Storytelling websites and apps

Storytelling in all its forms (traditional pen and paper or digital) has always been a favourite of mine. I always include some kind of storytelling activity with my classes so I decided to write about some available tools for use online (digital storytelling) or in the classroom to support pen and paper storytelling. 

To support storytelling in the classroom

Flickr Tell a story in 5 frames 

Sets of 5 images that make up a story. Assign a set or have your students choose one and write the story.

Story Starter Jr

Story Starter 

Random creators of story starters

Rory’s storytelling cubes $1.99 for iPhone and iPad 

Dice with images. Simply shake your iPhone to roll the cubes and create a story using all 9 face-up images. Thanks to Graham Stanley for this one!

Story dice $1.99 for iPhone and iPad 

Story Dice is a creative tool to prompt ideas for plot, character, and setting. This idea generator can be used effectively for both written and oral storytelling.

Story Shout $0.99 for iPhone and iPad 

Story Shout is an innovative fun game for iPhone and iPad that challenges players to invent and tell stories out loud whilst prompted by a set of onscreen images (glyphs/icons).

Tell a tale Free for iPad 

You’ll get the first and the last sentence of a story, three pictures are added and the rest is up to you.

Writer’s Hat $0.99 for iPhone and iPad 

Writer's Hat is an ideas generator to inspire creative writing, oral literacy and imaginative thinking.

To be used online

Pic Lits

I love Pic Lits. You can read my previous post on it for more details

Folding Story 

Folding Story is a web game in which players write one line of a story, fold the paper, and pass it on to the next person.

Zooburst Free for iPad and website 

ZooBurst is a digital storytelling tool that lets anyone easily create his or her own augmented reality 3D pop-up books.

Story wheel $2.99 for iPhone and iPad 

1-4 players can create a story. Start by spinning the wheel to get a picture. Next, record your voice as you develop a story with that picture. Each player will build upon the story with a new picture. When done, you can listen to your story and share your creations online, or email them to family and friends.

Story Patch $2.99 for iPad 

Story Patch is a new application for the iPad that children can use to create their own picture books. With hundreds of included images, easy-to-use controls, and the ability to import photos.

Scribz Free for iPhone and iPad 

Scribz is a simple, creative and funny way to share short stories. Make artistic storyboards with your iPhone: add 3 pictures, write a few captions for the storytelling and use the « film noir » template to share the story on Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook or even by mail. 

Storyrobe Free for iPhone and iPad

This is a really great app for making photo slide shows with voice recording.

Tellagami Free for iPhone and iPad

Tellagami is a quick and easy way to create and share a fun short story called a Gami. Just select and customize a character. Personalize your Gami with photos and your own voice. Then share your Gami with friends. 

Thumbstruck Free for iPhone and iPad 

Thumbstruck is a social networking/ storytelling application that allows users to improvisationally write stories together through three methods of interaction: Choose my words, Use my words, and Fuse my words.

There are other tools that I have used over and over like

• Voicethread
• Storybird
• Zimmer Twins
• Xtranormal
• Bubblr
• Bookr

I have already written about these tools in a previous post which you can read here 

Hope you have found something to spice up your storytelling activities! If you have any suggestions for other tools or how to use them, please leave a comment.

iPhone, iPod touch and iPad apps for ELT

I`ve read many articles about useful apps for Apple products so far and there are several apps I use in my iPhone that are rarely featured. So I decided to publish my own list.
I have focused mainly on free apps although there are a few paid ones that are worth it. I have left out dictionaries since there are many options and probably deserve a post of their own.
All the apps reviewed here are available for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Category: Reference

Spell Check

Spell Check is an inexpensive Spell Checker and a Dictionary, which requires no internet connection!
•    $0.99
•    Language: English

Irregular Verbs

Irregular Verb Dictionary for English learners contains over 370 irregular verbs used in modern English. A useful app for learners!
•    Free
•    Language: English

Sounds

This app lets you hear the English sounds in both American and British English and you can practise and play. There`s a premium version available.
•    Free
•    Language: English

My WordBook

This app is an interactive vocabulary notebook for language learners. You can browse preloaded flashcards of the most important words in the English language. Each flashcard contains pictures, sounds, example sentences, translations and notes to help you remember.

