Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Speakable is an application that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to analyze a person's speech and provide real-time feedback to improve their pronunciation and overall speaking ability. Choose from many different languages to set as the course language and the speaker's native language. Teachers may create a free account using Google, Clever, or an email account. Allowing microphone access to the site from your browser is required.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), Formative Assessment (74), speech (69), vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (94)

Learn a language with free short, coffee-break-length (15-20 minute) podcasts. First, scroll down the home page to select a language from the ten options provided. After selecting a language, choose the link to the free podcasts and select one of the four learning levels starting with absolute beginners up to advanced learners. Then, subscribe to the language podcasts on your favorite streaming platform, including Apple, Google, or Spotify.

tag(s): chinese (45), cultures (180), french (75), german (49), italian (31), multilingual (77), podcasts (108), portuguese (22), spanish (109)

Narakeet offers text-to-speech creation with options for choices of over 500 realistic-sounding voices. Registration is not required; upload your script to begin. Choices include the design of text-to-speech audio or video from a PowerPoint presentation. After making your selection, take advantage of the available choices to select a language and voice. Then, either upload a file, copy and paste text when creating an audio file, or upload your PowerPoint presentation to create a video. When finished, download the converted file to your device. Free accounts offer you up to twenty projects with maximum uploaded file sizes of up to 10MB. Other restrictions apply to free accounts; this information is available on the pricing page.

tag(s): chinese (45), conversions (37), german (49), greek (47), italian (31), japanese (47), multilingual (77), portuguese (22), russian (26), spanish (109), text to speech (20), video (266)

The FSI Language Courses provide training in many languages using public domain courses from The Foreign Services Institute. FSI provides United States government training for the foreign affairs community. Choose from commonly learned languages, such as Spanish or French, or select less-known languages, including Amharic and Yoruba. Each language provides different materials; some include course archives, while others offer a more extensive selection of materials to learn language basics and quick-start learning guides.

tag(s): french (75), german (49), OER (43), russian (26), spanish (109)

Harness the power of videos to teach languages with TeachVid's learning resources. TeachVid uses tools to make world languages understandable using subtitles and text transcripts. Students use Learn Mode to watch videos as many times as they like, with or without captions and transcripts. Educators use Activity Mode to split activities into learning tasks that provide feedback and student progress tracking. Choose from a variety of activities including fill in the gap, ordering words to create sentences, and filling in missing letters. Free accounts offer access to featured resources and the option to create up to 5 personalized resources. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): chinese (45), french (75), german (49), italian (31), japanese (47), latin (23), multilingual (77), russian (26), spanish (109), video (266)

FluentKey turns videos into interactive learning activities to teach world language learners (including American Sign Language). This site's videos engage learners through the addition of captions, quizzes, and games embedded into videos. Take advantage of the large library of videos found on the site, or upload your own videos from YouTube, Facebook, or your computer. After creating your account, add class information and student lists, then assign videos and add quizzes and other interactive content. Students access your assignment using the code created; as students complete each assignment, view responses and class averages to each question on your classroom dashboard. In addition to assigning content to individual students, FluentKey Live is an interactive game for classrooms. Share a video from the site on your interactive whiteboard and ask students to participate on their own devices.

tag(s): chinese (45), DAT device agnostic tool (147), french (75), german (49), multilingual (77), sign language (10), spanish (109), Teacher Utilities (198)

Discover music from all over the world and from over 100 years back in time! Visit Radiooooo and start listening immediately (no registration required) or download the iOS or Android app. Just select a country (all countries in yellow have music), decade, and mood (from tabs at the bottom) the music will begin. Create a thematice playlist from different countries and decades using "Islands Mode. Create an account to save your favorites, or upload your own favorite music. There are different subscription programs for a cost. This review is for the free version

tag(s): 1900s (72), countries (73), DAT device agnostic tool (147), radio (20), songs (46)

