1. ICT in ELT Teaching
TP # 4: Web 2.0 Tools
Student: Florencia Braña
Lecturer: Paula Ledesma
INSPT-UTN
Web 2.0 Useful Tools
This blog has been created for an assignment for the subject called ICT Applied to English
Teaching at the INSPT-UTN, Argentina. Our teacher is Paula Ledesma.
W E L C O M E !
The purpose of this blog is to design ELT activities which involve the
application of different Web 2.0 tools. You will find seven samples os
different websites used as tools and reviews and activities of four of
them.
Hope you can get advantage of this, discover new and useful tools and
enjoy trying them!
Sample # 1: TAGXEDO
Tagxedo is a word cloud generator that turns text, into a visually stunning cloud of
words, individually sized appropriately to highlight the frequencies of occurrence
within the body of text.

2. Sample # 2: AVATAR MAKER
Avatar-Maker provides users to create a virtual picture of a user of a
social network, MSN Messenger or a player in a game that characterize
that person. You can chose its hair, clothing, facial gestures, etc.
Here there ir an example:
Sample # 3: GLOGSTER
This tool allows you to create posters. With this you can let your imagination fly. It
has many settings to create a very unique poster!
You can add from pictures and videos to songs, colours and text!

3. Sample # 4: ANIMOTO
This is a tool to create videos from a collection of pictures. You can either upload
pictures from your computer or select them from the website's collection. Also you
can add audio files to it.
The following link is a video sample to see how Animoto works.
SALTA LA LINDA
Sample # 5: SKETCHCAST
With this tool you will be able to create videos. It is like paint program. The website
will record everything you draw. Also you can add your own voice to it while
drawing. See this example and try your own!

4. Sample # 6: TAG GALAXY
This tool allows you to find lots and lots of pictures by just writing a word.
Afterwards the website will provide you with different classifications for you to
choose one. Finally the website will provide you with many images.
Here is an example for you to see.

5. Sample # 7: GIZMOZ
This is the final product you get by trying this website. With this tools you can create
funny avatars. You can choose a predetermine face and outfit but also you have the
possibility of taking yourself a picture and choose every single clothing, make up,
gestures, scars, etc.
To make one only takes a couple of minutes, try one now! Here you can see an avatar
with Ricardo Fort's face...but... there is no much difference with the real one ha?
Description of GIZMOZ
WHAT and HOW:
Gizmoz is a tool that provides users to make avatars. You choose faces,
hairstyles, make up, accesories, shoes, predetermined outfits,
chlothing, etc. You only need to sign up and then in less than 3 minutes
you can create one on your own.
WHY:
I find this website uselful mainly for little and preadolescents boys. You can use it for
description exercises or also to use children's imaginations providing them with a
more sofisticated avatar-maker, since the items the website provides are not the
common ones.

6. Description of AVATAR MAKER
WHAT and HOW:
This website is an avatar maker. The website provides users with many
different features to customize and create their avatars.You can
change different things of the body (back hairstyle, eyebrows, eyes,
nose, mouth, body, hands), shoes, make-up and colorations (a section
that lets users edit the colours of the features they have included in
their avatars). When the avatar is finished, it can be downloaded in
“.GIF” format. This application is free and you don't need to sign up to
star using it.
Avatars makers are useful tools for the English classroom especially
for people’s descriptions.
WHY:
In my opinion this website is useful to work with children and why not
adults? It's a good way to put into practice all the teacher teaches to
their students among descriptions. It's a funny way to draw children's
attention. Instead of asking students to draw a picture of themselves
or decsribe a picture of their favourite famous person you can ask
them to create an avatar.
Description of SKETCHCAST
WHAT and HOW:
Sketchcast is a voice and video recording and a written and visual explanation all
in one! It's very easy to use it. First of all you need to sign up. Then it very similar to
use paint program. While you draw and write the website is recording everything!
WHY:
In my opinion this is a usefull tool for children to create their own projects. Children
coul duse a wirelss microphone and the smart board to explain a particular maths
concept.
I think children would feel motivated to create these explanations if they know their
tutorial can be played back at the end of the lesson or even published to a blog for
others to revise from.
Description of TAG GALAXY
WHAT AND HOW:
Tag Galaxy is a website that provides users with lots of images. It's very easy to use it
and you don't need to sign up or log in. You just need to write any word and
afterwards a lot of planets with related names of the word you had typed in will
appear for you to choose what best suits your research.
HOW:
I find it useful because children not only can find lots of pictures in a more
entertaining way than googleimages.com but also because of the related words the
website provides you. Children can start typing any word it comes to their minds and
the website itself will provide them with related topics. So children can start making
connections betweens words and that is a good way to learn new vocabulary.