This version does not contain any translations but you can enter your own translations by editing the words. Regional language versions are available for: Chinese,  Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, French and Arabic.
•    Free
•    Language: English

 Free British English Genco Audio Cards

This app has 20 flashcards with sound and you can practice and play games.
•    Free
•    Language: English

Category: Language Practice

Conversation English

Conversation English is an app for anyone learning English. There are 20 complete Conversation English Lessons that include 200 common English Idioms and Expressions and help you develop your Listening and Speaking Skills.


•    $4.99
•    Language: English

Dynamic English Lessons - Phrasal Verbs

This app presents phrasal verbs in different categories. You need to solve the category puzzle first and as you do, the phrasal verbs are added to the dictionary section, where you can read the definition. Although it looks a bit difficult, a newer version is being developed to provide more help with solving the puzzles.
•    £0.99
•    Language: English

Category: Books
Stanza

This free app allows you to download and read books. It is available in many languages.
•    Free
•    Languages: English, Bulgarian, Chinese, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese

Free books

This paid app (Yes, I know….why is it called free books?) gives you access to 23,469 classic books instantly. There are books available in many languages.
•    $1.99
•    Languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish

Cinderella – a 3d fairy tale

This app is an interactive retelling of the classic fairy tale. It includes games and music and beautiful illustrations! There is a free version and a paid one.
•    Free/ $4.99
•    Language: English

 Christmas Tale

This is a free interactive Christmas story worth trying.
•    Free
•    Language: English

Category: Word games

 Word challenge

60 Second Word Challenge is a vocabulary game to help improve and widen your English learning developed by the British Council. Really good!
•    Free
•    Languages: English, German

 Word Scramble

Scramble is a fast fun game of finding words in a jumbled grid. Great for vocabulary practice! And addictive!
•    Free
•    Language: English

Hangman

This classic hangman app let you choose difficulty and word categories, like animals, food, etc. Simple but fun to practise vocabulary.
•    Free
•    Language: English

Other

Mouth off

Hold your iPhone in front of your mouth and talk, shout, laugh, scream or sing to get the mouth of your choice to animate in time with the sounds you make. There`s a lite version with one free mouth.
•    $0.99
•    Language: English

  
Sonic Pics

This app is an easy way to turn your images into custom slideshow movies. The lite version has some restrictions in the number of pictures allowed and maximum recording time of 10 minutes.
•    Free/ $2.99
•    Language: English

 Fotobabble

This app lets you quickly create and easily add your voice to photos and instantaneously share those Talking Photos with friends.
•    Free
•    Language: English

 Dice Roller

This app is a simple dice roller simulator. Simple yet useful.
•    Free
•    Language: English

Hope you have found something useful! If you know of other apps you use, please add them in your comments!

Guest post: SpeedUpTV – Helps To Hone Your Foreign Language Learning Skills

SpeedUpTV is a new iOS-based application, compatible with the iPhone. This application provides rich features that have made it a popular choice among various iPhone users. Some iPhone users, like foreign language students, find this application simply amazing. SpeedUpTV is an effective app for improving your listening comprehrension skills. For example, if you have trouble understanding some dialogue in your favorite drama or an important part during a movie you can always replay or slow it down and loop it so you can understand what was said more clearly.

Let me explain in more detail. You can decrease the speed to 0.5X meaning you can slow down the speech of a video. Moreover, you can choose playback speed of 0.5x, 1x, 1.5x, 2x or 2.5x without sacrificing on quality of the video. This can be helpful when watching educational videos or maybe a lecture in English or any other foreign language. 

 

This app helps students clarify their errors and make the necessary changes to improve fluency. I found this app to be of great use for people trying to learn a new language. I was able to slowdown the speed of video to better understand what the speaker was saying. SpeedUpTV is a great tool for improving listening skills. By listening to the video slowly and then progressively faster, I was able to better understand each dialogue and the nuances of pronunciation. 

For those of you having trouble understanding the dialogue in your favorite foreign dramas because of the speed of their speech this app might help you improve your listening comprehension skills while also enjoying learning a foreign language.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/speeduptv/id386986953?mt=8

AppsAsia is a South Korean-based company passionately dedicated to providing marketing, promotion and advertising services for Korean iPhone application developers.
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If you are interested in this app, I have 4 redeem codes to give away, courtesy of AppsAsia. Just send me an email at saumell.vicky@gmail.com and the first four will get them.

Cheers,

Vicky