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Websites for English teachers

Well, sort of. These websites should get creativity flowing and help with story/descriptive writing. We all know that the blank page can be intimidating so these should help.

Want a jump off point for a story? well, nothing is better than an evocative title. This site gives you 6 titles each time. Perhaps for a homework or classwork you could just simply press the button and the pupils could choose their title. genre, characters, plot - well, they'll all flow that little bit easier.
When I pressed, the titles I got were:

Lovely Secret
The Obsessed Truth
Flames of Prince
The Captive's Past
Storm in the Tower
Missing Voyage

I have tried this many times now and haven't come across any titles that are offensive, although given the random nature of the generating I can't guarantee you won't. But, as with all web use, the pupils need to learn - and be taught - appropriate surfing skills. That's part of your job!



We all know that a character's name is important. It can reveal truths about them and evoke a certain archetype (an AST I work with, Miss Stoneman, insists the names of the characters from Lost indicate a deeper truth (Sawyer, Locke, Jack) but, personally, I am just confused by the whole affair now and Season 3 isn't helping!).

Charles Dickens knew this. Honeythunder, Sweedlepipe, Pumplechook??? Anyhow, a great way to generate a character name to promote discussion or just fill in detail on that character you've lost your way with are Name Generators.

There are loads online and some are inappropriate. Some which I've used (and my name from them) are:

Fairy names (mine is Feather Snowwitch)

Lord of the Rings names (hobbits, elves etc. My hobbit name was Riappi "the fat" Ness of Hardbottle)

And this site has lots of generators. I've used some of them and they work well. This is, however, a large site and I haven't been able to look at it all - there may be inappropriate content (although I didn't find any). Lots here, though.

Finally, what use is text if your audience can't understand it? You can use dialect/accent convertors to put some realism into your text. This paragraph, for example, put through the Black Country dialect would turn out like the paragrpah below. We are, after all, a Birmingham City Learning Centre and I am Black Country by birth!

Finally, what use is text if yaw audience cor understan' it? yaouw can use dialect/accent convertors ter put sum realism into yaw text. this paragraph, fer example, put through the black country dialect ood turn ert loike the paragrpah beloo. we am, after all, a Burminum city learnen centre an' I yam black country by birth!

The website is here. Of course, there is a potential for misuse of this tool as it also includes: posh, irish, scouser, Ali G, cockney, Geordie and others. However, used properly it is fun and really shows off the variety of dialects/accents that we have in the country.

It can also create a real sense of character. For example, at key moment someone saying, "I love you, my darling. I always have and always will. Remember my face and tell the children I did it for them" as a character plunges to their death might read differently as: "i golden dove ya, me Briny Marlin. I always 'ave and always will. remember me Chevy Chase and tell the kids I did it for them"

Have fun!

Arty websites to use in class

OK, here are some more websites to play around with. They have an art focus although they are versatile and can all be used easily. I can't guarantee that these addresses won't change or that you might get spyware or something but it has't happened to me!

Cool text allows pupils to create their own... erm, cool text really quickly. They can be "saved as" as picture files and used in most applications (word, powerpoint etc...)

Websketch is a fun and pretty versatile sketch tool. There's a floating tool bar and you're able to ply back your drawing as an animation.

Sticking with the art theme, if you want to show pupils how a sketch develops, you might want to try doodlebug. There are a large bank of illustrations here.

Not enough cash for Photoshop?

Photoshop is amazing. To create art, manipulate images and generally have fun with computers you can't beat it!

We've used it across various subjects (art and design, of course but also History (you can realy go all Stalin-esque on photos and re-interpret history!), English (book covers, film posters, character interpretation), Geography (weather reports, town planning) and loads more.

However, Photoshop can be a little expensive (although the elements version represents great value for money) and particularly if you want it across all your computers in your school (and what sensible-thinking person wouldn't?!?)

There are alternatives. Perhaps the best and most obvious is Gimp Shop. Unfortunately named (Pulp Fiction, anyone? It actually stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)) but brimming with features that are as powerful and intuitive as photoshop.

It's free. It's open source. It's here.

Really, if you're still reading this and not downloading Gimp Shop you need to reassess your values!

Blogs

What is a blog? It seems like every TV and radio show has one.

Well, this is a blog. There are hundreds of them. Thousands. More!

In fact, all a blog is a very simple to create website which acts a little like a diary. This blogsite uses blogger.com but there are loads out there.

You're able to upload images as well - which makes blogs an ideal opportunity for:

- online art galleries

- tracking reading records in a reading diary

- a collaborative class diary

Once pupils have created a blog (an it's an easy 3 stage process with blogger.com) they'll be able to make as many as they want about anything.

Also, people are able to post comments to blog postings - which can be moderated easily.

The best way is to try creating your own blog site and then see it's potential.

Fun/educational websites

Not wishing to give the impression that I spend too much time surfing the net but this posting is really just list of links which have amused/interested/inspired me. click on the links and have a browse through them but don't blame me if you waste hours of your life...


Art Pad is a lovely little painting simulator (the replay function is great!).

Mr Picasso head is a fast way to create Picasso-style daubings (the final part - the signature - is the icing on the cake).

Try making the horses sing here.

Heromachine allows you to create your own superhero (download the 1.1 free version)

Create a photofit of yourself here

What's the time?

Explore the industrial processes of a variety of products here.

Most fun "freeware" ever?

I hesitate to call this freeware - the free version is fully functional but there is a paid version which has more features - but the basic free version is really all you need to get into CAD quickly and painlessly.

If you haven't tried Google Sketchup you really must! The tutorials are among some of the best you'll find - you could easily just sit down and let them run your lessons for you (not that we endorse that approach here, you understand) - and the results are stunning.

Design and technology are the obvious users of this program but it's so simple that you could use it to create drama sets, places of worship, trenches, space stations - well, anything really.

This software counts among the best - and most impressive - we've seen. If you already teach CAD (computer aided design) please try this - it's perfect to get pupils into the area.

Download it here NOW NOW NOW!!!
Here are some examples, starting with something simple: