MAILVU

WHAT IS MAILVU

This is another useful website for language teaching. MailVU is a website where users can record a video message and e-mail it to anyone. This tool could be used for 'connected classroom'. The 'connected classroom' refers to the idea that what the students do in the classroom should relates to their homework.

AGE AND LEVEL OF LEARNERS 
# Age of learners - fifteen to seventeen years old
# Level of learners - All level of learners


HOW TO USE MAILVU
# It is very simple. Firstly, go to MailVU website. HERE is the link. Below is the caption of MailVU webpage:

MailVU webpage

# Then, click the record button to start. Click allow to use camera and microphone. (Reminder: your computer need to have webcam)
# Once you are happy with your recording, you can e-mail it to anyone.
# You can click HERE for the tutorial in suing MailVU.


EXAMPLE OF MAILVU
# Below is the link to a video recording that I have made using MailVU tool:
My Important Dates


SUGGESTION OF ACTIVITES 
There are few example of activities:

1. Teacher could use MailVU to teach about past tense. Firstly, teacher can draw a timeline with few dates on it. Then, students can freely asks teacher about what happen in each dates. After this activity has finished, students can draw their timeline and do the same activity with their partner. As the homework, teacher can asks students to use MailVU to record themselves speaking about their own timeline and send it to the teacher. In return, the teacher may use MailVU as well to give feedback to the students. This activity creates personalisation since students can freely talk about themselves. This could be a motivation for them to speak more and eventually would improve their speaking skill.
2. Another possible activity is using MailVU to promote an item. For this activity, students need to promote a product (they are allowed to choose a product) for a food product. Then, using MailVU, they would record themselves speaking and promotes the items. After that, they may send it to their teacher and the teacher give feedback for them. As for this activity, the students can practise the persuasive form of language.
3. This tool could also be used for debate activity - For example, the teacher give a topic to the student. The example of topic could be 'should students wear uniform to school'. Then, they would discuss and list all the points of for and against this topic in the classroom. As the homework, the students work in pairs, do a debate and record it using MailVU and e-mail it to their teacher. This activity could enhance the students' high order thinking skills such as evaluating and analysing since they need these skills to defend and rebut the points for the debate. In addition, it would also develop their communicative skills since it involves the participation of two people.

*All the activities promote autonomous learning since the students need to do them by themselves at home and without teacher guidance*

*Using this tool as a homework would also lower the students' affective filter. This is because most of the students usually feel shy to speak or present live in the classroom. However, using this tool, they can do it at home and slowly built their confidence to speak.*

*It accommodate the verbal learners since those activities mainly requires students to speak*

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT MAILVU

1. It is free!
2. It could be used to support the connected classroom activities - it can get the students to practise the language at home 
3. It is user friendly - Very easy to use, just in three steps. 
4. Promote personalisation and autonomous learning 
5. If the users sign up to this website, they can delete and save their recording 
6. User can get the feedback or reply using MailVU as well

WHAT I DISLIKE ABOUT MAILVU

1. The free trial account is only for fourteen days. 
2. Can't embed your videos unless you sign up
3. The recording is limited to 10 minutes per recording for free users. 
4. Need to have webcam to do the recording 

# Another alternative tool for MailVU is KEEK