1. The Top 5 Blended And Flipped Classroom Tools
Blended and Flipped Classrooms can give students more control over their learning path. Added to
that, the teachers get more insight into the learning of the class and can intervene as required.
Technology plays an important role in blending the classrooms. User-friendly technology ensures
that the student has more control over the time, place and pace of the curriculum. It also ensures
that the teacher has the necessary visibility and tools to intervene effectively.
A Quick Refresher
(for those of you who need it)
Blended Classrooms
Blended learning is an environment in
which students study in a “blended” model of face-to-face instruction with a teacher
and technology-based instruction to meet their educational needs.
There are essentially three aspects of a blended classroom:

2. 1. Visible learning: Provide the teachers with the complete view of the learning process.
2. Formative assessments: Provide teachers means to give timely and effective feedback.
3. Blended learning: Combination of textbooks and online-resources to improve learning experience.
Flipped classrooms
The flipped-classroom is a pedagogical model that reverses the typical lecture and homework
elements. A flipped-classroom is essentially a blended learning environment. Students view short
video lectures at home and devotes in-class time to exercises, projects, and discussions.
Establishing Your Blended/Flipped Classroom
Blended classrooms essentially have the following or few of the under-mentioned elements:
1.  Learning management system (LMS)
An LMS is a software product that sits within a school’s Managed Learning Environment
(MLE). The LMS is the school’s central hub of the teaching and learning activity. It allows
teachers to direct learning path, create and manage groups and individuals, assess assignments,
track progress, create and share course material and interact with students, etc.
2. Digital media tools
Text alone can’t deliver the subtlety and expression required for meaningful connection.
Audio-visual or the digital content has a better impact than written works. For successful flipped
classrooms, it is necessary to provide video lectures and audio-video reference material to the
students. These tools don’t only support teaching, but students also have a better chance of

3. expressing their learning.
3. Content creation and sharing tools
Students and teachers need to capture and share everything that’s important in a single,
easily accessible place. Sometimes, they also want to share selective things with one person, a few
people or the whole world. These tools allow teachers to introduce course content through multiple
learning modes, and facilitate students to express in various ways.
4. Collaboration and social media tools
These tools allow teachers and students to foster online communities of learners to enhance the
course content. The biggest advantage of technology-based learning is that the students, as well as
the teachers have the option to collaborate on projects. Students may need to share assignments,
discuss learning or teachers may want to share study material.
Following is the list of top five classroom-blending tools. The criteria for selection are user friendly
interface, cost-effectiveness and seamless integration with third-party programs.
5 Great Tools For Blended and/or Flipped Classrooms
Edmodo
Edmodo is a learning management tool (LMS). It is very simple to set up and use. Edmodo features a
Facebook-like interface that is clean and appealing to students. Students and teachers can reach out
to one another and connect by sharing ideas, problems and tips. A teacher can assign and grade
work. Students can get help either from the entire class or make up small study-groups. You can also
connect with the Google-drive. Edmodo is free for individual teachers.
Schoology
Schoology is also free for individual teachers. It too uses a Facebook-like interface and is as
appealing as Edmodo. It provides all the features necessary for an effective learning environment.
This special mention is on account of the discussion features and the advanced assessment-tools.

4. I should bear this in mind considering ESL teaching is my profession. Having said that, I wouldn't
like looking at anything like it were being carved in stone nor should you. This is an appealing
thought though and will be worth additional talk. Let us get back to it to see how far we will get as a
result of moving this further.
 Screencast-O-Matic
Screencast-O-Matic is a free one-click screen recording
web app for Windows and Mac. It’s extremely
easy to use, and you don’t even need to sign up
for an account. When ready, you can upload your
recording straight forward to YouTube. You can create
videos of up to fifteen minutes. You don’t need to
download and install the executable file on your school
computers.
VoiceThread
This is a very popular online tool to create and upload audio files. VoiceThread allows you to upload
images (from your digital camera, scanner, or even paint program). You can also upload PowerPoint
slides. Then students can record or write their own comments and/or narration about the
images/slides. It’s a great tool to submit audio reports, assignments and audio feedback.
Evernote
Evernote allows you to take notes and organize the material. It allows you to take notes in many
formats, including voice and handwriting. You can sync notes on the web and across all your mobile
devices. It is possible to share your work with other teachers and the class, and select them to edit
your work. Evernote is free to use.
This was a list of the five best blending and flipping tools. Although I am exceeding the limit of five,
but Wikispaces Classroom  Wikispaces Classroom deserve a special mention. Wikispaces tools
can keep a track of everything. It allows students to collaborate on large projects, while teachers can
assess them in real time.
How many of these tools do you use? What other tools do you use? We’d love to hear your
views in the comments.
I hope you have found this article as enjoyable as I did. I'm looking ahead to hearing your words over
it . When it has rised your curiosity about ESL teaching you'll find more on this on
http://www.bbcactiveenglish.com/kids-english-zone_information.html also.