Apps are a useful way to store and use material and exercises in your beloved device ( phone , tablet) that may help you improve your English Skills. Are you using any app already? Is it useful to you?. here is an idea, every month the class and myself will suggest trying out a different app. Everyone will test it and write an opinion about it.
WEB/APP OF THE MONTH (FEBRUARY 2018)
WEB OF THE MONTH (JANUARY 2018)
MACMILLAN DICTIONARY WEBSITE
APP OF THE MONTH (DECEMBER)
WEB OF THE MONTH (NOVEMBER)
WEB APP of the month (OCTOBER)
App of the month ( SEPTEMBER):
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ReplyDeleteHi, Im Carlos Rodríguez from 2ºA and I am going to give you an honest review about this App.
ReplyDeleteSo I think everyone can know about what this App is by the title but in case somebody is confused of how this App works I am going to explain what "Learn English By Stories" is. So it is simple, this App is about a big collection of stories or facts of something (like the one which is "nutrictions facts"), so those stories are divided into seven categories and the differences between those ones are the level. for example the first one is called "For children" and Its like a level for beginners in English language, the second one is pretty much the same, and while you are hearing all the audios the App is becoming more difficult , and the last one is supposedly the most difficult one .
So now that I have explained what this application is, I am going to give my opinion , so I see this App like a cool and fast way to learn english , I mean you dont really need too much time to listen those stories because they are way too short, like they are no longer than one minute so you can listen to them even if you don't have free time because I swear they are too short. Another thing is that you can read the stories while you are listening to the narrator, which is a very amazing thing because sometimes you just don't understand what he or she is saying so you can read the words and that may help you to follow the stories and also to learn the pronunciation of those words. Also there is a fuction,that is like star where you can save your favourite stories to listening them again.
So now that I have ended the positive things about "Learn English By Stories" I am going to tell the things that I can't stand about this App, first of all the stories , most of them are boring as hell, I guess because they are too short and nobody can make a short story that interesting, but I mean there is a story which is about a guy who is eating a hot dog and nothing more happens, so this can make this application a little bit annoying (at least for me) but I think this app is more for learn pronunciation and not for read amazing an brilliant stories , so I can not really hate them because their fuctions are not their contents, another thing that really piss me off is one of the voices of a narrator, which talks too slow, that is so frustrating for me but at the same time I think this is necessary for everyone who really don't know how to pronunciate , but yeah , for me this is so annoying. And last but not less important is the hardest level, which honestly I find it not that hard, I am not trying to sound cool or something, but I swear that at first I thought that I wasn't going to be able to understand the stories of this level but for me It was a surprise that I find them even easier than some texts on the medium level, so I think that the only thing that this App can teach me is the pronunciation , because I am not the best at pronunciaton(and Its gets worse when I am in front of people, I don't know why) , I mean I think I don't have a bad one but I think It can be better.
So in short I think this app is amazing for any kind of student of this language, because you can do so many things like learn new vocabulary, improve your pronunciaton,also improve your listening exercises and its a creative and easy way to learn English is not the most enjoyable way because I prefer to watch series or movies in english but honestly its a very useful App , so of course I recommend it to everyone who wants to improve their knowlegde and improve their way to speak in english.
If I have to put a mark I would put a eight out of ten maybe. so yeah that's my review about " Learn English By Stories" I hope I have being useful for anyone who wants to know more about this App before download it
Totally agree, Although you may habe been too generous with the rating. I myself , find the tone of the narrator quite boring. Nice review, I think you deserve an extra grade for this. Thank you, Carlos
ReplyDeleteOroro.tv is an entertainig web app where you can watch to many popular series like modern family, the walking dead, game of thrones… i watched 3 Game of Throne´s episodes and was nice because i havent got HBO for watch this serie, however this web is´nt only for watch series, you can watch wide list of interesting videos like the youtube platform, i found a really fun video for tech lovers about the first physical google store in San Francisco, where you can see some different google product.
ReplyDeleteIn short, Ororo.tv is a good web app and is free but i am netflix´s fanboy, in spite of this I give it a score of 8.
Joaquín Fernández 2ºA
Thank you, Joaquin!!
