 Hello everybody, my name is Lisa, and I welcome you to the weekly live stream run by ITTT. And today's live stream is going to be slightly different from the previous ones, because I'm going to share my screen and show you all technical things in real time. So this live stream is going to be devoted to some best tools for designing online English lessons. And to make sure everything is clear to you, I just want to show you in real time how I design my lessons. And as I have already mentioned in some of my previous streams, I've been using a couple of useful tools to deliver my classes. The first is Nero, which is an online collaborative whiteboard. And another one is Canva. It's a really great designing tool for creating beautiful presentations, templates, worksheets, and simply anything you want. So in today's session, we will start creating an interesting game which can be adjusted to whatever level or age group you have. So I hope you will really like it. And let's just quickly go to the main point of today's live stream so that everyone can keep up with me and follow my directions. So if you guys have already had Nero, it's a great idea to log in and try to do everything with myself, like simultaneously. But if you are not on Nero yet, it's okay. Just check out this stream and maybe later you will be able to try it on because this tool is just amazing. And by the way, this live stream is provided by ITTT. And well, let me just draw your attention to this little QR code here. So if you scan it with your cell phone, you will be able to get to our web page and get a 30% off of any ITTT TEFL courses. So if you are willing to start your teaching career, it's a great place to begin. And right now let me just share my screen right now. It's not like this. Okay, so we will start with Nero, as I have already mentioned. And the game I'm going to design is this one. It's really famous. Everyone likes it. And it's actually a great game to practice English as well. So I have already created a template, but it's not filled out yet. And in today's session, I want to show you different tech features of Nero, which you can use to design this particular game or actually any game you want. So let me just quickly overview the way this whiteboard looks. So this is like a huge whiteboard where you can place your materials. And your students actually may have access to the same whiteboard as you. I'm sure that many of you have already known this feature, so it's really convenient. And on the left side of the whiteboard, there is a dashboard. You can look through it. So there are different features, different tools to use on your Nero board. So for example, if you need some emojis, you can search in the internal search. Then there are also some text layouts and shapes. So you basically can find anything you like right there. So if you have some idea on creating, I don't know, snakes and ladders, for example, you can also do it with this whiteboard. And to access things like pictures, there is actually an in-plagged Google image search. So I'll show you later how to use it, but it's really simple. And it's quite convenient because you don't need to open another tab on your browser. And you can just easily get whatever pictures you like. And there is also Unsplash, which is a really huge library of copyright-free pictures. So if you need some more beautiful pictures, you can get them as well. And to create this game Monopoly or Monopoly, I'm not sure how to pronounce it. I'm so sorry. But if you guys have any comments on my pronunciation or whatever, you can use the comments section on the live stream so that I know that I'm not alone here and I can chat sometime with you. So to get started with this game, what you have to do is search Monopoly board on Google pictures. And it should be, well, any type of the board actually. So there are many different templates. Some of them are not suitable for this type of game for English lessons. For example, I'm not sure if we could use this one. So you just need to look through the pictures you have and choose the best one. And then, so when you found it, just simply expand it and start filling out the way you like as well. So I have already begun mine. It actually takes some time to get through all of the spaces. But basically you have to consider Monopoly rules and the basic board of the game, of the original game. So just make sure you put some of the main spaces like this one. So go left. This is the space where you start the game. Then some of the main features like this chance space, just visiting jail, free parking space, and go to jail. So these four spaces would be the main ones. And you have to also create picture cards to use for your community chest and for the chance questions. Right? So how to create your card with Miro? It's actually super simple. So you go to this left dashboard. You go to the dashboard on the left and choose the shape tool. So you click on it and you can choose whatever shape you like. But I believe for this one, this roundish rectangular form is the best. So you choose it and then you simply expand and adjust to the form you need. And then you can change the color with this same implocked features. It's really simple and super cool because you don't need to use any other special tools, special designing things. But another idea would be to check Canva, for example, because there are also a lot of different templates. And if you want to create a special color, for example, Canva would be the best option here. But if you want to stay in just one tool, Miro has all of these features included. So you can move this shape. And you can also type in on the shape the words you need, the questions and so on. So for example, to create this file, the chance file, you should think of several questions. It depends on the length of your game. So for example, if you play in terms of your usual class, like for example, my classes with some of the kids are around 40 minutes. So you'd probably need just a couple of questions. No need to create like tens or like dozens of questions. Several questions would be enough. So you type in whatever question you need. And