Wordle

=Simple K12 information quoted from Dave Dogdson's Wiki entry.= = = =1. What is Wordle?=

[|Wordle] is an online tool for creating word clouds from passages of text. The more frequently a word appears in the text, the larger it shows up in the word cloud. An example, based on the text on this page can be seen below:

= = =2. How to make a word cloud with Wordle=

Here is a brief tutorial video on how to use Wordle to make word clouds and how to save your images:

[|How to.... make word clouds with Wordle] from [|David Dodgson] on [|Vimeo].

=3. How can it be used in class?=

OK, so Wordle looks pretty but how can it be applied for teaching? Obviously, it lends itself to vocabulary and reading lessons very well and here are a few suggestions:

**i. Introducing a new vocabulary topic**
Before starting a new unit in the coursebook or a new topic, students can be shown a Wordle image containing the target vocabulary. They can then be asked to speculate on the theme, identify words they do or don't know, or make sentences using the words to see what target language they are already comfortable with using.

**ii. For pre-reading tasks**
Prior to starting a reading passage, a word cloud can be displayed with words from the text. Again, students can be asked to predict what the text is about or predict sentences that may appear in the text. These predictions can then be checked against the text itself.

**iii. An accompaniment for wall displays**
After the students have finished projects or posters which you wish to display in class or in the corridor, Wordle can be used to create a nice addition to the display using key words from the theme. This could be done with either the target language from the book or by using the students' own texts (obviously, this is easier if the writing has been done on computer in the first place!).

**iv. Displaying survey results**
As the most frequently used words appear largest, Wordle works great for showing the results of class surveys. Poll the class about their favourite colour, sport, or food or ask them about their hobbies, future ambitions etc, type their answers up and make your word cloud. Easy!

**v. Speed sentence writing**
This is a good fun activity. Display a word cloud containing some recently covered vocabulary and tell the students they have x minutes to write as many sentneces as they can using the words on display. This works best in pairs or groups and is a great way to review and recycle language.

**vi. Support for dictogloss and text reconstruction activities**
When in the reconstruction phase of dictogloss or text reconstruction, a Wordle image created with the words from the original text can be used to provide visual support. Simply display the word cloud on the projector screen anytime the class seems to get stuck.

**vii. Text analysis**
This works best with higher level students. A text is entered into Wordle and then the resulting word cloud is analyased to see which words are used most frequently. This can be done with historical speeches or news websites to see what words are emphasised and perhaps what bias is shown through the language used. It can also be used as a tool for improving the students' own writing. If they create word clouds from their own texts, they can see what words they use most often and perhaps then edit their text to include more synonyms, resulting in a more varied piece of writing.

And for all you visual learners out there, you can //**watch this handsome chap**// talking about the above in an interview for [|SimpleK12's 2 Minute EdTech talk]!

If you have any other ideas for using Wordle, please add to the list above or describe them in the comments box.

=**4. Useful Links**=


 * [|47 Interesting ways to use Wordle in the classroom]*** - another part of Tom Barrett's 'Interesting Ways' series with an ever growing number of great ideas.