Free Tech Tools for ESL Educators


Claire Bradin Siskin

 
csiskin@edvista.com
Software Tools
Web-based tools
Smartphone Apps
Tools that you
might already have
"Almost Free" Tools
Additional Resources

Software Tools

Name
Platform
Description
Download Site
Audacity PC, Mac, Linux software for recording and editing sounds http://audacity.sourceforge.net
AVS Video Converter PC only YouTube to iPod converter http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/
CoreFTP PC only file transfer protocol (ftp) program http://www.coreftp.com/
Fetch Mac only file transfer protocol (ftp) program; free license for education http://fetchsoftworks.com/
FileZilla PC only file transfer protocol (ftp) program http://fetchsoftworks.com
Handbrake PC, Mac, Linux DVD to MPRG-4 converter http://handbrake.fr
Hot Potatoes PC, Mac tool for creating interactive language exercises http://hotpot.uvic.ca/
Irfanview PC only graphic viewer, editor, and converter http://www.irfanview.com/
KompoZer PC, Mac, Linux html editor; use to create and publish web pages http://www.kompozer.net/
OpenOffice PC, Mac, Linux office suite: word processing, graphics, spreadsheet, presention software http://www.openoffice.org/
Photo Story Windows XP photo presentation program http://microsoft-photo-story.en.softonic.com/
Picasa PC , Linux software to edit, manage, and share photos http://picasa.google.com/
Praat PC, Mac, Linux software for acoustic analysis http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/
PureVoice PC only simple audio recording software for PC http://www.tucows.com/preview/205198
QlipBoard PC only create Qlippits (slide shows with media and voice annotation) http://download.cnet.com/QlipBoard/3000-12941_4-10735339.html
Skype PC, Mac talk to anyone over the Internet http://www.skype.com
Switch PC, Mac convert audio files from one format to another http://www.nch.com.au/switch/
VLC Media Player PC, Mac plays many multimedia formats http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Web-based tools

ANVILL Web-based A National Virtual Language Labs https://anvill.uoregon.edu/anvill2/
bibme Web-based create a bibliography according to MLA, APA, Chicago, or Turabian formats http://www.bibme.org/
ClipGrab Web-based tool for downloading and converting online video  http://clipgrab.org
CuePrompter Web-based teleprompter/autocue service

http://cueprompter.com/

Dopplr Web-based online service for frequent travellers; coordinate your future travel plans with colleagues http://www.dopplr.com
Gliffy Web-based online application that makes it easy for you to create, share, and collaborate with diagrams http://www.gliffy.com/
Google Docs Web-based Create and share your work online (word processor, spreadsheet, presentation) http://documents.google.com
Podomatic Web-based Create and share podcasts http://www.podomatic.com/
Tagul Web-based tool for creating very elaborate word clouds https://tagul.com/
Ustream.TV Web-based

live interactive video broadcast platform

http://www.ustream.tv/
Wordify Web-based website that simplifies language http://www.rewordify.com/
Wordle Web-based

“a toy for creating word clouds”

http://www.wordle.net/

 

Smartphone Apps

MALL for the 21st Century Resource page for mobile-assisted language learning http://www.edvista.com/claire/pres/mall/index.html
Freeappalert Paid iPhone apps that just became free http://freeappalert.com/
Ten Free Blackberry Apps that you Actually Want! useful apps for the Blackberry http://www.blogtrepreneur.com/2009/02/17/ten-free-blackberry-apps-you-actually-want/
 NokiaPower free apps for Nokia http://www.nokiapower.com/

Tools that you already have

iMovie Mac only captures and edits video comes with Macintoshes
MovieMaker PC only captures and edits video comes with PCs
Sound Recorder PC only records audio files comes with PCs

"Almost Free" Tools

       
Graphic Converter Mac only create, edit, and convert graphics files http://www.lemkesoft.com/
QuickTime Pro Mac, PC record, edit, compress video files http://www.apple.com/quicktime/pro/

Additional Resources

TESOL CALL-IS Electronic Village Online Sessions Web-based free online courses http://evosessions.pbworks.com/
Resources for YouTube Web-based Information about using YouTube in language classes http://www.edvista.com/claire/callcourse/youtube.html
UVic's Language Teaching Clipart Library Web-based 3000 images designed for language instruction http://web.uvic.ca/hcmc/clipart/
Wikimedia Commons Web-based database of freely usable media files http://commons.wikimedia.org

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Last modified: October 5, 2014

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