Author Archives: AlanP

Quizlet gets a new genre game addition.

Posted on June 10, 2016 by AlanP

I have been a great fan of Quizlet (founded 2006) for many years. As a language learning tool it can be excellent if done correctly. One teacher who does it very well in my opinion is Phrase Bot who provides … Continue reading →

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New generation quiz types

Posted on June 2, 2016 by AlanP

There are some new generation quiz creation websites that are adding an extra dimension of fun and feedback for both students and teachers. While each has their own special take on this quiz genre, the main features are: immediate feedback … Continue reading →

Posted in Quiz, Vocabulary | 1 Comment

Revolting against planned obsolescence.

Posted on May 22, 2016 by AlanP

I bought my first smartphone – an HTC Desire – about 5 years ago. The reviews lauded how it was excellent value and cutting edge technology. CNET gave it 9.5 out of 10. The first thing I think I learnt … Continue reading →

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Linoit.com for daily Productivity

Posted on April 22, 2016 by AlanP

I confess I rarely use my wall calendar. I occasionally have bursts of energy and start filling in the calendar, but the main reason I buy a calendar is for the monthly pictures more than the reminder function! I need … Continue reading →

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Productivity vs Procrastination

Posted on April 22, 2016 by AlanP

Ironic, isn’t it. In December I had planned to write a blog post in January with tips about boosting productivity. There followed my longest period of NOT blogging!! It is now 22nd April and this is my first blog post … Continue reading →

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Automatic gapped selection of Academic Word List items

Posted on December 27, 2015 by AlanP

In October I wrote about studying the Academic Word List using Quizlet. To continue this theme, I can recommend the Academic Vocabulary website maintained by Sandra Haywood of the University of Nottingham in the UK. The part I find most useful … Continue reading →

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Chromebooks vs iPads – the trend is clear. But why?

Posted on November 27, 2015 by AlanP

Having spent some years teaching with iPads, and teaching others to use iPads, I was sceptical as to how useful Chromebooks could really be. When I was asked by my daughter’s school to provide her with a Chromebook, I baulked … Continue reading →

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Academic Word List in Quizlet – thanks Oliver14!

Posted on October 3, 2015 by AlanP

The Academic Word List was developed by Averil Coxhead at Victoria University in New Zealand to help students with their tertiary studies. It consists of 570 headwords and is divided into 10 sublists. It is especially useful for non-native English … Continue reading →

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When the interest is flagging, LyricsTraining is the antidote.

Posted on September 30, 2015 by AlanP

In the staff room when the discussion turned to interesting sites for listening practice, a colleague, Louise, recommended LyricsTraining.com.  My students in Academic English loved trying it,  and I’m sure it is a great website for all levels to get … Continue reading →

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Thinking Inside the Box(.com)

Posted on August 12, 2015 by AlanP

Too many teachers and too few computers in the staffroom? This isn’t the way to keep the teachers at maximum efficiency and happy! At my college there was only one computer for up to 10 teachers in one part of … Continue reading →

Posted in elearning tools, iPad | Leave a comment