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ReplyDeleteI am Carlos Rodríguez from 2°A and today I am going to make a little review about a website, named Ororotv, this web is about a collection of many videos in english everything you can imagine , like science videos or youtube tutorials of how to build an english tense, so this web has so much content to see and the Best part of it is that you are going to improve your english level. Supposly there is a series section but honestly i can't find it but anyways I don't care that much because I don't usually watch series, but a good thing about this web is that it's have a section that contains one of my favourite american shows, The Ellen Show, which I like so much so when I saw that in the web I was like oh gosh that is going to be more interesting. So One of the best things of the web is that its have subtitles which makes everything easier, because I can watch The Ellen Show on youtube but It doesn't have subtitles and it's true that I understand almost everything but sometimes I can't so the subtitles is a big help for every english student, also a very excellent thing is that there is no publicity so you can watch The videos without wait twenty annoying seconds with an useless advertisement.
ReplyDeleteThis web remminds me a little bit of youtube because there are youtube videos for example there are a few Rosanna pansino videos, who is a youtuber that makes cookin videos, and I feel like that there are so many videos from youtube on this web ,so in my case I prefer to watch english youtubers from the beginning.
In short , I think that is a good web to learn english and to improve in this language and I honestly recommend it to everyone because there are so many types of videos you can see that probably you are going to find one that you like it , for example in my case "The Ellen Show " or videos from comedy central, so there is too many enjoyable videos or for example documentary videos to watch, as the sale time that I recommend it I also prefer youtube because there is more content and in all the languages , but if you don't know how to manage youtube and you want something more simple and with the correct subtitles I recommend this page.
Finally I am going to put my honest mark, I would put an eight out of ten because I think that there are actual webs with the same videos but with much more content, like youtube or any series web like Netflix or HBO, but In fact is not a bad web I recommend it to everyone who wants to learn english while they are having a good time watching their favourite show.
Thank you Carlos! How would you like to use the ellen show as a class resource? You have just inspired me to use it. I also like Ellen , I think she is hillarious.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it would be a great idea to pick one of her amusing interviews and use it as a listening comprehension or maybe choose a part of her show where she does crazy things, like one time that she went to a shopping centre with Britney spears and she began to stole things saying that she could do it because she was famous ,I think that would be a good idea because everybody is going to be watching it.
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ReplyDeleteI’m going to talk about “Learn English by Stories”, an app that tell you stories and with which you can improve your reading and listening comprehension skills.
ReplyDeleteWhen I began to use this app, I planned to use it at nights, before sleep. I thought it was a good idea: turn the lights off and listen a story, I supposed it would be relaxing and funny but, the voice of some narrators were like the ones who were falling asleep were them, which is so boring, and some stories were too slow, what is frustrating (although it is supposed to be for children or people witch a lower level), and, what’s more, the stories are really dull, they seem like news or something like that, I don’t know, the only thing I know is that those stories are boring to death.
Due to this reason, I uninstalled this app, if the stories have been more interesting, I’m sure I would have use this app a lot, because, even though some stories was too slow, or too short that I have to change them all the time, it’s useful after all. As I have write before, this app makes you “improve your reading and listening comprehension skills” in a different way.
To sum up, “Learn English by Stories” is useful, but too boring, I give it a six out of ten.
with** not witch
DeleteThank you , Rocio
ReplyDeleteWhen I first enter in Ororo.tv I noticed that there was Ellen's show and I totally freaked out, because I love her so much, she's so funny.
ReplyDeleteI usually see that program in YouTube, but I think is better to watch throught this app, because everything is organized and you can choose wherever you want to visualize.
I've already watched some of the interviews, most of them of my favorite stars.
In adittion, when I found out that Jared Leto was in that show not long ago I was so happy, and I tried to search all his content in Ororo.tv.
It was very useful, but it maked me stay away of my responsabilities, I watched so much content!
Definitely it's a great site to learn english; so useful and entertaining. However, it you want to download series, I would recommend another websites, not this, because you couldn't watch content unless you have internet connection.
Thank you Olga. What is your rating ?
