Tech Tuesday - Which Resources Are Free?

[Lauren W. Racela]

Hello from the 2022-2023 OFLA Technology Integration Committee!

Most Tuesdays between Labor Day and Memorial Day, this year’s committee will send out a Tech Tuesday update with tips, tricks, and resources that you can either use in your language classroom or that will make your life a bit easier.  

Please submit a tip, resource, or request!

Which Resources Are Free?

When COVID hit, many educational technology companies offered extended free trials of their products in order to help teachers who were suddenly teaching in distance learning settings. This was great for those who were able to take advantage of these resources, but it can get a bit confusing to know which resources are still available for free. 

Here are some popular products that are either free to use or offer extended free trials. Some of these products may also have a free and a paid version available. 

Free Resources 

Jamboard - Since Jamboard is part of Google, it’s free to use! Jamboard is a great way to use interactive whiteboards for students to promote collaboration. 

Classflow - This free lesson delivery website streamlines student work with everything they need in one place, from whiteboards to quizzes to question assignments. You can even search for pre-made lessons to offer your students. 

Seterra - I use this geography game as a brain break for students. It’s free to access online, and there are also printable resources on the site. 

Resources with Workable Free Editions

Kahoot - Kahoot Basic allows you to play Kahoot with your students. Some features, such as duplicating public Kahoots to edit them, are unavailable. That being said, you can still create great lessons for your students with Kahoot. 

Nearpod - Nearpod can be a great way to boost student engagement in real time. A free account can get you started, offering a set number of question types for you to assign your students. 

Gimkit - This popular review game can be accessed for free. With the free version, you can only use certain game modes of the many available. Learn more about the free version here. 

Peardeck - The free edition still allows you to create interactive lesson slides, but with limited additional features. You can see more about the features here. 

Resources with Free Trials

Charlala - Charlala is like Pictionary, where students draw pictures to correspond with different prompts. Their classmates then guess anonymously what was being drawn. You can create an account and play five times for free before having to pay for the site. 

EdPuzzle - If your district doesn’t pay for EdPuzzle, you can assign 20 video lessons with a Basic (free) account. 

Quizizz - A free version of this site is available with a limited number of interactive lessons. You can search from pre-made lessons or create your own. This is great independent practice for students. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but hopefully it helps you to see what’s out there! Which of these do you use? Let us know! 

Sincerely,

2022-2023 OFLA Technology Integration Committee

Disclaimer: The information and resources disseminated by the Tech Integration Committee are provided as a convenience and for informational purposes.  They are disseminated “by educators and for educators,” and do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the Ohio Foreign Language Association of any products, services, or opinions.