Mailvu

Mailvu is one of the useful tools that can unleash the power of video with the simplicity of email. It functions more or less similar to Keek. We can make video using both tools and teachers need to be creative in manipulating these tools for language teaching. Activities that can be conducted using this tool might be suitable for students age from 15-17 years old.


It is important to note that, to use this tool, webcam is needed while recording the video.


Teachers might create several activities to be collaborated with this tool. In order to get students to engage themselves into the class activity, for example, students can conduct an interview session among themselves and record it using the technology. Teachers might ask students to work in pairs and get students to firstly, make questions to ask another friend such as, 
1. How did you get your name?
2. Which character in Harry Potter do you like the most? 
3. What do you want for your next birthday present?
And, the list of questions go on as many as possible.





Later, they need to interview one another and record the conversation. The content does not have to really be of academic but more about themselves and their life. The objective of this task is merely to personalise the task where students need to answer questions based on their life, interests and experience, not really about their knowledge. I believe that the more the activity is being personalised, the more motivating the lesson.


This activity fulfills the communication theory as the basic elements of communication are there which are: the speaker (the one who ask questions), the listener (the one who listen and answer the questions), channel (face-to-face medium of interaction), input (the questions), feedback (answers).



And, it is important to note that, communication is important in language learning due to the reason that it can enhance speaking skills and interpersonal skills while dealing with other people. 


Likewise, teacher might as well ask students to talk about the most important object that they have which they will protect and take a good care of. It can either be a ring that has been given by her parents or a piece of paper that has been used by his late grandparent with some written text etc.


Another suggested activity that can be done and recorded is students can creatively perform cooking show. Students might choose one of their favourite food, find for its recipe and later try to cook by themselves and record them all. Or maybe, they do not have to cook in front of their laptop just to do this task. They could just show the cooked food/ baked cake and retell the steps to make it. 


The advantages of this activity are:
1. It allows personalisation. Personalisation is an important part of the communicative approach, since it involves true communication, as learners communicate real information about themselves. Personalisation can make the activity more meaningful and remember-able for students.
2. It can sharpen students' speaking skills as they have the platform to practice speaking, which is in this case through video making. The more students use the language, the faster they can adapt to the language either by speaking or writing. Motivating environment and classroom activity signify successful lessons to take place.
3. Communicative task can be conducted and referring to Vygotsky who is of social constructivism, he believes that through communication and peer interaction, language learners are able to acquire language more effectively.
4. Students are able to use language in context since teacher has already contextualised the content. Besides, they can learn specific vocabulary for example, in cooking show, they might use verbs like stir, mix, blend, cook and boil as well as use noun like colander, spoon, pot etc. This is very significant to prepare them for the future and real life language use.


Several disadvantages are:
1. There might be some students who are afraid of using technology, but as practice goes on, they will be able to use it.
2. The link of the video cannot be embedded to the blog which unable for students to show their product to the public as it only can be shared through email only.