Category: Foreign Language

Voki Lesson Plans: Lunar New Year Lesson Plans

Voki Lesson Plans: Lunar New Year Lesson Plans

by Voki Blog ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Lunar New Year is coming up! Lunar New Year is a very important holiday in Asia. To celebrate this upcoming holiday in Asia, we have prepared 3 new Lunar New Year lesson plans on Korea, China, and Vietnam.

 

Remember:  You can use Voki lesson plans for a higher, or lower, grade than the one you teach. These Voki lesson plans can be adapted and customized to fit your unique style or your students’ abilities!

Chinese New Year –   Students will learn about the legend behind Chinese New Year and the 12 animal zodiacs. They will look into the customs and traditions of Chinese New Year and how it is celebrated. Students will learn Chinese New Year greetings. They will create a Voki to compare and contrast New Year and Chinese New Year.

 

Korean New Year (Seollal) – This lesson will teach students the Koreans celebrate Lunar New Year. They will learn about traditional New Year’s food and how to play a traditional New Year’s game. Students will learn how to wish others Happy New Year in Korean.

 

Vietnamese New Year (Tet) – In this lesson, students will learn how the Chinese influenced Vietnamese culture. They will learn about the preparations before and during Tet. They will compare and contrast Vietnamese New Year (Tet) with their own holidays and holiday traditions. Students will split up into groups to research on 3 different aspects of Tet.

If you have a lesson plan that you want to share with us, send it to lessonplans@voki.com!

恭喜發財!

새해복많이 받으세요!

Chúc Mừng Nǎm Mới!

The Voki Team

Voki Lesson Plans: Latin America Lesson Plans in Spanish and Portuguese

Voki Lesson Plans: Latin America Lesson Plans in Spanish and Portuguese

by Voki Blog ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Are you thinking about vacation already? Well, this month’s lesson plan theme brings you and your students to three beautiful countries in Latin America.  These three new lesson plans will let your students explore the exotic culture, unique geography, and famous landmarks of Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. Best of all, these lesson plans are translated into Spanish and Portuguese for our Voki users in Latin America!

¿Estás pensando en vacaciones ya? Bueno, el tema de este mes de planificación de clase trae a usted y a sus alumnos a tres hermosos países de América Latina. Estos tres nuevos planes de clase le permitirá a sus alumnos  explorar la exótica cultura, geografía única, y lugares de interés turístico de la Argentina, Colombia y Brasil. Lo mejor de todo es que estas lecciones son traducidos al español y al portugués para nuestros usuarios Voki en América Latina!

Você já está pensando em férias? Bem, o temado plano de aula deste mês traz para você e seus alunos  três bonitos países da América Latina. Estes três novos planos de aula vão deixar seus alunos explorar a cultura exótica, geografia única, e monumentos famosos da Argentina, Colômbia e Brasil. O melhor de tudo, estes planos de aula são traduzidos para o Espanhol e o Português para os nossos usuários Voki na América Latina!

 
Argentina Weather Forecast (Spanish) – In this lesson, students will learn about the geography and climate of Argentina. They will learn about the different regions within Argentina and the various types of weather in each region. Students will be assigned to a region to write a brief weather forecast. They will be required to create a Voki to practice their public speaking.

Pronóstico del Tiempo en Argentina (Español) – En esta clase, los alumnos aprenderán acerca de la geografía y el clima de Argentina. Ellos van a aprender acerca de las diferentes regiones de Argentina y los distintos tipos de clima de cada región. Los estudiantes serán asignados a una región para escribir una previsión del tiempo breve. Se les exigirá crear un Voki para practicar su discurso público.

Previsão do Tempo para a Argentina (Espanhol) – Nesta aula, os alunos irão aprender sobre a geografia e clima da Argentina. Eles vão aprender sobre as diferentes regiões da Argentina e os vários tipos de clima de cada região. Os alunos serão atribuídos a uma região para escrever uma breve previsão do tempo. Eles serão obrigados a criar um Voki para praticar a sua oratória.

 

Colombian Culture (Spanish) – Students will explore the different aspects of Colombian culture, customs, and traditions. Students will be assigned to one of the Colombian culture. They will create a Voki presenting their findings and what they found interesting.

Cultura Colombiana (Español) – Los estudiantes explorarán los diferentes aspectos de la cultura colombiana, sus costumbres y tradiciones. Los estudiantes serán asignados a un aspecto de la cultura colombiana. Se creará un Voki para presentar sus hallazgos y lo que encuentren interesante.

