Using word clouds in the classroom

This week’s focus is on using word clouds in the classroom to analyse language, revise vocabulary, spark off discussion, activate contextual schemata, etc.

What is a word cloud?

A word cloud is a graphical representation of the most frequent words in a text. You simply copy and paste the text into the word cloud generator and it gives you a word cloud like the one I’ve done here to represent the language in this week’s blog entry:

How can I make one?

• Open http://www.wordle.net/
• Click ‘Create your own’
• Now you three options you can copy and paste some text in; type some text in; or simply enter the URL of the blog/article that you want to use, for example a text from the BBC
• Click ‘go’ and your word cloud will be produced, this may take a minute or so.
• Once your word cloud is displayed you can manipulate it using the various options in the menus – language, layout, font, and colour. You can even change the maximum number of words to focus or broaden the language displayed.

Tips:

• use [~] between words to link them on Wordle, good for adding collocatiosn, phrasal verbs, fixed expressions, etc.
• right click a word to remove it, good for getting rid of any proper nouns
• if you want to highlight anything specifically type it in several times after your text in the box at the ‘create’ stage.

What do I do with my word cloud now?

• You could just print it off
• You could copy it into a flipchart by opening the word cloud in a new window (bottom left corner) then pressing [Alt] + [PrtScn] and then paste your image into your flipchart (mac users simply press [cmd]+[shift]+[4] and select the area you like to copy with the cross-hair, the image will save to your desktop).
• Student website users can embed their word cloud by clicking on ‘save to public gallery’ then using the embed code that comes up in the new screen. (See Stuart or Adam if you want some help with this).

So, how do I use it in the classroom?

• Prediction. Before a reading, or listening, students try to guess the content of the text from the word cloud, they can also check that they understand all the vocabulary. If you’re using a coursebook reading or listening it’s not possible to copy and paste into Wordle but you could select 15-20 key words and type them in.
• Vocabulary revision. Type in some recent vocabulary – students choose five words and define them to their partner, their partners tries to guess the word.
• Students choose five words and try to construct a collaborative story with them.
• Find synonyms/antonyms/homonyms/homophones/etc
• Collocations – students try to make collocations using the words in your Wordle.
• Use it to revise irregular verbs.
• I use Wordle in conjunction with my in class vocabulary bag. Each week I type in the words from the vocabulary bag into Wordle and use the Wordle in class in various vocab games (see above), I also put it on our student website so students can use it to revise new vocabulary at home. Here’s one I did with my Pre-Intermediate class.

• You could use it to compare the way news stories are reported by different newspapers, or how situations are viewed by different people – a good example of this can be found here where the Guardian have presented the different language that Nick Clegg and David Cameron used in their press conference after taking power.
• You could use it to highlight the differences in genre, by producing word clouds from different written genre (sports reports, entertainment news, novels, plays, songs, etc.) and get learners to see if they can identify each genre.
• You could get learners to produce a Wordle about themselves, i.e. using words related to their hobbies, interests, job, study, families, etc. Put them up around the wall and get students to try and guess which Wordle belongs to who. A nice first week activity to help build some classroom dynamics.
• Revision of texts. Show Wordles of texts you’ve used previously in class and see if students can remember the content from the key words, you also get them to try and reconstruct the text.
• Use it to highlight useful language to your students. For example I have used the Economist’s Daily Chart and Wordle to highlight some common language for describing trends to my IELTS classes. Here’s an example using a recent article on the British election.

What I like about the site:

• It’s free and easy to use, and you don’t need to register
• The word clouds appeal to visual learners
• Students can use it outside the classroom
• It has lots of uses for classroom activities
• Korean students love vocabulary

If you have any other ideas please share them by leaving a comment, or come and speak to us in the office.