Revolutionize Your Classroom: Top 7 Tech Tools for World Language Teachers
Hello there, World Language Educator!
In my Teacher Education program, I had to take an entire course devoted to integrating technology in the classroom, and that was back in 2010! Since then, it seems as though technology is not just something that students, parents, and administrators desire, but it has become a baseline expectation for successful teaching in the modern classroom. And although I do believe that there is still tremendous value in having students read and write using traditional materials like books, pen, and paper, I cannot deny that utilizing technology in an intentional way has led to increased student learning and engagement in my own classroom.
The right tech tools not only make lessons more engaging but also open up exciting possibilities for authentic language practice. Whether you're a tech-savvy educator or just starting out on your digital journey, here are my top 7 tech tools to integrate into your Spanish, French, Italian, or German classes!
World Language Technology Tool #1: Google Workspace
Beginner Tip: If you are still using Microsoft and local space on your hard drive, I’d strongly urge you to consider making the switch to the Google Workspace suite. Not only are you able to take advantage of Google Slides and Google Docs, but you’ll be able to use your Google Drive to store important files and documents (PDFs, image files, etc.) that you can access any time, any place.
Pro Tip: Do you still give assessments using paper and pen? Consider converting some of your assessments to Google Forms. Not only is it super easy to create quizzes, cultural comprehension checks, and reading and listening assessments in Google Forms, but Forms will automatically grade your assessments for you. There’s really no need to spend hours manually grading student assessments anymore. And what’s even more impressive is that Google Forms shows you how your students performed individually as well as collectively: you can see which questions were most challenging for your students as well as the questions that most of them got right.
World Language Technology Tool #2: Quizlet
Beginner Tip: Convert all of your vocabulary lists and verb conjugation tables to Quizlet! Quizlet is an important tool for students because it allows them to practice vocabulary through a variety of different modalities: vocabulary list, flashcards, quiz, matching activity, writing, and more. You no longer need to create a study guide or review sheet for students prior to an assessment, as their Quizlet sets can easily serve that function. Consider how you will share Quizlet sets with your students: perhaps you create a single Google Doc that has links to all of your Quizlet sets for the semester (or for the year, even!). Post the Google Doc on your Google Classroom for students to access. Or maybe you share sets with them individually through Google Classroom or whichever LMS your district uses.
What’s my favorite Quizlet perk, you ask? The audio guide available in the Vocabulary List & Flashcards features is such a critical tool for us as World Language teachers. With it, students can click on the speaker icon and hear each word pronounced out loud. We know that students need multiple exposures to learn new vocabulary, so when they read a word, listen to it being pronounced out loud several times, and then repeat it out loud once or twice, they are giving their brains several opportunities to acquire the vocabulary.
Pro Tip: I’ve got two for you!
Tip #1: Integrate Quizlet into your instructional routine. This is a super low-prep and time-saving tip. Consider ways in which you can make Quizlet a regular part of students’ classroom activities and tasks. Maybe your students do 5 minutes of Quizlet review at the start of every block. Maybe you’ve decided that early finishers will go straight to Quizlet. Or maybe Quizlet is just a tool you have in your back pocket if ever you run out of activities to occupy the instructional time.
Tip #2: Encourage students to use the app! Most of our students have smartphones, so why not capitalize on this reality? Encourage students to download the Quizlet app and to join your Quizlet classroom so that they can access your Quizlet sets from anywhere.
I tell students that 5 minutes a day truly goes a long way! Rather than wasting time browsing TikTok while they’re on the bus, they can do some quick Quizlet practice instead.
World Language Technology Tool #3: Quizizz, Kahoot, Gimkit, Blooket, etc.
Beginner Tip: Variety is the spice of life, and using an online game-based learning platform like Kahoot! or Quizizz adds variety to your instruction that students will appreciate. These platforms also offer informative data that you can collect to help you plan for subsequent instruction. For every chunk of instructional content, I try to squeeze in a quiz game. I try to cycle through the different platforms out there (although Blooket is my favorite, and seems to be my students’ favorite as well!) to, again, promote novelty and variety. These quiz games can also serve as important self-reflection and self-assessment tools for students, as they can inform students of how much preparation they may need before an upcoming assessment.
Pro Tip: Don’t reinvent the wheel! One of the most costly mistakes I made during my first few years of teaching was spending countless hours creating these online quiz games for my students. What I failed to realize is that there is already a plethora of premade quiz games available. Find one that mostly matches the target vocabulary or grammar that you want students to review, and spend 10 minutes or so modifying it to more closely align with your selected content. Modifying and adapting can save you soooo much time, whereas starting from scratch will always be a costly time investment.
Need ways to keep students on task and engaged during these quiz game activities? Consider adding small prizes (stickers, pencils, extra credit points, etc.) to incentivize students to take the game seriously. Devise an extension activity in which students need to go back and correct the questions that they got wrong. Have students create a study guide using the questions from the quiz game.
