View Your Mailvu!

Assalamualaikum and Hi to all

This is the latest website that I am going to share with you. It is called the Mailvu. Mailvu is a video recording tool which allows you to record your video and speak about whatever you want and send it to your friends. This website is fantastic as it is free (unless if you need other services like putting the widget onto your website) and it can be done in just a few steps. This tool is probably one of the popular online video tool that is used for marketing purposes as it allows marketers to engage with their audience. Unlike Audioboo, this tool allows you to record video, which is more convincing as the audience will be able to see your face and body gestures while listening to the recording. Not only that, it allows the customers to record their testimonials and put it into the blog or website which certainly be more interesting. Not only business, Mailvu can also be used for leisure purpose as well as education. The recording can be up to 10 minutes which is long enough for a video recording. The organisation of the website is fairly satisfying as there are not too many thumbnails and you can just record from the homepage.

Mailvu and language learning.

The existence of online video recording makes the communication between teacher and students. This is because students can interact with their teachers (what I mean by interacting is that students and teachers will be able to see each other's face) easily and more frequent. If the students have any problems with a particular lesson and need to consult the teacher outside the classroom, they can just send their Mailvu to the teachers. Teachers will also be able to reply and give feedback even if they are at home, which is likely to produce instant result. Not only that, Mailvu can be used as an idea of connected classroom where the lesson taught in the class can be reflected using Mailvu. For example the teacher can pre teach the students some vocabulary items of describing a person in the class then ask students to describe about their best friend at home, using Mailvu. The students will be able to not only speak but make use of the video by showing pictures of their friends of any related pictures. This will make the lesson more interesting as thus motivate students in language learning.

Is it difficult?

As I said, the steps are fairly easy as you do not have to register in order to make recording and send it to someone. All you need to do is just record, information such as name, email address and subject then you are ready to send.

Recording can be made directly at the homepage 

Just edit the video information and then you can send
it to your friends.

Advantages of this website:


1. It allows you you connect with your friend any time you want whether your friend is online or offline as you just have to record and send it to their emails
2. Students will be able to engage in the classroom teaching through connected classroom. They can apply what they learn in the class, make a video and send it to their teacher.
3. Teachers can also know about the students by using this video for self introduction. So teacher will be able to get access to the information whenever necessary.
4. It can enhance students motivation for communicating they are able to preview their recording. This will allow them to reflect and improve in the future.

Disadvantages of this website:


1. It does allow you to embed your recording for free. You have to pay for extra services if you need them. For example, if you would like to have this widget on your website, you have to pay USD5. (This is what I get from the website: http://mailvu.com/blog/how-to-add-a-video-email-widget-to-your-website/

Apart from that, I do not see any disadvantages of this website and this website is one of the websites that I like the most. Here is the link to the website:
http://mailvu.com/

Hello Elllo!

Assalamualaikum and Hi to all.

In this entry, I would like to share a website that can be used for listening activity. It is called Elllo. This website offers thousands of listening materials either audio clips or video clips uploaded by people all around the world such as England, United States of America, China, Vietnam and a lot more. It  provides numerous activities that the students can benefit from such as vocabulary, information gap, quizzes, comprehension as well as games. The clips in this website are clustered into five different sections which are News, Views, Games, Videos, and Mixer and users will be able to search the clips through those sections. However, because there are massive number of clips as well as their functions, the organization of this website seems a bit problematic that it makes the users difficult to search their favourite clips. Nonetheless, this website is still a powerful tool because it allows people to upload their materials based on any topic that they like which is very good because it promotes personalization. This means that people can talk about whatever topic that they like and appeal to them and then upload it onto the website.So the topic will be more authentic because the speaker speaks based on his or her personal experience.

Listen and Learn the language!


Apart from listening to the clips, there a lot of activities that come together with the materials which help the students in language learning. There are vocabulary practises as well as comprehension exercises that assist learners in understanding the materials and improve their language. One particular thing that I like about vocabulary practise is it does not only say the word and gives definition, like most of the website do, but also demonstrate on how to use it in a suitable context. I found this very helpful because sometimes you may know the definition and how to pronounce certain words but it is different when putting them into context. This is very helpful for students because they will be able to know how to use the words in their writing. Apart from that, there is also transcription of the clips which the students can refer to while they are listening. This is also important for them to familiarise with the language.

Have a glance at the page!

The following pictures are taken under Video section.

More than one thousand clips to choose from!

Good quality of video.

Video quizzes.

Lesson relating to the video.

Advantages of this website.


1. There are various topic to choose from. Students will be able to choose clips based on any topics that they prefer.
2, Audio clips can be downloaded into a playlist available in the website or even into the computer which is very convenient and easy.
3. The handout can also be downloaded or printed.
4. variety of English accents. This is because there are more that one thousand people of different countries speaking and the students will be able to hear variety of accents which will help them in the future context. For example if they further their study in a foreign country where there are multicultural students speaking the language.
5. Develop autonomous learning; students will be able to learn on their own.
6. Promote multiple intelligence. This is because the students are not only limited to the listening skills but also exposed to visual and writing.
7. Promote Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). Students will be able to learn the language through a particular content such as sports or culture.

