Wordle: http://www.wordle.net/
Wordle is a website where individuals can create word clouds. Word clouds are visual displays of a variety of chosen words. This website is very simple to use. When you enter the home page, there are tabs at the very top where you can easily navigate the website. You can create your very own word cloud. There are pictures in a gallery you can browse through. The news tab links you to the Wordle blog and there are also tabs for questions and answers.
To create a word cloud on Wordle, all you have to do is click on the "create" tab and type your choice of words in the specified box. After pressing "go", you can edit the font type, size, color scheme, and layout design.
Wordle can be used as a way to summarize information learned in the classroom. For example, students may be studying ecosystems in a science class. They can put together a word cloud reflecting terminology related to ecosystems. It can work with almost any subject. It is a creative way to summarize information as opposed to simply creating a power point presentation or notes with bullet points.
Students love working with technology. I remember I used to love playing with the different fonts on word documents as a child. I loved changing the styles, colors, and sizes. Wordle allows students to do this. It is a fun way for them to build upon literacy skills.
I can imagine how beneficial it would be to use in the ESL classroom. Students who may not know the English language very well may learn new words by engaging themselves in creating word clouds. Teachers can guide them through this process and introduce more words to them.
After a student creates the word cloud, they may enhance the size or it and make it into a poster. Teachers can display their work around the classroom so that other students can see what their classmates have accomplished. The can take turn commenting on posters and give feedback to what they see.
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