7. ACTIVITY # 1: Avatar-Maker
CREATE YOUR AVATAR
LEVEL:Intermediate
SKILLS: Reading comprehension
EVALUATION CRITERIA: T will evaluate reading comprehension skill. If the
students have understood correctly all the pieces of papers they had been given.
INSTRUCTIONS:
T will make students pick pieces of papers from different plastic bags. Each bag will
belong to the different things an avatar is made of. For example: There is a bag for
skin colour, another one for tops, pants, etc.
Once each student has all the items to create one they will form it following what the
differents pieces of papers say.
For more help follow these links:
Sample: http://webtools4english.blogspot.com/2010/11/sample-avatar-
maker.html
Description of the site: http://webtools4english.blogspot.com/2010/11/description-
of-avatar-maker.html
In order to do this follow the following steps:
1) Go to http://avatarmaker.abi-station.com/index_en.shtml
2) Click on one of the following sections.

8. 3) Now choose the one that you like most!
4) Keep on choosing all the items unitl your avatar is ready!
5) Now T will print them so students can see in paper their productions and all
together will make a poster to share with the whole school.
ACTIVITY # 2: Tag Galaxy
HOLIDAYS
LEVEL:Intermediate
SKILLS: Writing
EVALUATION CRITERIA: Stds are expected to write a narration about where they
would like to go on holiday or visit.
INSTRUCTIONS:
For more help follow these links:
Sample: http://webtools4english.blogspot.com/2010/11/sample-4-tag-galaxy.html
Description of the site: http://webtools4english.blogspot.com/2010/11/description-
of-tag-galaxy.html
1) Go to www.taggalaxy.com and you'll find this:

9. 2) Tag the word of the place you dream of going on holiday or visiting. Then you'll
find lots of related words.
3) Now click on the biggest planet and look all the amazing pictures!
4) Choose one! In this case I've typed for the word "weddings"
5) Now you are ready to get inspired and write you decsription!
ACTIVITY # 3: SKETCHCAST
BEGIN A STORY
LEVEL: Beginners/ Intermediate
SKILLS: Writing
EVALUATION CRITERIA: Stds will be asked to follow their partners instructions and
T will evaluate their accuracy to write a narrative and how well he or she followed
their classmate's choice.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Stds will be asked to draw something and write a phrase at the bottom of the page.
Then stds will exchange by e-mail their works with a classmate and this one will have
to write a short story.
For more help follow these links:
Sample: http://webtools4english.blogspot.com/2010/11/sample-1-
sketchcastcom_09.html
Description of the site: http://webtools4english.blogspot.com/2010/11/description-
of-tag-galaxy.html

10. 1) Go to www.sketchcast.com and you'll se this.
2) Now you will need to sign up and then click on "create"
3) Now you will see this. Press on the "start recording buttom".
4) Now click on the pencil buttom or press "control" in you keyboard to start
drawing.

11. 5) You can erase to correct your drawing by pressin again on the pencil buttom.
6) You can press "space" in your keyboard to change colours and press on "T"
buttom to write a text.
7) It's very important for you to press "pause recording buttom" to stop it.
8) Now click on "publish" buttom to be able to send this to your clasmate!
ACTIVITY # 4: GIZMOZ
HOW WOULD I CHANGE MY COUNTRY?
LEVEL: Pre-Intermediate adults course
SKILLS: Writing
EVALUATION CRITERIA: Stds will be asked to write sentences about what they think
they would do if they were superheroes. T will evaluate conditional sentences.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Stds will be asked to create a superheroe and then write sentences about whay they
would do if they were a superheroe and could change some things in our country.
For more help follow these links:
Sample:http://webtools4english.blogspot.com/2010/11/sample-2-avatar-
makercom.html
Description of the website:
http://webtools4english.blogspot.com/2010/11/description-of-gizmoz.html

12. 1) Go to www.gizmoz.com
2) Sign up
3) Click on "create your avatar" and you'll see this:
4) Start selecting the items you like in each section
5) Once you have chosen everything click on the "publish"
6) Download it into your computer and send this file together with the sentences to
my e-mail address.