This week I wanted to discuss an excellent source for language learning that can be used in the classroom or at home. BBC has a video series called Mi vida loca or in English, My crazy life, which follows a girl named Mercedes and her adventures in Madrid. One of the things I love about it is that what you see is from your perspective. In other words, when characters ask questions they are asking you directly (to the camera) and you are supposed to answer aloud in order to continue. You have a guidebook which explains new words or phrases and presents fun games to practice the material. As you progress through the videos, not only do you respond to questions, you also have to click on certain options that show comprehension of what was said. For example, they will give directions and you have to click left or right to show that you understand. There is also a great storyline to keep you interested in what happens to Mercedes which I don't want to give away.
My favorite part about this series is that students get to see what Madrid is really like since they touch on many cultural aspects of the city.
This sounds like a fun game. I like that the player needs to talk to the screen-that makes it more involved. The cultural exposure seems like a huge plus.
ReplyDeleteI can see why this video series is a wonderful asset to your classroom. It is extremely interactive and I love that it has a story line to keep the students engaged. I also like that the characters speak directly to you and that you have to speak back to them! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIn the one episode I played the story line was interesting and even for a brief moment suspenseful. That alone will keep students invested in what comes next. It seems like a great way for a student to understand in what types of situation a traveler will need to use the native language of the places they visit.
ReplyDeleteI only got to play briefly, but the game seems quite interesting. Most of all, it's an excellent way for me to brush up on my Spanish. The real life aspect of it, is also engaging, as it shows what another place actually looks like.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI played the game:"learn to order hot and cold drinks". I enjoyed matching the drink pictures to the spanish words and even had my friend trying to help me match the pictures to the spanish words when I got the answers incorrect (we couldn't figure out how to say beer in Spanish)! This game is also good for visual learners.