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Apps & tools to support MFL & pronunciation

By May 19, 20147 Comments

An MFL colleague recently asked me for some help on Apps and other E-Learning methods to help with learning about pronunciation. Not exactly being my area of subject expertise, I had some ideas, but I turned to my PLN for some too. Thanks to @CeriAnwen@bellaale and more for their ideas. This is how it turned out.

ivona.com

A great little site where you can type in your text, e.g. Bonjour, choose the gender and nationality of the speaker and it will read the text back to you, with correct pronunciation. Nice! Works on tablets too. (It’s free).

Duolingo

Available as a standalone App or via browser, this great free tool gamifies learning. You can log on via SSO if you have Google Apps for Education and is dead simple to use. Lots of different language learning styles here. Written. Visual. Spoken. Lots! Win. (It’s free).

Quizlet

Not only is this a great tool for revision and checking learning, you can also use the App to generate audio for you, or, if you are using it in browser, then you can create your own audio. (It’s free). 

Tellagami

Great talking head style video recording where recordings are limited to 30 seconds. A great tool (blogged about by many!) which is also free. 

Shadow Puppet

Another screen recording style App – very simply to use with lots of sharing options once completed. (Free too). For example:

Spreaker DJ

Used previously to create the #ADESpreak podcasts, this great little App is brilliant and students are always engaged when using it. Fantastic tool for getting students to practice their language in the form of a podcast. (Free).

Puppet Pals HD

Still going strong… this long time favourite App is great for getting students to tell stories, especially when you want them to practice their use of foreign language. (Free version available).

Funny Movie Maker / Morfo Booth

Both similar in their talking head recording options. Here’s a non-MFL example. (Not free – boo).

Explain Everything

Do I need to say any more about this amazing App? (Not free but it’ll be the best £1.99 you’ll ever spend on an App). 

Showbie

Set an assignment in Showbie and then use the voice note tool as a means to record the audio to practice the language. Then listen to your student and correct any pronunciation issues in a voice note in return. Student can listen back and practice again… and so the loop continues! (also free).

Adobe Voice

It doesn’t really do much than what many of the others do but it’s very easy to use and is also free. 

If you’re a member of the #MFLTwitterati and you know of even more ideas (or even if you’re not) I’d love to hear about them in the comments. The site gets lots of visits and so by commenting, you’re helping to share even more ideas. I look forward to hearing from you!


On the recommendation of @lancslassrach I thought I’d add two more to this list which look pretty awesome too:

30Hands

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Photo Credit: KadasBence via Compfight cc

Mark Anderson

Mark Anderson, @ICTEvangelist. Click here to learn more.

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