I would like to share some of the Web 2.0 tools that discovered and used. I will start with Text2Mindmap which is a super cool digital tool to convert texts into mind maps. I love it because I am a visual learner and any graphical lay out appeals to me a lot. It’s free (like most of the on-line web applications), very user-friendly and printable. First, you need to go to http://www.text2mindmap.com/

Then, type in your text under the column which says “Outline your text”. Next, decide on the font, color and lines of your mind map and finally save it.

Teaching Suggestions

1.            To teach vocabulary: You can use it to pre-teach vocabulary (e.g. drawing a family tree to teach related vocabulary), to recycle vocabulary by asking the students to go over the newly learned words and suggest a way to group and organize these words.

2.            To summarize main ideas in a reading text: You can use the tool to create a concept mapping to relate ideas students read to one another.

3.            To brainstorm before a writing assignment: You can ask the students to work on, to create mind maps to gather ideas.

4.            To teach grammar: You can outline a grammar structure visually by exemplifying its use, formation…etc.

5.            ….

If you try Text2Mindmap please let me know what you think. Maybe we can add more items on the list above.