DeleteYedra Zamudio Valiente 2ºB
ReplyDeleteWhen I first entered Ororo TV, I realized that everything is very well ordered so you can find what you are looking for quickly and without complications.
As I had never seen, I clicked on some boxes to compile what I could find in this application, and in doing so I got into English Singsing, a page that has drawings with very useful songs for young children, but also to review the vocabulary .
In another of the boxes where I've gotten (BazBattles) appear history videos, something that has really caught my attention.
After a while I came across the video of why is this painting so captivating? , which is in the box called TED. This video I loved because apart from talking about '' Las Meninas '' one of my favorite paintings I've also been able to reproduce in French, to help me pick up vocabulary.
In conclusion, it is an interesting vastante application, which is very well to learn new things, review concepts and discover new things.
Thank you Yedra. What rate would you give?
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy Ted Talks and Ted ed. They are my favourite.
I would give a 10, because it is very good and not only learn but also have fun.
DeletePaloma Díaz Olivares 2°A
ReplyDeleteFor me, OroroTv wasn't an special app to watch TV series, I thought that was better use another web sites like "plusdede.com.", "seriesblanco", "playmax"... this sites are a easy way to learn english, too easy, because we can read the subtittles in spanish but in OroroTv the subtittles always are in english so is more appropiated to learn english and, the most important, when I use OroroTv to see TV series there isn't a girl in my zone who wants to meet me! It's amazing!
With this I means that I like that this App hasn't advices, to see TV series and another videos better than another Apps, I haven't to wait for loading and the quality it's the best. I know that it's illegal upload and download series and movies to internet and I know that the series in this App must be enough but I miss movies there.
There are an interesting section in this web site for me, the diferentes Channels to learn about an specific theme(and to learn english obviously). At first was very difficult to me pay attention or listen and understand every information, but after I could understand better the videos. I visit the Channels Kurzgesagt- in a nutshell, How to Adult and Crash Course, in the last I found a very interesting video about society and sexuality, I have knew a little bit about this theme yet but I learnt more about this, they explain very well the gender roles, the situation of intersexual people or the non-binary genders, I think that everybody must to be informated about this theme.
Finally, I have to recomend this App, it's very useful!
Well done, Paloma!! You have watched a lot. I am glad you liked it. Thank you for sharing.
DeleteFrankly, I find the interface confusing. It maybe be a minor aspect to some people, and I don't question this app's value (I've tried some exercises and I find them challenging and entertaining, perfect to improve your skills), but for me, it's really unpleasant. I apologize with the users, but this app isn't for me.
ReplyDeleteHi! thank you for your comment. Could you specify which app or website are you refering to, please?. Students are also rating from 1 to 10.
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ReplyDeleteI admit that ororo TV has surprised me. I thought it was another application to learn English, like any other, but I was wrong.
ReplyDelete1 ° ororo TV does not have spam, something that in many webs and blogs becomes very heavy, and which is appreciated when a page is found as it is.
2 ° the organization is VERY good, in fact it is quite intuitive and ordered, knowing where everything is with just a quick glance.
And 3rd, I noticed that when you watch videos there is an option called speed, with a + and a -, which allows not only to give you time to understand the subtitles, but also to improve your listening, since you can adapt it to your capacity.
In conclusion, ororo TV is one of the best app to improve your English that I have tried.
Marta López Dominguez 2°A
(This was sent from my account because Marta couldn't send it)
Thank you, Marta . I must say your English is getting better and better. Please rate from 1 to 10.
DeleteDuolingo is incredibly useful. It's true that is tired do all exercises everyday, but it's more easy with reminders, a method sucess-prize (in this case level up) and a flexible difficulty curve.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, the app has a simply pretty esthetic that I really like it, and also many people have the same thing.
But the problem is that the exercises are repetitive and, with time, bored.
Even so, the method of the app is very good and useful, especially if you are bad learning languages.
I would give a 8.
Marta López, 2ºA
Thank you , Marta. I did not know it had so many fans
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ReplyDeleteCarlos Rodríguez 2ªa
ReplyDeleteDUOLINGO
What is duolingo about? Well it's about a free web and also an app about a collection of exercises of different languages like english, italian, portuguese, german , rusian and also some strange language like esperanto or guarani.
