1
Electronic Flashcards for ESL: Teaching Vocabulary Using
Microsoft® PowerPoint®, Dogpile®, and Audacity®
Donnie Warren
Introduction
Flashcards have been used for many years as a study tool for learning
everything from vocabulary to math. However, creating them can be a tedious
task for teachers and language learners. Additionally, flashcards can be very
boring to look at because they are usually hand-written on index cards, lacking
images and sounds. I have found a great way to create electronic flashcards,
bringing them to life using Microsoft PowerPoint, Dogpile, and Audacity.
Overview of technology
Microsoft PowerPoint is a software tool that allows the user to incorporate
text, pictures, and audio files to create and present presentations. According
to the website, PowerPoint allows you to “work together and share
presentation with confidence,” “impress your audience,” and “access
information at your fingertips” (p. 1). I have also used it to create electronic
flashcards to help me study for tests. Timed slide transitions can be employed
to change the flashcard without touching the computer.
Dogpile, a metasearch engine, allows users to be able to search several search
engines at the same time, including Google, Yahoo! Search, MSN, Ask Jeeves,
About, MIVA, and Looksmart, and retrieve the best collective results
(Warschauer, Shetzer, and Meloni, 2000, p. 53). Dogpile gives the option of
searching the web for images, audio, video, and news, and can be accessed at
http://www.dogpile.com (p.1).
Audacity is a “free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac
Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems. You can use Audacity to
record live audio, convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs, edit
Ogg Vorbis, MP3, and WAV sound files, cut, copy, splice, and mix sounds
together, and change the speed or pitch of a recording” (p. 2). Audacity can be
downloaded at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/.
Many students already have access to a computer somewhere, whether at home
or at the school’s computer lab. All computers in the computer lab have
Microsoft PowerPoint and access to the Internet where the students can access
Dogpile and download Audacity. The only piece of hardware the students would
require to complete this unit is a microphone. Microphones can be purchased
for as little as ten dollars.
2
Using Microsoft PowerPoint
•
•
•
•
•
•
Open up Microsoft PowerPoint; select “Blank Presentation,” click OK
Choose the blank slide, click OK; screen should resemble example above
To insert text, click on “Insert,” scroll down and select “Text box,”
write vocabulary words in text box
To insert a picture, click on “Insert,” scroll down to “Picture,” arrow
over to “From file,” locate picture and click on “Insert.”
To insert an audio clip, click on “Insert,” scroll down to “Movies and
sounds,” scroll over and select “Sound from file,” locate sound file and
click on “Insert.”
To insert a blank slide, click on “Insert,” scroll down and select “New
Slide.”
3
Using Metasearch Engine “Dogpile”
•
•
•
•
•
•
Open up Windows Explorer, in address line type
http://www.dogpile.com and hit return; screen should resemble
example above.
Click on “Images,” type desired word or words for picture to be searched
in text box, hit return or click on “Go Fetch!”
Find and click on desired picture, right click on image and select “Copy”
or “Save picture as.”
If you selected “Copy,” return to PowerPoint slide, right click and select
“Paste;” move image to desired location.
If you selected “Save Picture as,” create a file name and choose a
location, then click on “Save.”
To insert the saved picture into PowerPoint file, see instructions under
Microsoft PowerPoint example for inserting a picture.
4
Using Audacity
•
•
•
•
•
•
Open up Audacity; screen should resemble example above
Click on record button (red circle) and record desired message
Click on stop button (yellow square); message now recorded.
To hear recording, click on play button (green arrow).
Click on “File,” then select “Export as WAV” or “Export as MP3”
To insert the saved audio into PowerPoint file, see instructions under
Microsoft PowerPoint example for inserting an audio clip.
5
Teaching Unit
Aim:
Ss will improve reading, writing, speaking, and listening
comprehension on vocabulary associated with going on vacation
using English vocabulary electronic flashcards on MS PowerPoint.
Level:
Low to high-intermediate
Rationale: Students use flashcards to help memorize vocabulary words.
However, creating flashcards can be a tedious endeavor, and only
help the students improve one skill – reading. MS PowerPoint,
combined with the internet and Audacity, can be used to create
electronic flashcards that are alive and exciting, and can also
improve comprehension in all four skills. Many students have used
MS PowerPoint to create briefings for classes, and most students
already know how to use the internet. Audacity is a simple record
and play tool that should not take long for the students to master.
When combined these three pieces of computer technology can
improve student vocabulary comprehension, motivate the
students, and cater to the individual’s needs.
Day 1: I Need a Vacation! Increasing Vocabulary Comprehension Using MS
PowerPoint
Sequence in unit: Beginning of the unit
Aim: Students will be able to create MS PowerPoint electronic flashcards on
vocabulary words associated with going on vacation.
Language: Vocabulary associated with going on vacation and MS PowerPoint.
Material: Computers with MS PowerPoint, internet, and Audacity access;
enough HO copies of the MS PowerPoint example with instructions to give to
the students; whiteboard and dry erase markers; enough pizza from Pizza Hut
to feed the students.
Preparation/Warm-up: T ensures all computers have MS PowerPoint, internet,
and Audacity access and are turned on and ready to go; Ss arrive early, take
slice of pizza to their seats to eat, and begin to eat.
Procedure:
Activity 1 (15 mins)
• While Ss eat pizza, T introduces topic of “I need a vacation!”
• T and Ss brainstorm on topic and create word web on whiteboard (see
sample vocabulary HO for suggested vocabulary words in Appendix A).
Activity 2 (10 mins)
• T divides Ss into dyads; Ss have 5 mins each to talk about their favorite
vacation.
