The following are some useful resources that can guide you or that you can use to prepare the activities as you transform them into the target language. Some of our instructors have found these resources useful for instruction. Since we do not control these websites, we cannot guarantee their availability or security. Some services require a subscription — check with your institution for details.

  1. Quizlet : Free to create a set of vocabulary sets for the class. In addition to traditional flashcards, Quizlet offers many different options for learning games and study guides. Some features are behind a paywall.
  2. Anki : Good option for students who wish to create their own flashcards. Sharing is difficult and there is no option for teachers to set a course.
  3. Brainscape : Allows teachers to make a class set of flashcards or use existing flashcards. Can assign sets to students and monitor their progress. Upgrade unlocks additional features.
  4. Wordwall : An online platform that allows teachers to create different interactive activities (e.g., spin the wheel) and class sets of flashcards. These sets can be embedded into other websites as well.
  5. Flashcard Machine : 100% free. Allows teachers to create their own class sets. Unclear whether or not teachers can assign sets or monitor student progress.

Each can be used to send interactive polls (e.g., word cloud, ranking) and live quiz questions during presentations or class. Each has limitations based on which level you choose to pay for, although the most basic option is free for each.

  1. Poll Everywhere
  2. Mentimeter
  1. H5P Can be used to create a wide range of interactive activities, videos with embedded questions and presentations. H5P content can be embedded into other websites as well. Activity creation requires a paid subscription.
  2. Padlet is a multimedia platform that can be used collaboratively to brainstorm ideas, create timelines, and post multimedia resources using discussion boards.
  3. Perusall allows users to collaboratively annotate a text. Videos and audio materials can be integrated and used for annotation as well. 
  4. Kami is an online authoring tool that can be used to create a shared online whiteboard, create shared interactive readings and course materials, or comment on one another’s learning. There is a paid version, but the base software is free.
  5. ThingLink is an immersive and interactive content creation tool that allows users to enhance images or videos by using tags and pins with texts, links, and other media.
  1. Blooket : Can create question sets, games, and vocabulary sets. Option to import flashcards from Quizlet. Interactive games that require students to answer questions to move on. Multiple choice questions very similar to Kahoot.
  2. Kahoot : Students play against each other to answer multiple choice questions. Can be played live or assigned to a class. 
  3. Tophat : An online platform that allows instructors to present lecture material, assign quizzes and polls to students, and ask discussion questions. Tophat offers a variety of interactive textbooks as well.
  4. LearningApps allows teachers to create and browse online learning games and activities created by teachers of many different languages on a variety of topics.
  5. The Crossword Solver contains a lot of resources to help teachers create crossword puzzles, anagrams, and find words that have certain letters in them. The website is also helpful for students to search for crossword clues and play word games (e.g., wordle).

All of these are used to enhance and create presentations. NearPod and PeadDeck allow for interactive presentations. Canva and Adobe Express are mostly used as graphic design software tools. They both include basic free versions for content creation (e.g., posters, infographics, etc.).

  1. NearPod
  2. PearDeck
  3. Adobe Express
  4. Canva

When gathering photos to use in your class, each of these websites can be used to find high-quality free photos. Ensure that each photo is in the Creative Commons before including it in your course.

  1. Pixabay
  2. Unsplash
  3. Flickr
  4. Wikimedia Commons
  1. Lingco: Includes performance- and proficiency-based activities and lessons that are targeted to students’ needs and interests. Lingco currently has Spanish and French programs that use standards-based approach for their activities.
  1. Formative is a platform that helps teachers create assignments and deliver different lessons and provide instant feedback. It also helps students practice the material.

Other Language Activity Databases

The Pathways Project

The Pathways Project is a collaborative network of Open Educational Resources (OER) developed by the Department of World Languages at Boise State University for use by Idaho’s K-16 language teachers and students. The activities are focused on interpersonal communication, as most language students consider it the most challenging of the four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking). Each lesson is about 30 minutes in length and includes a warm up, main activity, and cool down with detailed teaching instructions, and classroom slides which can be tailored for the type of students. Material is currently developed for American Sign Language, Arabic, Basque, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.