Why I recommend YouGlish to language teachers?

 Hi guys! Welcome back to Explore English Teaching with Leah! 😁😁

Today we're going to explore an immersive word learning site - YouGlish!

👉Click here for a first glimpse https://youglish.com/

Before starting the reading blog, I would like to invite you to think about a few questions:

— How do you usually learn a new word?

— When you have difficulty with the meaning of a word, how do you solve it?

— As a teacher, how do you explain the usage of words to your students?

Maybe you already have the answer now, maybe you're still reflecting on it, well, let's move on with the questions~

So now, let's get back and take a look at the website of the day——YouGlish

YouGlish is a website where you can “Use YouTube to improve your English pronunciation.” Most of the search terms are collected from the words, phrases and sentences that appear on Youtube, which is very useful and updated in real-time. “With more than 100M tracks, YouGlish gives you fast, unbiased answers about how English is spoken by real people and in context.”

—How to use YouGlish?—

Step 1: Get to know the functions

Step 2: Search a word, and watch the video

There are transcripts below. The word you are searching for is highlighted. And you can also record your practise.

They also offer several other aspects for you to learn, there are Definitions, Synonyms, Usages, Translations.

— An example of a lesson —

We've explored how to use YouGlish, but how can I use it in my lessons as a teacher? Here's a lesson plan I've put into practice.

This is a speaking lesson in which students learn some idioms by listening to and reading a conversation. Here is the exercise they are going to complete.

(from English In Mind 4 Unit 10)

In this section, the aim is that students need to guess and learn to use these idioms. Students are divided into groups and use YouGlish to search for the usage of these idioms and guess the Chinese translation without the help of a dictionary. In the process, they may be exposed to the use of the same word in different contexts through YouGlish, which also gives students the opportunity to negotiate meaning within the group.

After determining the meaning of the idioms, students are required to use the idioms to rehearse a five-minute play in which the use of the idioms is appropriate to their meaning and context. After the rehearsal, they will present it in class.

Certainly, this is just an idea for teaching, if you have a better way to use YouGlish in the classroom, don't hesitate to share it with us in the comments section!😄

— My comments —

Let's go back to the very first question

— How do you usually learn a new word?

— When you have trouble with the meaning of a word, how do you solve it?

— As a teacher, how do you explain the usage of words to your students?

My answer to the three questions above is very simple: "Put the word in context"

👍The ultimate goal of learning a new word, whether as a language learner or a teacher, is to be able to use it. The most important thing I like about YouGlish is that it solves all three of these problems perfectly.

👍It provides a variety of contexts for English learners. Not only do learners learn the meaning of words, but they also learn how to pronounce them using different accents, which is also very interesting.

👍The process of using YouGlish is casual and it is more entertaining than with dictionaries and online translation tools. However, the more fun the learning process is, the more memorable the word will be.

👍YouGlish is a good source of authentic language for teachers to prepare lessons.

👎But there are limitations. Using YouGlish for independent learning requires a high level of English proficiency from the learner. Too much language input from different situations and accents can be confusing for students. It is therefore suitable for intermediate or advanced learners of English.

That's all for today. Click on this link and try it! https://youglish.com/

Please share any ideas you have with us in the comments section! ✌