Using Word Clouds and Word Tools

http://www.wordle.net/

What is this?

• This is a website for creating word clouds, which are made by entering either a text, URL or del.icio.us user name into a field.
• When the text is inserted, this site generates a word cloud based on the frequency of key words in the text or webpage. 

Why is the content good for language learning?

• Word clouds are very easy to create and they can be for English vocabulary activities in the classroom.
• Making students' own word clouds can encourage them to be more interested in reading texts or listening scripts.

How might you use it to foster language learning?     

• Create word clouds of texts before reading or listening and ask them to make predictions about the content of the text based on the word cloud.
• Let them check any new words from the word cloud that they are not familiar.
• For an after reading activity, get students to do oral summary or rewrite a summary of a story from their memory using the words from the cloud.
• Make word clouds from different texts that students have learned and let them match the words clouds with the corresponding texts.
• Get students to generate a dialogue or a short poem with the words from word cloud.

What limitations should the teacher consider when using it?

• Might be nice to make it easier to embed the word cloud for blogs.
• More various layouts would be more helpful.
• Needs to supply an easier way to change word colours.

* I created this word cloud below with 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' text from LoudLit.org. Students can do meaningful activities described above with this.