So when you enter into the web you have a little test to know the ability you really have in the certain language , and then you have to register in duolingo by putting your email, an username, and a password, and after that its all ready for increase your level.
Once you have register there are "trees" full with branch of differents exercises and differents levels. So ,one of the things I don't like about duolingo is that you have the obligation of do every activity from all the levels to reach bigger ones, what its a mess, and makes the web incredibly boring . In my case I end with this web at the first two weeks of using it, because I was obligated to do exercises for people who don't have no level of english and that's makes duolingo extremedely tedious. So honestly I recommend duolingo for recent beginners in a certain lenguage.
But It is not all negative at all, There a good things too, for example , the web send you messages everyday to remind you that you have to do the daily tests, which are very quick, so that is amazing because you don't really have to waste so much time by doing the activities, and the short duration of them makes you able of practise languages when you want, furthermore there are audios on the exercises so as well as you are practising the grammar and the vocabulary you can improver your pronunciation.
One of the coolest thing is that you can compete with your friends by earning points that the web give you by improving your level.
In short, Duolingo is for me a web which can be really boring for people who are in a good level is very boring and useless , but for beginners It can be useful and enjoyable because there are not only a huge collection of exercises there are also grammar and vocabulary explanations . In conclusion , I recommend this web for people who don't have experience in a language but for people with a medium level it can be tiring.
Finally, my honest mark of Duolingo is a six out of ten.
I agree. It could be a good booster for starters but incredibly boring for advanced or intermediate learners. Thank you , Carlos
DeleteCarolina Villadóniga Díaz 1ºB
ReplyDeleteToday I'm going to talk about the January's Website,the online Macmillan dictionary.
Honestly, I didn't know this dictionary because I had never used before. But I have to recognise that it's very useful and interesting.
Apart from the typical use of a dictionary , this website has other sections that help you to improve your English.
For example, it has a "Buzz Word" that changes everyday and talks about uses and curiosities of the words, or the Resource's section that it's a great support for improve your grammar and vocabulary's knowledges.
But my favourite part it's the Game's section. I think it's very funny and the best way to learn English, because seems that you aren't studying.
I recommend this website to all English's students, but specially to advanced and intermediate learners, because some definitions of the words and grammar sections can be difficult for beginner learners.
My mark for this website it's a 8.
Thanks a lot, Carolina. I am glad you liked it. Yes , the game section is pretty good. I hope you'll be able to get the most of it.
DeleteHi! I want to talk about the Macmillan dictionary. I knew it in one of your english class because you recommended it to me and I´m really happy to know it because is very useful.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, when we are learning a new language is very common use the sames words many times so the Macmillan Dictionary is so useful for find and know new words and, in this way, we will increase our vocabulary so, I recommend it a lot and we can use it wherever because it´s online and nowdays we have our phones with us all the time.
Hi I am Carlos Rodríguez from 2ªA and this is my review about memrise, a web for improve your english skills.
ReplyDeleteI never hear about Memrise before, but when I got into the page, Its reminded so much to Duolingo web, and I wasn't wrong, the design and the fuction of the web is almost the same, what is not bad but is like a copycat. Also , when you start you have the option of choose two different levels, the easy level and the difficult , well I try the difficult one and the exercises were very , very easy , the vocabulary given was honestly for inexperienced english students , but that's not all , the activities are super boring, they are like a test,where, you only hear a lot of people saying a word and you have to guess what word is it from all the options they give you, and all the activities are like this.
It is not everything bad about this web,because you can learn a big variety of languages like Japanese or Swedish, also you can learn learn how to pronounce the words, what is very useful, I guess you are able to learn new vocabulary if you have never been in touch with english, and you can compete with other people to be the best at mermise games, what's makes the web a little bit more exciting and motivating.
In conclusion, I don't think this network is the worst but I would never use it, because there are other webs like duolingo , which are very similar and include a bunch of differents enjoyable games for improve all your language skills. So my mark for this new web is a 5 out of ten.
Thank you , Carlos. This is a really useful comment.
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