For adult language learners studying asynchronously, or who need a little more guidance, consider incorporating EdPuzzle into students’ assignments.
EdPuzzle is an interactive video lesson platform, and can be a great tool for instructors looking to liven up homework assignments or pinpoint specific areas of focus for students. EdPuzzle allows you to use existing videos or record your own videos, then embed comprehension questions within the video. You can create multiple choice or short answer questions that will pop up at specified points during the video, as the student is watching.
Students will need to answer the question to continue on to watch the rest of the video. Not only can the questions test students’ comprehension, they can also scaffold any challenging target language vocabulary or cultural aspects seen in the video to make them more understandable. This elevates a passive video watching task to a task requiring active listening and some critical thinking.
Let’s take a look at how an EdPuzzle video could fit into a language class. Below is the outline of a lesson about Food, Likes & Dislikes for a Level 1 to 1+, Intermediate-Low Chinese student. The video is from a Chinese vlogger sharing her dining experience at Jinling Hotel in Nanjing, China.
Task 1: Pre-Work
First, scan Jinling Hotel Nanjing’s website to learn about the hotel and its restaurant which will be seen in the video.
http://www.jinlinghotel-nj.cn/index.html
Task 2: Main Assignment
Then, watch this video of a vlogger eating breakfast at the Jinling Hotel in Nanjing on EdPuzzle. You will be quizzed on your understanding of the vlogger’s description of the restaurant’s food and her personal tastes, so listen closely!
https://edpuzzle.com/assignments/64ab2fae56b5f7417205207b/watch (class code: kahejow)
Task 3: Post-Work
In class, describe your observations of the hotel’s dining hall. Would you have made the same choices as the vlogger with selecting
Feel free to click the links to explore and understand the assignment better, to check out the EdPuzzle user interface and see how the questions pop up throughout the video.
Watch these short videos to learn how to create video lessons with EdPuzzle
- How To Find a Video on EdPuzzle (2 min 21 sec):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYIIjiVhNNA
- How To Edit a Video with EdPuzzle (2 min 47 sec):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Sg9Bd7CoE
The samples show a video being created in English for a history lesson, but applications are far-reaching for adult language learners. Imagine a video in the target language, perhaps with questions in the target language, asking questions about cultural nuances or work-related tasks seen in the video. This engages adult language learners, exposing them to target language input and checking their understanding along the way. Keep in mind that you can copy and paste YouTube video links into EdPuzzle, allowing teachers to edit and embed questions within a selected video.
From the back end, can also track students’ progress through the videos. Sign up for a free account by going to https://edpuzzle.com/ and clicking “Sign up”.
For help with signing up for EdPuzzle, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saTIgDRviZs
For more EdPuzzle videos, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/@Edpuzzle/playlists
