If your students like doing Word Searches, then The Ultimate Word Search Maker could be just the thing for you.
It enables you to quickly and easily create your own Word Search Puzzles and embed them into your blog.
The puzzles are very easy to make.
This is a really simple tool to use for those of you keen on Word Searches.
"What is Snappy Words visual English dictionary?
It's an online interactive English dictionary and thesaurus that helps you find the meanings of words and draw connections to associated words. You can easily see the meaning of each by simply placing the mouse cursor over it.
Why use Snappy Words visual dictionary?
Easy to use dictionary and thesaurus.
Learn how words associate in a visually interactive display.
Get ideas to help write content for your blog, article, thesis or simply play with words!
No registration required.
No limit on number of searches. Look up as many words as you need anytime.
No software installation needed. All you need is an internet connection and a browser (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer and others).
It's free and fun!
How do I use it?
Type words in the search box and click Go or simply hit Enter. Once the words branch off the main query, you can double click a node to find other related words. To explore the features:
Place the mouse cursor over a word to view the meaning.
Double click a node from the branch to view other related words.
Scroll the mouse wheel over words to zoom in or out. This helps you see more
associations or view words and meanings more clearly.
Click and drag a word or branch to move it around and explore other branches.
What dictionary does Snappy Words use?
The Snappy Words interface queries the WordNet lexical database developed by Princeton University and made available for students and language researchers. This dictionary groups synonyms into synsets through lexical relations between terms. These meanings and semantic relationships are revealed graphically by the interactive web technology made available by Snappy Words."
This site contains 23 different search engines which are designed for use by children and suitable for use in the classroom for research projects. Sites include the BBC, NASA, Encarta and Ask Jeeves Kids. The website was set up to support the international school communities (teachers, support staff, administrators, students and families) in 17 countries in South East Asia but schools worldwide would find the site a useful resource.
Google has just rolled out a rather strange new feature to its Google Search app for Android. Starting with the latest update, users will be able to verbally tell Google Now to open up their camera to snap up a photo or record a video.
Edcanvas is a free service that makes it easy for teachers to organize and share educational materials in a visually pleasing format. The "canvas" part of Edcanvas is where you arrange videos, links, images, and files around any topic of your choosing. Edcanvas has built-in search tools so that you do not have to leave your Edcanvas account in order to locate resources. Watch the thirty-eight second video below to see how easy it is to create an Edcanvas canvas.
This is a teacher-friendly alternative to YouTube. Go to the Channels tab to narrow your search. You will find videos on Reading and Writing as well as a whole host of YL material. It even provides a platform for your learners to upload their own videos. Be aware that these types of websites can use up a lot of bandwidth, so are not suitable for schools with poor connectivity.
"Learn English online with the help of this free website from the British Council with games, stories, listening activities and grammar exercises. You can search for your favourites, or have a look at the site map to find out where everything is.
You will find lots of new listening activities and video content in Listen & Watch. We also have a new Grammar section and new IELTS exam practice materials."
"Photobucket is the place to store, create and share photos and videos for life. Upload all your best pictures, images, graphics, icons, and videos and share them by email or link them to your favorite sites like Facebook and Twitter. Personalize your photos by using our photo editor or make slideshows to share with friends. Join our large community by entering competitions or searching our huge photo and video library. Use Photobucket on the Web or on your mobile phone."
EdPuzzle is a neat tool that I recently learned about from David Kapuler. EdPuzzle allows you to add your voice and questions to educational videos. On EdPuzzle you can search for educational videos from Khan Academy and Learn Zillion. Once you've found a video you can insert your own voice comments. You can also create a series of questions to go along with your chosen video. Questions are inserted along a timeline that matches the video. That means that your students don't have to wait until the end of a video in order to answer the questions. In that regard the EdPuzzle is similar to Blubbr.tv.
Find Words that Express Your Thoughts
There are times when you know what you want to say, but you just don't know the right word in English. This can be very frustrating, but it is good to practice explaining the words you want so that you can get the word you want.
OneLook Reverse Dictionary can help you with this. You can also practice using the site by doing an online crossword puzzle.