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       

PODCAST - AUDIOBOO

WHAT IS AUDIOBOO

Audioboo is a website in which allow users to make recording and podcast and post and share it with others. The recording will link to Audioboo website itself, facebook, twitter, youtube as well as itunes. Users can add image and location of where they record their 'boo'. Recently, users can download the Audioboo application for smartphone; Iphone, Android and Nokia. So, if students have smartphone, they can just record and send it using their phone! This is amazing!

AGE AND LEVEL OF LEARNERS

# Age of learners - thirteen and above. It is not really suitable for primary school learners as this tool is more into speaking and it involves less visual. This would make younger learners not interested in using this tool

# Level of learners - All levels including beginner, intermediate or advanced.

HOW TO USE AUDIOBOO
# Go to the Audioboo Webpage

# Get yourself an account  - just need to fill in e-mail address, user name and password
# Check your email to verify your Audioboo account
# Click 'make a recording/upload file
# For full tutorial on how to use Audioboo, you may click HERE


EXAMPLE OF PODCAST MADE USING AUDIOBOO
This is an example of 'boo' that I've made. It is about 'How to find happiness'.

SUGGESTION OF ACTIVITES

In my opinion, this tool is suitable for 'connected classroom'. In other words, this tool connects what the students to in the classroom with the homework given by the teacher. Few examples of how this tool could be used for teaching are:

1.  The teacher could teach about future tense. The teacher talks about her future plan such as she will get married, she will further her studies etc. Then, the teacher elicit the structure of future tense from the students. After that, the students work in pair and talk about their future plans with their partner. As the homework, the students need to record themselves speaking using Audioboo. They need to talk about their future plans.
2.  Another possible activity is in pairs, the students prepare an interview. The interview could be about what the teacher had taught in the classroom, for example, about future plans. This activity could lead to collaboration between to students and it provides information gap. Thus, at the same time, it provides the reasons for the students to speak.
3.  The teacher could also asks the students to record themselves telling a story. For example, the teacher can asks the students to write a story. They can choose to write any story that they like. Then, as the homework, they need to record themselves telling the story that they wrote in the class. This activity is like killing two birds with one stone - students can practise their writing and after that, they can practise their speaking.

HOW DOES IT RELATES WITH LANGUAGE LEARNING

1. Audioboo provides real audience for the learners. This is because this as the students record themselves speaking using this tool, their recording could be viewed by the people all around the world. 
2. Audioboo also reflect Krashen's idea about comprehensible input ( i+1 theory) where students need to be taught with input which is slightly higher than their current knowledge. In this situation, the teacher already give some input in the classroom and the students need to some extra activity as their homework. The extra activity is considered as the input which is higher that their current knowledge.
3. Using this tool could also motivate the students to speak. Some of the students might feel shy to speak in front the classroom. However, with this tool, they can practise their speaking even at home and the teacher still can access and give feedback about their speaking.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT AUDIOBOO

1. It is FREE - you just need to register.
2. It has few good features such as 'follow people' and 'link to other platform'
3. Students get the chance to communicate with the real world - they can receive feedback/comments from others as well as comments on others' podcast
4. Can embed it to your blog or website
5. The website is clearly organised. Thus, it is user friendly

PROBLEMS WITH AUDIOBOO

1. Only 3 minutes recording for free plan -  if you want it longer, you have to pay
2. The link to Twitter and Facebook could be a distraction for the students
3. Need internet connection and microphone in order to do the recording. 
4. The recording is viewed globally (through twitter, itunes and youtube). Therefore, there is no privacy for the users.