Category Archives: Teachers

Why using Vocabulary Notebook?

In this post we are going to focus on the main advantages of using Vocabulary Notebook in any course of foreign languages.

Screenshot of a user adding a word with an image to Vocabulary Notebook

Vocabulary Notebook: Adding a word

Since English is the most studied language, we will use EFL/ESL (English as a Foreign or Second Language) courses as examples, but the tool can actually be used to learn any type of vocabulary, for any language or purpose (such as medical vocabulary). So, either if you are reading this article from a student’s perspective or if you are a teacher, you will find several ways in which this new platform can help you while either learning or teaching vocabulary.

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7 Idioms Related to Summertime

Since it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, we have collected seven idioms that somehow are related to this season of the year (all the idioms include words such as water, oceans, swimming, sun, splash or shine). However, the meanings of these idioms are not related with summer at all.

Wooden chairs of different colours in a the beach on a sunny day

Intrigued? Keep reading. We hope you find them interesting!

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Vocabulary Notebook, why should it be used with the CLIL methodology?

Clilvn logo

As you may have noticed, Vocabulary Notebook can make the learning process in an ESL classroom easier. However, can we assure that it provides advantages for CLIL subjects too? In this post, we will show the reasons of why the implementation of VN within the CLIL methodology is so useful.

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A digital tool to achieve the ELA Common Core Standards

The standards were drafted by experts and teachers from across the country and are designed to ensure students are prepared for today’s entry-level careers, freshman-level college courses, and workforce training programs. The Common Core focuses on developing the critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills students will need to be successful. [1]

common core vn logo

Vocabulary Notebook is a digital platform that allows students to keep a personal glossary of the new terms they learn, providing useful sorting and filtering options, easy editions and useful self-assessment tests that allow them to significantly improve their vocabulary acquisition process. The full platform not only includes apps for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, but also a web-based application that allows students to access their vocabulary notebook from their pcs / laptops as well.

Below, we will point out in which way Vocabulary Notebook can help American students to fulfil the goals suggested by the Common Core State Standards.

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Self-Assessment Tests, helpful or not?

“Self-assessment is not something to be added to the repertoire of teaching activities. It is a matter which needs to be taken into account in all considerations of learning” – David Boud [1] .

AssessmentAssessments always seem problematic for many students and teachers. Unfortunately, it is very common to see that traditional methods of assessment still prevail in the great majority of the schools all over the world.

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Switching to Digital Vocabulary Notebooks

Fulfilling a need of language students and teachers

Vocabulary Notebook Logo

To improve their vocabulary, many language students use notebooks, cards or text files to write down the new words they learn, to review them afterwards. In fact, many teachers encourage students to use personal vocabulary notebooks for this purpose.

Vocabulary notebooks are quite useful. While writing down the words we don’t know, with our own definitions or sample sentences we learn and retain those words better in our memory. This is something that many pedagogical studies have being stating for decades. However, paper vocabulary notebooks are often messy, difficult to edit and unorganized; thus not being really useful to study. Moreover, they are usually boring and difficult to carry. But don’t worry, below we have the solution!

Vocabulary Notebook Platform: A digital vocabulary Notebook & much more

iOS Studying Screen

Vocabulary Notebook is a digital vocabulary notebook. It is a full digital platform which includes both smartphone apps (for iOS and Android) and also a web application (for students and teachers).

This tech tool is aimed to help english students to improve their vocabulary, replacing the traditional paper notebooks. First Vocabulary Notebook is a blank notebook that allows students to write down the new words they learn, as easily as they would do it in traditional notebooks; allowing them to include sample sentences, translations or definitons. Later on, students will be able to review their vocabulary comfortably, using many features that make study easier, such as sorting words alphabetically, reviewing vocabulary by importance or by categories, searching within the list of words… As well as doing self-assessment tests or listening the right pronunciation of the words.

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