Activity 3 (10 mins)
• T brings class back together; Ss give examples of their favorite vacation
and discuss any new vocabulary they encountered.
• Alternating turns, T and Ss choose 20 vacation-associated vocabulary
words Ss will be responsible to learn.
6
Activity 4 (25 mins)
• T introduces using MS PowerPoint to create electronic flashcards
• T asks Ss about their experience with PowerPoint, then splits up Ss in
dyads according to experience level (1 experienced student with 1
inexperienced is ideal).
• T shows students how to create electronic flashcards using MS
PowerPoint.
• Time permitting; Ss can begin creating 20 electronic flashcards with
previously chosen vocabulary words
Homework
• Ss will finish creating the 20 PowerPoint slides with vocabulary words
and definition.
• Ss will quick write for 10 minutes about their favorite vacation movie or
vacation location.
Day 2: Dogpile - Finding Authentic Materials on the Internet
Sequence in unit: Second
Aim: Students will be able to add pictures to MS PowerPoint electronic
flashcards on vocabulary words associated with going on vacation.
Language: Vocabulary associated with going on vacation, MS PowerPoint, and
Dogpile.
Material: Computers with MS PowerPoint, internet, and Audacity access;
enough HO copies of the Dogpile example with instructions to give to the
students; whiteboard and dry erase markers; enough tortilla chips and salsa to
feed the students.
Preparation/Warm-up: T ensures all computers have MS PowerPoint, internet,
and Audacity access and are turned on and ready to go; Ss arrive early, take
tortilla chips and salsa to their seats to eat, and begin to eat.
Procedure:
Activity 1 (10 mins)
• T asks Ss discuss PowerPoint problems encountered during HW
• Time permitting; T reviews vocabulary words assisting Ss with proper
pronunciation.
Activity 2 (20 mins)
• Group work – T divides Ss into dyads.
• Ss discuss HW quick write on their favorite vacation movie or vacation
location
• Ss also discuss “If I could go on vacation to anywhere in the world for
free, I would go to…”
7
Activity 3 (10 mins)
• T and Ss brainstorm about the dangers of the internet
• T demonstrates to Ss how to set the internet filter on Dogpile.
Activity 4 (20 mins)
• T introduces Dogpile to the Ss.
• T demonstrates how to set internet filter to avoid any inappropriate
content
• T shows Ss how to search for pictures associated with vocabulary, copy,
and paste to MS PowerPoint file.
Homework
• Ss continue finding appropriate pictures on vocabulary and add to
PowerPoint slides.
Day 3: Audacity – It’s Like Having Your Own Recording Studio!
Sequence in unit: Third
Aim: Students will be able to add audio to MS PowerPoint electronic flashcards
on vocabulary words associated with going on vacation.
Language: Vocabulary associated with going on vacation, MS PowerPoint,
Dogpile, and Audacity.
Material: Computers with MS PowerPoint, internet, and Audacity access;
enough HO copies of the Audacity example with instructions to give to the
students; whiteboard and dry erase markers; enough chocolate chip cookies to
feed the students.
Preparation/Warm-up: T ensures all computers have MS PowerPoint, internet,
and Audacity access and are turned on and ready to go; Ss arrive early, take
chocolate chip cookies to their seats to eat, and begin to eat.
Procedure:
Activity 1 (5 mins)
• T asks Ss discuss PowerPoint and Dogpile problems encountered during
HW
• Time permitting; T reviews vocabulary words assisting Ss with proper
pronunciation.
Activity 2 (15 mins)
• Group work – T divides Ss into groups of five groups of four Ss.
• Role Play: Each group will create a short 3-4 minute skit on assigned
vacation topic using vocabulary words (Topics: The travel agency, the
airport, the hotel, the beach, and shopping)
8
Activity 3 (20 mins)
• Ss performs skits in front of T and class
• T annotates vocabulary pronunciation problems
• T discusses vocabulary-associated pronunciation problems at the end of
all skits.
Activity 4 (20 mins)
• T introduces Audacity to the Ss.
• T demonstrates how to insert audio clips associated with vocabulary into
PowerPoint file.
Homework
• Ss complete audio files and add to MS PowerPoint slides.
• Ss e-mail PowerPoint file to teacher to review over the weekend.
9
References
Audacity (2006). [About Audacity user screen]. Audacity. Retrieved April 16,
2006, from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/about/
Dogpile (2006). [About Dogpile user screen] Dogpile. Retrieved April 16, 2006,
from http://www.dogpile.com/info.dogpl/search/help/about.htm
Microsoft Office Online (2006). [PowerPoint 2003 0verview user screen].
PowerPoint. Retrieved April 16, 2006, from
http://www.microsoft.com/office/powerpoint/prodinfo/overview.mspx
Warschauer, M., Shetzer, H., & Meloni, C. (2000). Internet for English
teaching. Alexandria, VA: TESOL.
10
Appendix A
Sample Vocabulary
Travel agency
Travel agent
To make reservations
To confirm reservations
Cash
Charge
Credit Card
Personal check
Flight
Destination
Passport
Passengers
Seat
First class
Business class
Economy class
The airport
Luggage/bags
Ticket counter
Gate
Arrival
Departure
Pilot
Co-pilot
Stewardess
Passenger
Customs
Terminal
Refreshments
Headset
Meal
The Beach
Waves
Sand
Ocean
Sharks
Jellyfish
Fish
Suntan lotion
Swimming/bathing suit
Water
Danger
Currents
Shopping
Size
Cost
On sale
Return
How much?
How many?
Wrong size
Shirt
Shoes
Pants
The mall
The hotel
Room
Floor
Key
Elevator
Front desk
Maid
Single
Double
Queen-size
King-size
Telephone
Television
Swimming pool
Bellboy