Disadvantages of the website.


1. There are too many advertisements which may be confusing. Users sometimes may find it difficult to differentiate between content and advertisement. It will definitely be disturbing if we accidently click at the advertisement.
2. The video cannot be downloaded. The video clips are available for online streaming only and they cannot be downloaded.

I hardly found any other disadvantages to this website as I personally like this tool very much and I believe that it will be a great tool for language learning.

Here is the link to the website:
http://www.elllo.org/

Don't Just Listen, Please Write!

Assalamualaikum and Hi to all.

This time, I would like to share one website that is cool and fantastic which the students are able to benefit from. It is called Listen and Write. Similar to the previous website that I have published, this website is able to be one of the favourite website among students as it allows them to practise listening skill as well as writing skill. Most of the people are merely enjoying listening to songs and not doing anything. This website on the other hand, allows users to not only listen to their favourite song but also dictate the lyrics out. I found this very useful for students as they will be able to practise listening skills as well as expand their vocabulary knowledge. Students can choose from various listening materials from Youtube and news in order to practice. Students are required to listen and write down the missing words or sentences on the space provided. If they do not want to listen to songs, there are other alternatives such as news or interviews, which are more 'serious'. Therefore, more or less, it allows variety of materials because students can choose the materials based on their interest. The organization of this website is fairly satisfying because there are not too many items being put in the website. Students more or less will likely to have no problems in finding their desired materials. On the other hand, in my opinion, this website is suitable for students of beginner and intermediate level as it more enjoyable and fun. Apart from that, I think the activities are not of higher level because it does not require critical thinking or cognitive skills in completing them

How to do it?
It is not complicated and quite user-friendly because it allows repetition so that the students will be able to capture the words. I have done one of it by choosing a song from Youtube

Different sources available.

You can select preferable from
3 different mode.

Simple video interface, and activity at the bottom.

This is the sample that I have done from the website.




The advantages of this website are:


1. It allows multiple skills which are listening and writing at the same time.
2. It is free and enjoyable for young and intermediate learners as it does not involve critical thinking
3. Various sources are available.
4. It also has different level of difficulties for different level of students.

The disadvantages of this website are:


1. The students might not be interested in the topic available. This is because they cannot search the materials that they prefer but rather have to choose from the list. There is also no search button.
2. May not not suit advanced students which require more activities that involve critical thinking as well as cognitive skills.
3. Lack or physical resources as it requires all students to have their own computer.

Here is the link to the website
http://www.listen-and-write.com/

Lyrics training

Assalamualaikum and Hi to all.

In this entry, I am going to highlight another website that is useful for listening activity. It is called Lyrics Training. This fantastic website allows people to not only listen to their favourite songs but to do an interesting activity with the songs. Basically this website offers numerous songs, from out dated to the latest and the users will be able to choose any songs that they like. Apart from that, there are various languages for for the users to choose from, be it in English, Spanish, Germany and even French. While the songs are being played, users are required to fill in the missing words of the lyrics. The music will be paused until the gap is filled with the correct word which I found very convenient. The organisation of the website is not really confusing as there are not too many thumbnails in the website. Apart from that, if you are connected to Facebook, it will automatically connect to your Facebook account and you will be able to leave comments on the website.

Of course it is good for language learning!

Most of the people especially teenagers nowadays are addicted to songs. Almost everywhere, there will be young people with their Ipod or Mp3 player doing their daily activity while listening to songs. Language learning does take place informally when they are listening to songs as they pick up certain language style and vocabulary items in the lyrics. Then why not let the students learn language their own way? This website can be one of the best website for learning languages especially for second language learners. Students will not only enjoying listening to the songs but also have the opportunity to expand their vocabulary knowledge with the information gap activity. They are forced to listen carefully to the lyrics in order to have the gap filled. On the contrary, if the teacher is going to have a traditional vocabulary teaching such as spelling order, it will make the students feel less interesting because it does not involve any visual supplementary. However, it does not necessary for teachers to merely depends on this website for vocabulary teaching rather use it for supplementary purposes. This is because teacher have to consider other factors such as facilities and syllabus coverage. In my opinion, this website is suitable for both students of primary and secondary schools aging between 7 to 17 years old because it is simple yet enjoyable. 

Have a look at the page!

You can search your preferred songs.

There are 3 levels to choose from.

Gaps that needs be filled

The advantages of this website are:


1. Students can practise listening skill in a fun way. They can listen to their favourite songs
2. Students can choose the difficulty as there 3 different levels which are beginner, intermediate and advanced
3. It can accommodate speakers of various languages. There are some foreign languages as well to practise.
4. Allow students to listen to the song carefully and fill in the gaps.

The disadvantages of this website are:


1. Problems in resources. Not all songs available for students to choose.
2. Language abuse; some songs might contain inappropriate words

There are not many disadvantages that I found in this website as it is quite a simple website.

Here is the link to the website:
http://www.lyricstraining.com/
2. Problems in access where not all students have the access to the internet.