Reflections on TELL (Week 2)

 Last week was all about understanding the basics of TELL, but this week felt more immersive and hands on. The focus was on Penzu, a powerful digital journaling tool, some podcasting apps that support listening and speaking skills and finally Phraseteacher, through which one can learn phrases and idioms according to different situations. One thing I realized is how these tools could transform the way I engage with language learning. These tools ,though not for this purpose, could help in making language learning way easier and interesting..

Here’s what I discovered...

Journaling and writing skills

Penzu is a journal but a digital one. Just like an actual journal, one can express anything one wants; their opinions, thoughts and reflections. It is private. Nobody has access to it but oneself although one can still share the link of one's journal entry to people through it's link or they can just email it to the other person. I often do journaling . It helps me get my thoughts straight and  organized and keep track of things. It's not only cathartic and fun but it also helps in improving writing if one writes often. I think digital journaling apps like Penzu have many benefits compared to an actual journal. Firstly, I don't keep my journal with me all the time but I do have my phone on me most of the time. So, I can write whatever I want anytime because it's convenient and accessible. Secondly, Penzu has options of adding pictures, icons even links unlike a paper journal which makes it fun, interesting and set a context for what you're trying to express. Third, it's so easy to edit things one makes a mistake, unlike messy corrections and crossed out words in actual journal. And lastly, one can never run out of pages. Apps like Penzu are actually a great way to improve writing skills. Because they're convenient, they make journaling a habit and improves writing. Also, there are instant spellcheck and grammar corrections if one uses apps like Grammarly. It's all about regular writing practice that hones this skill and digital journaling makes it easier. Phraseteacher is just another app through which one can learn idioms and phrases according to different contexts and situations. Here is how it looks like 

Podcasting and Speaking Skills

Writing is just one part of language learning, but what about speaking and listening skills? That’s where podcasts and screencasts become game-changers, helping bridge the gap between passive learning and real-world communication. During this 2nd week of learning TELL, i was introduced to some podcasting and screencasting tools. Podcasts are audio or video files through which one discusses some topic. First i came to know about about two kinds of versions of these podcasting tools; desktop version and browser or web version. Web version runs on browsers and requires internet connection while the desktop version is installed in the computer itself. It runs locally and does not require internet connection. The first tool i got to know about is Text Smith Jing which allows free recording of 5 minutes. It allows screen recording and voiceovers too. Teachers can use the same app to provide feedback to the students. There are multiple other tools like Screencastomatic which provides 15 minutes of free recording, Zoom which provides 40 minutes of free recording and also Screenpal. Another tool which is purely for podcasting purposes is Vocaroo. It allows voiceover, screencast and also camera recording simultaneously. Also, the tutor touched upon Google Classroom which is an e-assessment tool. Using it the tutor can assign homework, grade them and provide feedback. 

Finally at the end, the class was assigned an activity. it involved reading a few chapters from a book about using technology to enhance language learning. The class was divided into group and each group discussed their part. The discussion was basic stuff about how technology can be incorporated into language teaching. Here is the link to my Penzu entry which shares the details about the activity:

 

https://penzu.com/p/b830715ab0d56674

With so many digital tools available, there’s no excuse not to make language learning a daily habit. Whether it’s journaling thoughts, listening to a podcast, or practicing with a screencast, each small effort adds up.

Here's a video about teaching English through technology