Learning to write and speak with WhatsApp

Susan and group members, 

WHATSAPP is a good tool to teach people how to write and to speak in English. It is a Text messaging service that also allows people to record their voices. A teacher can form WhatsApp groups of students who are in the same class.

In my “classes” the first rule is that making fun of others is not allowed. People feel comfortable texting each other in English, and my role is to present lessons that focus on common mistakes.

By writing texts of 25 words or so without anxiety, and then studying the lesson, students gradually become more proficient in writing English.

I also provide pronunciation lessons based on Pumarosa and videos I made for YouTube. These lessons serve to encourage the students to record their voices. They usually read a story or poem out loud. Then I am able to give some “tips”, again referring back to videos, etc.

All in all I am very pleased with WhatsApp as a teaching tool. If you have any questions about my program. please email me at pumarosa21@yahoo.com.

Paul

 

Comments

We use WhattsApp in our class too. It is very popular. It can be used with internet and no data cost to communicate with friends all over the world is the most attractive factor. We use it to share jokes, news, and other helpful information.

Anitha, yes, my students chat and joke all day! In English. Sometimes I wake up and start reading but cannot finish because they are very very funny. I think it is a wonderful way to learn English.

Please tell us about your class. Perhaps you can use some of my program.

Paul

We are a small program in Northwest Ohio. We have multilevel classes with students from beginning  to advance ESL level. Since it is not cost effective to separate the class by levels, we use all that is available to help the students that come to us. We have DE option for listening /speaking and reading and writing. Our PLATO learning option helps higher level students to prepare for tests. Rosetta Stone program helps the students with listening/speaking needs. We utilize community support from RFL and local churches for one on one conversation practice. Technology helps our students a lot in individualizing their learning based on their goals.  We find posting information in  ourWhatts App group is far more effective than any other  social media groups as they have access totheir phone all the time. I am not a fan of FB either. Students use google  dictionary to find the meanings of words and dictionary.com's audio prompt to listen and practice pronunciation. We also use I phone/ smart phone voice memo function a lot to record conversation/ reading. Students do it own their own and send the voice recoding for others to listen. We do not insists that everyone  read from computer as some do not like reading from screens. They prefer books. We just encourage them and make them aware of all that is available online.

Anitha, it sounds as if you have a very solid and effective program.

As you say, mixed level groups can be well served with the addition of WhatsApp.

It is great that the students are recording their voices on their phones, it also happens in my WhatApp study groups.

They start out texting, which helps them learn to write and speak, and then, when they feel empowered, they record their voices, even sing.

If there are Spanish speakers in your classes, please review Pumarosa.com to see if it fits with your list of resources. In addition I also have written some texts which can be downloaded and printed free of charge, and YouTube videos, with pronunciation and grammar lessons.

And if it would not cause too much confusion, perhaps some of our students can “meet” each other!

WhatsApp should definitely be part of every ESL class.

Paul Rogers

Pumarosa21@yahoo.com

Aniitha, this is great, I am sure that Pumarosa will help. Perhaps in the future we can create a list of resources for our students to encourage other teachers to use WhatsApp.

My students like to make audio recording too, usually with a text ala an Audio Book. So I am going to collect them together in a file to share and encourage others to record their voices also. 

Here is a resource you might  like:

http://gettingsmart.com/2016/04/the-case-for-making-audiobooks-part-of-curriculum/

 

 

Have you used newsenglish.com website that gives ESL lessons in several levels? They have both MP3 listening option and handouts to print. I really like the lessons. The handouts have a little bit of everything; spelling, grammar, comprehension, and writing. It also is a good opportunity to bring to our students' attention the current events/ research findings etc.