Wikipedia and Wikitravel can be used for language learning by having students read articles to learn about topics relevant to their lives, edit articles to practice grammar and spelling, and write new content using a simple style. Some appropriate pedagogies include task-based projects where students research topics, discuss issues of bias and reliability raised by collaborative online content, and generate language through conversations about the content.

1. Wikipedia for Language Learning Collaborative Learning

2. Wikipedia and Wikitravel for language learning Read, edit & create content Relevant to students’ lives Focus on accuracy & quality

3. What are Wikipedia and Wikitravel? Collaboratively created information sources Anyone can add or change content Wiki-based technology Wikipedia = encyclopedia Wikitravel = travel guidebook

4. Why is Wikipedia interesting? Content relates to students’ lives Students gain an online voice Wikipedia is a household name & familiar to most students Simple to use

5. How can we use it for language learning? Reading Wikipedia Editing Wikipedia Writing new content

6. I. Reading Wikipedia Source of information Discussion ("Talk") pages See debate behind main text Consider editorial processes Language of disagreement and discussion

7. II. Editing Wikipedia Edit content Correct factual errors Correct gramatical / spelling mistakes Discuss how informatin is created Bias in information Reliability of information

8. III. Writing Content Create new articles or paragraphs Topics according to students’ expertise Wikitravel articles about home town Individual or group projects “ Simple English” Wikipedia for English learners

9. Appropriate Pedagogies Task-based learning Reading, writing and researching tasks Dogme language teaching Content generates emergent language Conversations about bias, reliability etc

10. Find Out More… Learn more about Wikipedia and Wikitravel in language learning... www.avatarlanguages.com/teaching/wikipedia.php

11. Who Are We? An online language school, offering… … one-to-one language classes English Spanish Other languages www.avatarlanguages.com