A phrase cloud is a horny method of visualising a big chunk of textual content in a extra pleasing method. It exhibits essentially the most frequent phrases used all through the textual content. The bigger the textual content, the extra generally it was used. It’s a great way of seeing which phrases are used essentially the most in any piece of writing.
Listed here are only a few concepts on how you can use Phrase clouds within the classroom:
- Guess the ebook – works nice when you may have entry to the textual content of well-known books through websites resembling Venture Gutenberg.
- Use to introduce a subject – pupils may guess what they are going to be studying about from a phrase cloud fabricated from key phrases.
- Evaluating completely different newspapers – take a look at the identical story in a Broadsheet and a tabloid newspaper (web site) and evaluate the wordle clouds produced – how do the phrases used differ?
- Self-reflection on work – as Wordle makes a phrase bigger the extra incessantly it’s used, pupils will be capable of see at a look which phrases or phrases they’re over-using. Are they utilizing the phrase Good or Good too usually?
- Use to analyse the content material and gist an extended written textual content, particularly with examination or increased degree teams
- To introduce new vocabulary or to memorise new vocabulary/vocabulary lists
- Revision of key subjects and vocabulary – pupils can create their very own worldes or they are often given them to make use of
- To present displays with out studying from a sheet and simply utilizing prompts
- Encouraging artistic writing from a collection of key phrases from a phrase cloud
Listed here are some extra concepts for utilizing phrase clouds within the classroom.
There are numerous completely different web sites out there that can allow you to create your individual phrase clouds, listed here are 8 of them:
Most likely my favorite phrase cloud generator, and the one I have a tendency to make use of more often than not. It doesn’t generate fancy shapes, but it surely works effectively at what it does. It does want Java to run, so I do generally hit issues on some faculty networks which might be over-zealous on safety.
http://www.wordle.web
Tagxedo is my second favorite, and the primary place I strive if Wordle is blocked in class. It additionally permits you to create fancy formed clouds, so many lecturers will want it over Wordle for that purpose. Tagxedo may even export as a file adequate to print on a tshirt.
ABCya is a simplified phrase cloud maker geared toward youthful college students. Toddler lecturers would possibly need to check out this to be used with their courses.
http://www.abcya.com/word_clouds.htm
Like Tagxedo, Tagul helps you to create phrase clouds in numerous completely different shapes. It’s quite simple to make use of.
Tagcrowd is extra like wordle in which you can’t select the shapes, but it surely works fairly effectively.
One other easy wordcloud generator, like Wordle and Tagcrowd you’ll be able to’t select the form.
Phrase Mosaic helps you to select the form of the world cloud from a small number of shapes.
http://www.imagechef.com/ic/word_mosaic/
That is barely completely different to the others in that the phrase cloud produced is fairly fundamental. However it does have the extra function of linking every phrase to a visible thesaurus. Click on on the phrase to get it’s that means, and see how it’s linked to different phrases.
So what’s your favorite phrase cloud maker? Or what’s your favorite use of a phrase cloud? Share them within the feedback beneath!
Should you’d like CPD on this, or different nice methods to make use of academic know-how, then please get in contact!