Cultura Colombiana (Espanhol) – Os alunos irão explorar os diferentes aspectos da cultura colombiana, costumes e tradições. Os alunos serão atribuídos para um aspecto da cultura colombiana. Eles vão criar um Voki para apresentar seus resultados e o que acharam interessante.

 

Brazil Expedition (Portuguese) – This lesson will take your students on an expedition around Brazil. Students will learn new vocabulary words and the five different regions in Brazil. Students will be separated into groups for a six day expedition in one of the regions. Each student will be responsible for one Voki log.

Expedición Brasil (Portugués) – Esta clase  llevará a sus alumnos en una expedición por todo Brasil. Los alumnos aprenderán un nuevo vocabulario y las cinco regiones de Brasil. Los alumnos se dividirán en grupos para una expedición de seis días en una de las regiones. Cada alumno será responsable de un registro Voki.

Expedição Brasil (Português) – Esta lição vai levar seus alunos em uma expedição pelo Brasil. Os alunos vão aprender novas palavras e as cinco diferentes regiões no Brasil. Os alunos serão separados em grupos de uma expedição de seis dias, em uma das regiões. Cada aluno será responsável por um registro Voki.

 

Remember:  You can use Voki lesson plans for a higher, or lower, grade than the one you teach. These Voki lesson plans can be adapted and customized to fit your unique style or your students’ abilities!

 

Recuerde:Usted puede utilizar la Planificación de Clase Voki para un grado superior, o inferior, a la que enseñe. Estos planes de estudio Voki se pueden adaptar y personalizar para adaptarse a su estilo único o habilidades de sus alumnos!

Lembre-se: Você pode usar os Planos de Aula Voki para um grau superior, ou inferior, do que aquele que você ensina. Esses Planos de Aula Voki podeM ser adaptado e personalizado para adaptar-se ao seu estilo único ou habilidades dos seus alunos!

 
Have a fun lesson plan that you want to share with us? Send it to lessonplans@voki.com!

Tiens un plan de clase divertida que quieras compartir con nosotros? Envíalo a lessonplans@voki.com!

Você tem um divertido Plano de Aula que você deseja compartilhar com a gente? Envie ele para lessonplans@voki.com!
 
Until Next Time,                         Hasta la próxima,                         Até a próxima,

The Voki Team                            El equipo de Voki                         A Equipe Voki

Voki Lesson Plans: Holiday Lesson Plans

Voki Lesson Plans: Holiday Lesson Plans

by Voki Blog ♥ 1 Comment

Welcome back to school! To kick off the school year, we have prepared 3 new lessons plans your students are sure to enjoy!

This month’s theme is Holidays! Do you think it’s too early to talk about holidays? Well the folks at Voki don’t! It’s never too early to start preparing lessons for the holiday season.

 Remember: The grade level assigned to each lesson plan is not set in stone. You can use Voki lesson plans for a higher, or lower, grade than the one you teach. Feel free to customize the lesson plans to for your needs. These Voki lesson plans can be adapted to fit your unique style or your students’ abilities!

Halloween – Scary Stories (Middle School) – Students will learn about the history of Halloween, including the origin of trick or treating, costume wearing, and pumpkin carving. In this lesson, students will learn the elements that go into writing a scary story.  Then they will learn how to write their own scary story and share it with the rest of the class.

Thanksgiving Poem (Primary School) – In this lesson, students will learn about the origin of Thanksgiving and how the first Thanksgiving was celebrated. They will discuss what they are thankful for and what it means to be thankful. Then, they will write special cinquain poem about what Thanksgiving means to them.

Christmas around the World (Middle School) – Students will learn about the different Christmas traditions and customs from different countries and how it is different from their own tradition. They will discuss about the legend of Santa Claus and the different symbols that represent Christmas.

Want to share your own lesson plans with us? Just send us an email at lessonplans@voki.com!

Until Next Time,

The Voki Team

Voki Lesson Plans: Ni Hao! Let’s learn Chinese!

Voki Lesson Plans: Ni Hao! Let’s learn Chinese!

by Voki Blog ♥ 1 Comment

Dà jiā hǎo!

Summer vacation is finally here! We prepared 3 new lesson plans to keep your students thinking during vacation or incorporate into the next school year.

The theme of July’s lesson plans is basic Chinese language. It’s a great way to explore a new language and culture! This series of lessons are unique as they work well individually as well as a way to build on previous knowledge.

