Find out about your dreams

Some people say that you can't really speak a language until you start to dream in that language. I'm not really sure that's true, but in this activity we can look at how you can start to write and understand your dreams in English.

This task is based around a website called DreamDoze, where people share their dreams and help each other understand them. The site enables you to write down your dreams, share them with other people and get their interpretation of your dream. You can also read about other people's dreams and help them to understand them.

NB: As with any social networking site. Never share personal information about your location etc.

Task:

Go to http://dreamdoze.com/ and click on 'Sign Up' to register. You can have a look at some of the dreams on the site first if you wish.

You then simply type in a title for your dream, choose a topic and describe your dream (in English of course).

When you have finished click on 'Share this Dream'. When someone interprets your dream, you will get an email message. Once you have signed in you can also write your interpretations of some of the dreams on the site. You can also find out more about dreams by checking the knowledge base: http://dreamdoze.com/knowledge-base/

If you are really interested in dreams and what they mean you can check the dream dictionary. Just type in something that was in a dream and it will tell you what it means. Dream Dictionary

You can also find lots of videos about the meaning of dreams on YouTube.

If you are interested in dreams and what they mean, reading and writing about them each day is a really quick and simple way to help improve your English.

I hope you enjoy this activity.

Related links for teachers:

• Adventure Narratives for EFL ESL
• Educational Games That Really Are Fun
• Exploiting two computer-based RPGs
• Games With a Purpose and a Social Network

Best

Nik Peachey

Create your video diary

One of the most difficult things to develop when you are alone is your speaking. Speaking is of course also one of the most useful skills, so in this activity you will find out how to practice your speaking by keeping a video diary using a free online service called Keek. Here's an example.

Sep 27, 2011 | Source: Keek.com

To do this you will need either a computer with a webcam, or a smart phone (either an iPhone or an Android based phone)


Task:

To start recording your video diary go to Keek.com create your username and password and click on 'Sign Up'.

Once you have signed up you can record your first entry. It's very easy to do this, you just click on the big green button at the top of the screen.

When you click on the button you will see a video window open. Just click on the camera icon and you can start to record your first diary entry.

When you have finished speaking, click on stop and then you can review your entry. Click 'Preview' to watch and listen to yourself and make sure you are happy with what you say. You can easily record your diary entry again if you think you can do better,  just click on 'Redo'.

When you are satisfied with your entry, click on 'Publish'. You can then add a short text / caption. You can also decide if you want to share your diary entry with friends on Facebook too. Next click on 'Publish'. Your video entry will become public.

When people see your video entry, they can leave comments using text, or video comments, or they can 'Follow' you if they think your entries will be interesting.

It can be difficult to think of things to talk about everyday, so here are some examples.

• Talking about a recipe
• What's in your purse?
• Starting back to school
• Tell people about your hobby

You could also talk about new words you have learned or share things about your country or culture.
It's easier to make your diary interesting if you have a smartphone as you can go to interesting places and talk about them. You can download the iPhone app free from iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com/app/keek/id453298978 or the Android app is available from: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.keek


I hope you enjoy creating diary entries using Keek and that you also find some other interesting people to follow. If you do, be sure to leave a few video comments on the ones you like.

A word on safety: Never share your address or any personal contact details with people you meet online. If you ever feel anyone is posting insulting or offensive comments or you see any videos that you find offensive be sure to click on the red flag below the video to notify the site owner.

If you want to connect with other English language learners or teachers who are using Keek.com, then post your Keek profile name in the comments below and look to see if anyone else has posted there.

Related links for teachers:

• Create a Video Q&A Booth
• So Ask Me a Question
• Create a Video Dictation Activity
• 20 WebCam Activities for EFL ESL Students
• Teach Yourself to Teach with Tech
• Get your Students Listening and Interacting with Native Speakers
• Things You Can Do With Your WebCam 1

Best

Nik Peachey