Learn a language through favorite music videos with LyricsTraining. This very engaging site offers an extensive collection of videos in several genres. Choose from top lyrics to begin or scroll through the home page to view new lyrics. Select a language to narrow down choices. Once you select a video, choose from four different levels - the hardest requires you to fill in all the words of the song! Choose also to fill in the blanks or select responses from the four provided options. Registration isn't required; however, it allows you to save favorites and create your own customized exercises. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.
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tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), french (75), german (49), italian (31), japanese (47), multilingual (77), portuguese (22), spanish (109), video (266)

Microsoft Translator provides translation between languages in two ways. Use this tool to converse with single participants or groups via iOS or Android devices, or a computer. Begin by choosing "start conversation" and enter your name and language choice. Microsoft Translator provides a code to share with participants to log into the conversation on their device using the Translator website or app. There are two options: click on the conversation option to start a conversation, and then speak or type your words - participants on the other end hear and view text in their desired language. Option 2 is to click on the text option to translate text. Copy and paste text or a webpage URL into the first box and choose "Translate." Translator converts the text into your choice from many different languages. At the time of this review Translator works in 10 languages and 100 people can participate in one conversation.

tag(s): chinese (45), DAT device agnostic tool (147), french (75), german (49), greek (47), hebrew (16), italian (31), japanese (47), Microsoft (80), russian (26), spanish (109)

Drag, upload, or paste text files to convert your text to speech instantly. Choose from many voice and language options for replay. Other options allow control over the speed of your speech replay. Use the upload icon to save to your computer.
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tag(s): chinese (45), french (75), german (49), multilingual (77), spanish (109), text to speech (20)

Use these interactives to learn up to twenty-one new languages (English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Lithuanian, and more) by choosing from various options that include matching images to a spoken word, filling in the blanks, or multiple choice responses. Audio options are available for non-readers. No registration is required. Registration allows you to save your progress and compete to earn the highest scores in each activity.

tag(s): arabic (13), chinese (45), french (75), german (49), italian (31), multilingual (77), portuguese (22), spanish (109)

Worldcrunch delivers news from top world-language outlets, translated into English and providing a non-U.S. "view" via reputable sources. The collection was created by a former NY Times bureau chief and foreign correspondent for various U.S. publications. He has teamed with a media collaborator from France. Worldcrunch is a great resource for locating news and culture from around the world. During periods of controversy or high international tension, this is an informative source for teens to adults. Explore the interactive map to find news from specific locations or browse through headlines on the main page. This site is very up to date and includes articles from the news today around the world. Choose from topics such as Geopolitics, Economy, Future, Green, or Society. Easily share articles using social networking and email links. Use the "Read Later" link to email, send to Pocket, reviewed here.
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tag(s): cross cultural understanding (173), journalism (74), media literacy (109), news (229), newspapers (93)

Set your sights high to learn world languages! Find both visual and audio lessons. Choose a language from Chinese, Dutch, Japanese, Polish, Russian, or Spanish. A list of lessons with tutorials appears and vocabulary for the lesson in your language and the language you wish to learn. Learn colors, counting, days of the week, common phrases, or more challenging language skills. Practice speaking using the microphone tab and say words on your own. Click on the symbols between the tutorial and the vocabulary to try the interactives: matching games, flashcards, listening, and tic tac toe.
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tag(s): chinese (45), japanese (47), russian (26), spanish (109)

Duolingo is a free, online language learning class. Sign up with email. Make a selection from Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Arabic, and many others. Earn points on different levels as you work towards mastery. Practice provides both seeing and hearing the words. Your responses require choosing the English translation and also spelling the words in the "new" language. Put your knowledge to work in the immersion section and translate a document or even upload a document of your own. Check the vocabulary you have learned and your progress toward mastery. Track your weekly progress. The discussion section answers individual questions. Duolingo is free for schools. There are free iOS and Android apps for Duolingo.

tag(s): arabic (13), chinese (45), DAT device agnostic tool (147), french (75), game based learning (205), german (49), hebrew (16), italian (31), japanese (47), multilingual (77), OER (43), Online Learning (36), portuguese (22), russian (26), spanish (109)