Getting to know people in Mandarin – In this lesson, students will learn how to introduce themselves and few simple Chinese phrases, including “Good morning”, “Nice to meet you”, and “Good bye”. They are taught the different between difference phrases between the different tones used in Mandarin Chinese. Students will take turns introducing themselves to other students. Using Voki, students will create a Voki introducing themselves in Chinese.

Small Talk in Mandarin Chinese – Students will review the phrases taught in the previous lesson. They will learn the difference between the formal “you” and the informal “you”. Students will learn short phrases, such as “How are you?” and “Are you busy?”. They will practice the phrases taught with other students. For homework, students will be required to create two Vokis using the phrases taught in class.

Counting in Mandarin Chinese – In this lesson, there will be an extensive review of the phrases taught in the last two lessons. In addition, students are taught how to count in Chinese. Teachers will show the different hand gestures related to each number and the different counting rules for Chinese numbers. Students are taught simple phrases using the numbers taught. Students will introduce themselves with a Voki utilizing all the phrases taught.

Check out our Voki Lesson Plan Database for more interesting ways to teach! If you have a lesson plan that you would like to contribute, please send us an email at lessonplans@voki.com.

Until Next Time,

The Voki Team

Lesson Plan Preview – Conjugation Practice with Voki

Lesson Plan Preview – Conjugation Practice with Voki

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 5 Comments

Learning a second language can be tough for all ages. Making grammar practice fun can be just plain difficult. Here at Voki, we have been working on creating lesson plans that can bring seemingly mundane subjects to life and make learning fun!

One lesson in particular is focused on making grammar and conjugation more engaging – more than just written repetition and paperwork. By using Voki to practice conjugation and sentence structure, students will get the chance to interact with language through sight and sound.

The lesson plan “Conjugation and Sentence Practice with Voki” calls for students to choose a verb, conjugate in the tense being studied, and create a Voki. Following the conjugations, students type an example sentence. The Voki can then pronounce their conjugations and example sentence in the language being studied and in the preferred dialect. Once students feel comfortable with the pronunciation and conjugations of a verb, they can record their own voice for the Voki.

If the teacher uses Voki Classroom, a webpage is automatically created for the lesson. If the lesson is conducted using Voki (and not Voki Classroom), the teacher can use a class blog or webpage to display the Vokis. By creating a webpage, teachers and students have access to an online audio-visual database of verbs that are fully conjugated and pronounced correctly. The webpage can serve as reference and extra practice for the class.

“Conjugation and Sentence Practice with Voki” is one of many new lesson plans that we have added to the Voki Lesson Plan Database. As always, Voki lesson plans are free for all to peruse and use. Happy conjugating!

The Voki Team

Interviews with Educators | Mrs. Menezez

Interviews with Educators | Mrs. Menezez

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Ana Maria Menezez is an English teacher in Brazil and uses Voki to inspire her students to speak up and learn a foreign language in an engaging atmosphere. Ana was kind enough to share with us some examples of how she uses Voki in the classroom along with some of her own tips and tricks.

Ana uses Voki to motivate students to practice speaking in a personalized way and also creates her own Voki to improve interaction between teacher and student. One of the most important things about Voki for Ana is its ability to help the quieter students speak up and have a voice in class.

For more of Ana’s tips, tricks, and Voki experiences, check out the interview below!

Check out Ana’s blog: Life Feast

Follow Ana on Twitter: @anamariacult

Want to be interviewed for the Voki blog?
Send us an email at submit@voki.com and we’ll get in touch!

Voki Tip of the Week: Adding Accent Marks to Text-to-Speech

Voki Tip of the Week: Adding Accent Marks to Text-to-Speech

by Voki Blog ♥ 6 Comments

There are many ways to add an accent mark to your text-to-speech audio for your Voki, but this a the coolest tip we found on our Teacher’s Corner Forum.

It looks like a great way to avoid copying and pasting from Word, you can just enter these ALT codes.  Here’s how it works:

“When Num Lock is turned on, students can hold down the ALT key while typing a 4-digit number on the right-hand number pad (NOT the regular numbers which run straight across the top of the keyboard) and it will make the desired character. Examples:

ALT 0231 = ç (c cedilla)

ALT 0232 = è (e grave)”

So, let’s say you want your Voki to recite an excerpt from Federico Garcia Lorca’s “Arbolé, Arbolé . . .”

Here’s what you’d like your Voki to read:

Arbolé, arbolé,
seco y verdí.

