DVOLVER, The fun way to get students to use English

Hye guys,

In this post, I would like to share with you one of the new way (I think, it is still new as I just knew it last week)to make students use English in FUN way. It is called DVOLVER MOVIEMAKER.

WHAT IS IT?

Dvolver is a website that provides pre-made graphics (a lot to choose from!) to make a short movie. Using Dvolver, students can use English (can also be used for other language, you decide!) in a new way which is FUN.

So teachers, lets get out from the boredom of drilling activities and do some short movies!

WHO CAN USE IT?

This tool is suitable for students who are:

• aged from 13 to 16 years old. Students who are too young (below 13 years old) might not know how to cope with the technology and those who are too old (16 years old and above) might find this website too childish and might not interested in using it
• beginners and intermediate learners of English. Advanced learners might find the activity boring.

HOW TO USED IT IN TEACHING ENGLISH?

• speaking activity

Teacher can ask students to create a movie in pairs. Then, each pair have to present their movie in front of the class by voice out the characters' dialogue. Here, they will use different tone to describe the characters' feeling. Although the activity seems simple and easy, but it can built students' confidence and can improve their speaking skill. Besides, it is FUN!

• as a homework for students

Teacher can ask students to create a movie using Dvolver and ask them to send it to teacher's email. The teacher can check student's language and can send comment about the movie. You will be surprise on how creative your students can be!

Note: If you want to make it as homework, firstly please make sure that all the students have internet connection at their home (or have easy access to cyber cafe) as we surely do not want to burden our students by forcing them (those who do not have internet connection at home) to do this activity.(forcing made the activity NOT fun!)

THEORY OF LEARNING USING THE TOOL

• The tool help teacher to vary the teaching style which can cope with different intelligence. As students might have different kind of intelligence, it is important to vary the teaching style in order help students learn better. This supports multi intelligence theory which explains how different people have different ways to learn and develop.

THINGS I LIKE ABOUT IT

• add variety to teaching and learning process
• allow students to use English in an interesting context which also give them choices how to use it (the language)
• it can help students with their sentences construction as they must create dialogue for their short movie
• most importantly, its FREE!

THINGS I HATE ABOUT IT

• quite limited choices (pre-made graphics).There are only three scenes for the movie 

• the number of words for text entry is limited

• teacher need to observe the students from time to time as students might use inappropriate language

• the characters in the movie did not have any voice, only dialogue appeared when the movie is played (i find this really disappointing)

STEP BY STEP TO USE DVOLVER?

Step 1: Go to Dvolver and click on the Moviemaker  balloon

Step 2: Choose and select a background and click Next

Step 3: Choose and select a plot and click Next

Step 4: Choose and select characters and click Next

Step 5: Type in the dialogues for characters. Click Next

Step 6: Select music and choose between adding another 

scene (and repeat above instructions) or finishing movie

Step 7: Select the background for movie title and give the 
movie a title and put director’s name

Step 8: Press Preview to watch your movie and press Send 
your movie to someone.

SELECT BACKGROUND AND SKY

CHOOSE AND SELECT CHARACTERS

ADD RECIPIENT'S EMAIL TO SEND THE MOVIE

The pictures above are example of the view that you will get when using Dvolver.

I also had used it and below is my short movie.(I do hope the grizzly bear can have voice.It will be really cute!)

That's all for this time. I hope my entry today can give idea for teachers out there in teaching English this week.:-)