Voicethread for ESL

I think if monitored effectively, Voicethread has the potential to be beneficial to students. The idea of having a platform that can hold images, documents, and videos, has the potential to allow students to continue learning outside of the classroom. The fact that people from all over the world can participate gives students the opportunity to collaborate with other ESL/EFL students, particularly those at different levels, or with different L1's.

Chapelle and Jamieson mention how research indicates that students should be exposed to different varieties of English, including pronunciation variations, and different dialects. I think Voicethread has potential to introduce students to several different aspects by embedding videos or sound clips into the thread. Since teachers have control over the material selected, they can be sure that students are engaged in authentic materials. If monitored correctly, I think it could be a useful tool.