La niña del bello rostro
está cogiendo aceituna.
El viento, galán de torres,
la prende por la cintura.
Pasaron cuatro jinetes
sobre jacas andaluzas,
con trajes de azul y verde,
con largas capas oscuras.

Here’s how it would look if you were to type it out using ALT codes:

ArbolALT+130, arbolALT+130,
seco y verdALT+161.

La niALT+164a del bello rostro
estALT+160 cogiendo aceituna.
El viento, galALT+160n de torres,
la prende por la cintura.
Pasaron cuatro jinetes
sobre jacas andaluzas,
con trajes de azul y verde,
con largas capas oscuras.

And here’s an example, using on of the Voki Spanish voices.

You can find the full list of French accent ALT codes here and Spanish accent ALT codes here.

Got a Voki tip?

Share it in the “Voki in the Classroom” section and we might feature you right here, in the blog!

http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=3496175&height=267&width=200
Voki in the Languages Classroom

Voki in the Languages Classroom

by Voki Blog ♥ 8 Comments

José Picardo

The ability to speak the foreign language in question can safely be described as the principal objective of learning foreign languages. However, it can often prove difficult to assess your pupils’ ability to speak the foreign language in the classroom, as time and numbers often conspire against us.

If you do find them time, for many pupils, speaking in the classroom involves being put in a very tricky spot. Not only do they have to say something of consequence in front of their teacher and fellow pupils, they also have to pronounce all those strange sounds correctly, while ensuring that they get the grammar right. Rather them than me!

As a foreign languages educator, Voki has provided me with a fantastic way to assess my pupils’ speaking ability, whilst providing them with a means to speak the language in a way they find both engaging and motivating, and that builds their confidence. Speaking in the foreign language is no longer stressful or fear-inducing, but rather an activity they look forward to.

Lesson planning with Voki

My pupils don’t use Voki in every lesson. Approximately once every half term, I plan a series of lessons that culminates in my pupils using Voki as a means of assessment. I generally follow this pattern:

  • Our first lesson in the sequence focuses on revising the appropriate vocabulary and/or grammatical structures. At the end of the lesson, I set a relevant writing task for homework, with the aim of basing our Vokis upon this task.
  • In subsequent lessons we develop the topic further and I return their exercise books with highlighted errors and corrections to their homework. You may prefer to do this digitally using blogs or wikis.
  • Eventually, I will take the class to an ICT room and set the speaking task, explaining very clearly what the expected outcome should be. As Voki is available online, the task can also be finished for homework.
  • Finally, I collect all the Vokis by email, import them into my own account and assess them. If you have your own classroom blog, you may want to publish your pupils’ Vokis in your blog for further peer-assessment, which your pupils could do by leaving comments for one another, as my pupils have done here in our blog.

Voki’s Advantages

As mentioned above, Voki can be accessed both at home and at school, facilitating the transition from teacher-centered, classroom-based learning to personalized learning in which the pupil begins to acquire individual responsibility.

Voki is a Web application, and the Web is where our pupils are spending more and more of their time. Voki is also inherently fun and engaging. All this serves a powerful motivator to our pupils and should not be disparaged.

Still, for me, one of the most striking and unexpected advantages of using Voki in the languages classroom is that it has made it possible for the quieter pupils to make their presence felt and be heard. In my experience, it has often been the case that it is indeed these pupils who have produced the most remarkable Vokis, often outshining their more lively and vociferous counterparts.

In addition to providing me with both a fantastic way to assess the speaking skill and with evidence of learning, all my pupils have gained confidence in their speaking ability as a result of using Voki in this way. Voki has catalyzed pupils’ interest in all things Web and has helped to increase my pupils’ self-assurance when it comes to speaking in a foreign language by allowing them to role-play and become someone else: a more confident self.

———–

José Picardo is Head of Modern Foreign Languages at Nottingham High School.

He also runs two popular blogs: Box of Tricks and JosePicardo.com.

Find José on Twitter: @josepicardo

Tip of the Week: Voki as a Newsletter

Tip of the Week: Voki as a Newsletter

by Voki Blog ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

One of our users gave us a great example of how she uses Voki: she records a welcome message on her newsletter! You can see an example of the newsletter here.

Sra. Silvey creates a newsletter for her Spanish Language students’ parents. As part of a voluntary contest, she asks her students to create a welcome message. The winner gets to create their own Voki and gets featured in that news letter. Pretty cool, huh? See the discussion here.

You can also check out Sra. Silvey’s teacher blog!

Got a Voki tip?

Share it in the “Voki in the Classroom” section and we might feature you right here, in the blog!