Post on 14-Apr-2017
Word CloudsHTTP://WWW.ELTNEWS.COM/COLUMNS/BARBS_BITS_AND_BYTES/TEACHING_VILLAGE_WORDLE.PNG
What?
Dictionary definition An image composed of words used in a particular text or
subject, in which the size of each word indicates its frequency or importance:
Louise generated a word cloud of lyrics from the new album. Taken from:
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/word-cloud
What?
Word cloud creators: www.tagxedo.com www.tagul.com www.worditout.com
Word clouds for kids http://www.abcya.com/word_clouds.htm
Other word cloud creators (lists) http://www.edudemic.com/word-cloud-generators/ http://www.edudemic.com/9-word-cloud-generators-that-arent-wordle/
Why?
Visualising word frequencies / synonyms / word fields English language teaching
Reading skills Writing skills Vocabulary
Group dynamics Culture, politics, history
Example
Compare Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s acceptance speeches at their party conventions
https://mgtvwbay.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/trump-rnc-word-cloud-07212016.png
How?
General teaching ideas Guess/brainstorm a topic Words they know / don’t know concerning a topic (to start) Summary/revision of a topic using key words Presentations/group work: one aspect of a larger topic per group (e.g. one
country, politician, time period per group) create a word cloud Finding certain words in the word cloud Compare and contrast: 2 articles in the newspaper, 2 speeches by politicians,
2 lyrics… Using it as a cover for a project booklet, a class book, etc.
How?
English language teaching Synonym word clouds Collocation word clouds Students’ texts: show them which words they use often (e.g. nice, go, say
improve text) Words that are often misspelled Poems: can they guess the poem? Or the topic of the poem? Quotes: can they put the words into the correct order
How?
Group dynamics: Class clouds (names, characteristics [classmates write characteristics for each
student], certain topics [eg holidays] Class poll (favourite…) To introduce the students: each student makes their own word cloud End of the year activity: each student creates a word cloud representing their version
of the past year
Some ideas adapted from: http://blog.tagxedo.com/101-ways-to-use-tagxedo-completed
Any challenges?
Technology Internet connection Software More sophisticated layout not free anymore Adapting texts from websites
Does it display what you want to focus on