MEC Product Trainer, Sarah Milligan, writes:
Today I came across an excellent website which then directed me to another excellent website! Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… is a blog that recommends useful websites EFL/ESL teachers could use in the classroom.
One of Larry's recommended websites is Dvolver. This is a fantastic website which allows you to create your own animated film. Imagine the fun you could have in class!
Your learners get to choose the background and characters and then they have to type in the script. This could be a wonderful way to practise writing skills and have fun at the same time. The instructions are clear and when you've completed the film you can send it to people via email or add it to your own website.
You could use the topic of a MEC News Item as inspiration for your script and characters. You could even try bringing one of the MEC listening activities to life by using the audioscript as your script and building your Dvolver film around it.
Here are some MEC resources and ideas you could use to make a Dvolver film:
French fall for the cult of the soap - News Item (multi level)
Why not use this resource to get learners talking about soap operas. At the end of the class they can use Dvolver to create their own scene from a soap opera.
Poet sought: royal job, quite fraught - News Item (multi level)
Use this resource in a class based on the topic of poetry. Ask your learners to create their own poem and then bring it to life by getting one of the Dvolver film characters to read it.
A kidnap plan - Listening Activity (level 3/4)
This resource is a text describing someone's kidnap plan. Learners listen and fill in the gaps. As an extra activity ask learners to get into pairs and create their own conversation in which two people are planning a kidnap. When they've finished they can make a Dvolver film with the script.
Networking at a conference - Listening Activity (level 4)
This is a business English activity including very short dialogues between people at a conference. Ask your learners to extend the conversations and make them into a short film using Dvolver.
Match the picture - Listening Activity (level 4/5)
In this resource learners must match a short dialogue to the relevant picture. Using Dvolver, learners could imagine other conversations the characters in the pictures may have had and then recreate them.