WORDLE / WORDSIFT

Wordle or Wordsift is a tool used to create word clouds - a visual representation of texts whereby the most frequent occurred word shows up the largest. The word clouds can be made up from one's own text or just by inserting the url of a website. The differences between Wordle and Wordsift are that one can choose from a variety of layout from Wordle, but not from Wordsift, and the presence of Thesaurus application and examples for the use of words in Wordsift.  Both the tools have its own advantages which depending on the needs of an individual. 

INTEGRATION OF WORD CLOUDS IN AN ESL CLASSROOM

Example 1: Predicting & Previewing  (Pre-reading Activity)

1. Teacher could use Wordle or Wordsift to create a word cloud for students to predict and preview the content of a reading text. 
2. Each of them will be given the word cloud created to guess the themes and topic of the reading text. Then teacher will hold a class discussion and activate students' schemata on the topic of the reading text.
3. After that, students will be given the text to skim and scan through it. Then they will have to complete the authentic tasks and discuss the answers with their partners. 
4. A second reading of the text will then be carried out. In this stage, some reading skills will be practiced unconsciously in order to get a good comprehension of the text. Then, the teacher could emphasized on the reading skills that have been practiced by the students while reading. 
5. Lastly, students will be given some comprehension questions to be completed in groups. 

Example 2: Scrambled Sentences (While-listening Activity)

1. An audio recording will be played in class. Students should listen to the content carefully without making any notes.
2. After having a rough idea on the content of the recording, students will be divided into groups of 4 to complete a while-listening activity.
3. This will be a sentence re-arrangement exercise which could be created with Wordle or Wordsift. The teacher could jumble-up a few sentences taken from the content of the listening text for students to be completed during the while-listening stage. This scaffolding process would then help students to have a better understanding on the listening text.
4. The teacher could then discuss the answer with the students and have a feedback session on the activity.  

P/S: This activity should be practiced on the upper-intermediate or advanced level of students. 

ADVANTAGES

• The presentation of vocabulary is interesting as there are a variety of layout to choose from Wordle. 
• It can be printed and saved in public gallery for others to view (Wordle).
• It works in many languages (Wordle).
• It can be embedded into a blog (Wordle).
• It takes examples of the word from other sources (Wordsift).
• It provides images that are related to the words (Wordsift).
• It can create a new work place and pull down the selected word (Wordsift).

LIMITATIONS

• It requires for the Java download application (Wordle).
• A very limited word cloud designs to choose from (Wordsift).
• It demands for an internet connection (Both).

Interesting?? Try them out then!!!

http://www.wordsift.com/

http://www.wordle.net/