VoiceThread as an Online Tool for Developing Listening and Speaking Skills Outside the Language Classroom
The article examines technical features and didactic characteristics of an online tool VoiceThread which can be considered to be essential for developing learners’ listening and speaking skills, communication and collaboration skills as well as promoting students’ engagement outside the language classroom. To meet these goals, the developers have created it as a cloud application, in other words, there is no software to install as it works in any modern updated web browser and on almost any internet connection, allowing for digital media (images, videos, documents) to be uploaded, commented using voice, text, webcam etc., and shared with other people. The main focus of the article lies on the description of experience of implementing an online audio tool VoiceThread in an author’s blended language course “Information Technologies in Intercultural Communication”, which combines face-to-face classes and a virtual classroom in Moodle learning management system. A number of VoiceThread practical activities developing the abovementioned skills was elaborated by the author and is under discussion in the article as well. Conclusions drawn from this research show that VoiceThread activities encourage language learners to purposefully acquire knowledge of relevant semantic fields and plan their speech strategies to fulfill communicative tasks, as well as to develop listening comprehension skills and enrich their knowledge of the subject with the help of their peers previous experience.