10 sentences, each containing a word they previously didn't know. By doing so, teachers encourage students' autonomous learning.
What are the limitations with the use of Wordle?
1. A Wordle file cannot be saved in a JPEG or PDF format directly from the Wordle website. You have to use other tools or apps to do that.
2. Despite the fact that Wordle makes gorgeous word clouds and can really draw students' attention in the beginning, they might not find Wordle interesting any more if teachers keep using it in class.
3. If the text is too long, the Worldle created might seem a bit disordered and cluttered.
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