Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Looking for resources to use on your interactive whiteboard? If so, this site is a tremendous resource for all whiteboard users, not just those with a Promethean Board. View, search, and download from over 60,000 resources in all subject areas and grade levels. Use the Resources tab to search by state standard, content, grade level, or resource type. Register on the site to enable download ability as well as many other features such as saving favorites, reviewing resources, asking questions on the technical forum, following specific users, and uploading your own resources. Each resource includes a short description, grade level recommendation, file format, and size. Another great feature is the slide show included with each download for previewing different pages used on each chart.

Visit the MFL Ideas Factory blog to find language teaching ideas to use in your classroom. Developed by teachers of world languages, each post is an activity that is context-free so you can adapt to your planning. Tags accompany each activity to make your search more efficient. Sample tags are "Will it take long?" or "Does this require photocopying?" Various search options make it easy to navigate the MFL Ideas Factory. The search box on the right side of the page will search all text in the entire blog. Filter the activities by category in the box on the left side of the page or click on the tag that interests you. Click on "vocabulary" to find all the vocabulary activities posted. Some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English because the site administrator resides in the UK.

The FSI Language Courses provide training in many languages using public domain courses from The Foreign Services Institute. FSI provides United States government training for the foreign affairs community. Choose from commonly learned languages, such as Spanish or French, or select less-known languages, including Amharic and Yoruba. Each language provides different materials; some include course archives, while others offer a more extensive selection of materials to learn language basics and quick-start learning guides.

Other online calculators don't add up to the diverse collection of calculators Calkoo has to offer. Browse categories including measurement, wage, taxes, stock analysis, mathematics, loans, health, saving, investing, real estate, and more! Calkoo can handle many tasks, including some rather complex calculations. Complete the various fields based on the type of calculation. Some utilize radio buttons and drop down boxes, while others ask for numbers only. Create almost any kind of calculation you need with this easy accessible calculating tool. Language options include English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Russian.
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Speakable is an application that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to analyze a person's speech and provide real-time feedback to improve their pronunciation and overall speaking ability. Choose from many different languages to set as the course language and the speaker's native language. Teachers may create a free account using Google, Clever, or an email account. Allowing microphone access to the site from your browser is required.

ClassPoint integrates with PowerPoint and Windows operating systems using presentation tools, interactive quiz questions, and a gamified reward system. Use the presentation tools to highlight information, add annotations, open a whiteboard, and more. Turn your slides into interactive questions to share with students and receive immediate feedback through the responses. Use the rewards option to give or take away stars to students based on your preferences; students move through levels to receive badges by earning rewards. Download ClassPoint to your Windows device by following the directions and prompts provided. Free accounts offer up to a twenty-five-student class size, five questions per PowerPoint, three draggable objects, three saved classes, and basic gamification. ClassPoint is not available for MacOS devices at the time of this review; however, it is being looked at as an option, so Mac users might want to check back to see if it becomes available.

Roxxem teaches new languages by integrating song lyrics with interactive learning activities for individuals and classrooms. Members choose from hundreds of songs to learn Spanish, French, Chinese, or German. Roxxem's technology features allow participants to find the right songs for their learning level, from beginner to advanced, and easily integrate into classroom learning opportunities with study games and live classroom activities. After creating a free account, search for songs, lyrics, or words. Use filters to adjust levels and maturity song content ratings. Select a song to play games, including Whack-a-Word, Play Lyric Puzzle, Learn Lesson, or Assign for HW (only available with paid accounts). Free accounts include access to all songs, personalized lessons, study games, and live classroom activities. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.