World Language Technology Tool #4: WordReference & Google Translate
Beginner Tip: Have your students create a folder on the bookmark bar of their browser. If they use Chrome, they can right click on their bookmark bar and click Add Folder. Have them save WordReference and Google Translate in their newly-created World Language Folder. WordReference is an invaluable resource: it is a bilingual dictionary that allows students to search words and expressions from English —> Target Language and from Target Language —> English. It also allows them to consult forum posts by native speakers weighing in on correct usage of words and phrases.
Google Translate is also another great resource when WordReference is unable to help students. For example, WordReference will struggle to translate sentences or clusters of words, whereas Google Translate is usually able to provide a general, global translation.
Pro Tip: Develop a strict policy around the use of these tools. Although they can be helpful, these tools can also tempt students into making bad decisions that lead to academic dishonesty. For example, students using WordReference to look up a word that they don’t know but would like to add to a sentence in their composition is a valid use of the technology; however, using Google Translate to translate an entire thought or idea from English to the target language and copy and paste it into their essay is unacceptable, as it is a form of plagiarism. Think about how you would like for your students to utilize these two important tools and consider adding your tech policy to your course syllabus.
World Language Technology Tool #5: Audio & Video Platforms
Beginner Tip: Building oral proficiency can be challenging, especially for students who are shy or reluctant speakers. Consider having students record audio or video (either independently, in pairs [think of dialogues], or even in small groups [think of skits]). Using tools like Flipgrid, Vocaroo, and even Youtube, you can have students respond to prompts or complete interpersonal speaking activities while recording themselves. Students can then share their audio files or videos with you for feedback.
Need Speaking Rubrics?
Check mine out! Click on the thumbnail to the left.
Pro Tip: Have your students create a digital portfolio that they update a few times per semester to track their language growth over time. This is a great way for students to regularly practice their speaking skills in a low-stress way. Give students a prompt or task that they must complete in which they utilize the vocabulary and grammar structures they have been learning. Have them record themselves answering the prompt and upload their audio or video file to their digital portfolio.
You can use a platform like Flipgrid for this, or you can simply have students create a folder in their Google Drive that they share with you.
World Language Technology Tool #6: Language Learning Apps
Beginner Tip: Language Learning Apps like DuoLingo, Babbel, Memrise, LingQ, and Drops are a great way to engage your students through technology that they already have at their fingertips. Spend some time picking two or three language learning apps that you enjoy and feel would be beneficial to your language learners, and consider designing a mini lesson around these apps. Introduce them to your students, show them how the apps work, and give them some time in class to begin exploring them.
Pro Tip: Although these language learning apps are not a direct path to fluency, they can certainly serve as reinforcement and support outside of the World Language classroom. Consider ways to incentivize students to improve their language skills outside of the classroom. Maybe they can earn extra credit points in exchange for a certain number of hours spent on the app. Or perhaps you can conduct a weekly or monthly raffle in which students can submit one ticket for every hour spent on a language learning app. You can collect tickets in a basket and draw a few names. Students can win a small prize like stickers, pencils, erasers, or even extra credit or homework passes.
World Language Technology Tool #7: ChatGPT & AI Platforms
Beginner Tip: I feel like I would be remiss to not include AI as a technology tool! Although this is a burgeoning tech tool, I think there are already some great advantages to using AI in the World Language classroom. To start, consider having students use ChatGPT to help them create a study guide before an upcoming assessment. Have them write a short paragraph on the target theme and ask ChatGPT for some basic feedback on the quality of their target language text.
Pro Tip: I asked ChatGPT how World Language educators can utilize AI in their classrooms, and this is what it came up with:
1. Personalized Learning:
Adaptive Learning Platforms: AI-powered adaptive learning systems can analyze individual student performance and provide customized lessons and exercises based on their strengths and weaknesses. This helps cater to each student's unique learning needs.
2. Language Assessment:
Automated Grading: AI can assist in grading assessments, saving teachers time and providing immediate feedback to students. This is particularly useful for language exercises, quizzes, and assessments.
3. Language Tutoring:
AI Language Tutors: Virtual language tutors powered by AI can engage students in interactive conversations, assess pronunciation, and provide instant feedback. These tools often use natural language processing (NLP) to understand and respond to students' spoken and written language.
4. Speech Recognition:
Pronunciation Practice: AI-driven speech recognition tools can help students practice and improve their pronunciation. These tools analyze spoken language and provide feedback on intonation, accent, and fluency.
5. Language Translation:
Real-Time Translation Tools: AI can be used to develop real-time language translation tools, allowing students to interact with content in different languages. This fosters a global perspective and exposure to authentic language use.
I hope reading about these tech tools has been helpful for you, whether you have never heard of them before, have heard of them but have not used them, or are actively using them in your classes. Speaking of which, what are some tech tools that you find to be utterly indispensable in your language classes? Feel free to drop a comment below and let me know what you’ve found to be helpful. I’d love to hear about it!
Happy (techy!) teaching,
~ Michael