by the way, one more thing. The way you adjust the game depends on your students level. It also depends on their topics. For example, here you can see my students topics. So I've decided to create this game for my 10 year old student. She has already covered 14 topics in the coursebooks in the coursebook. So I'm going to focus on these topics and pick out like several things from grammar section, from vocabulary and so on. So you can adjust this word game to whatever level your students have, right? Okay, and the questions would be adjusted to it as well. So for example, I want to help my student remember some things about her family. So for example, you can type in something like how can you call your dad some other ways. And just include this card. For example, it should be yellow in my case. Just put this card in the pile like this. So to make sure the card is not on the top of the pile, you can click on the card and then on these three dots and put it like this, send to back. So when you need it to be in front of the pile, send to front. When you need it on the bottom, then send to back. Okay, let's start with this one. So when you're ready with the game and you play, you actually play it, you can ask your student just to like take it out of the pile and the top card can be moved. So you can unlock just the top card of the pile this way. Okay, so this is the way you create cards. What about some of the pictures on the board? So you could also use this Google search, Google image search, which is in plugged in Miro. And you can type in some keywords like Mopoly community chest, and it should be PNG format. So you choose this picture and add it to whatever place you need. The same with the bank and the same with the money. For the game where you use different numbers, you will need a lot of different bank notes. So like I added $1, $5, $10, $20. And I'm also going to add some more types of these bank notes because I want to help my student remember the numbers as well. So this game is also really useful to learn the numbers. So if this topic is difficult for your students, then you can also revise it, review it. Alright, as for some other features, so technically that is all to mention from the point of like adding cards and pictures. But also Miro has got some useful plugins. And to show you what I mean, let's look at this dice picture. So Miro has dice as a paid feature as I remember. But if you like need one, you can also look on the apps field. So you need to click on these three dots on the dashboard and click on get more apps. So the paid version of Miro has a more sophisticated dice feature, but I found the one and installed it. So it's like a community dice. So someone created it and just distributed for free. So if you need some special features in your games, you can also use this marketplace to look for different tools. So you install the dice you found, and then the way to use it is a bit challenging, I should say. So to use it, you need to find a PNG picture, a PNG image of a dice. And then to use the dice of the game of the Miro tool, you need to click on this dice image and then click on the dice feature. And then it will show the simple random numbers. So this is the way you can use this dice, but I also want to mention that there are even more different plugins. And I actually found really useful ones and I've been using them, but today they unfortunately don't work. And when I figure out how to fix it, I'll let you know. I think that I'll show you this game finished next week so that today we just focus on some technical features on how to design it. And next week we will look at how to implement it and how to play it. Okay, so the problem with the dice is actually quite annoying, but we can't do anything. So if you can see, I've started adding different pictures and different numbers on my special fields, on the fields on the game board. But I haven't finished yet and I think by next week the whole board will be done and I'll show you the result. And probably I'll also be able to play with one of my children, with one of my students, and let you know how good is it or bad. Who knows. And the next thing would be how to also use Canva. So I've already mentioned that it's a great idea to use Canva and I want to show you exactly what I mean. So let me change my screen right now. So the part with this mirror and monopoly is done and I want to go to the Canva thing right now. Because these two tools are my favorite ones and I've been using them like the whole time. So let me show you some Canva features. Okay, so here it is, right? So let me know guys, if you know Canva and if you've tried to use it for your English classes. If you did, let me know how was that experience and how did you use it actually. So and right now I want to show you the field, not the field, I want to show you this template library. For some reason today my Canva is in Russian. I don't know why sometimes it's in English. I mean the layout is sometimes in English and sometimes it's just in Russian but who cares, it's pretty clear. So you can actually adjust your templates. So you can choose from the various templates on Canva. There are templates for presentations, for worksheets and lesson plans for Instagram stories and so on. So there are many different templates you could use. And right now let's look at some of the presentation templates because they are quite adjustable. For example, this one can be used for some educational stuff. Again, it's in Russian but who cares. So there are various templates. The presentation can be quite long. And again, we can use Canva, create presentations there and then extract to Miro. So if you know Canva, so just imagine that I have just created this presentation and I want to add it to Miro. So the way I do it is I can actually download the presentation in whatever format is useful, is convenient. But I prefer to use PDF standard. So basically I download this presentation from Miro, sorry from Canva. So I like save it. And then I want to move it to my Miro board. So like for example, I've prepared a presentation with different layouts and content inside. But I want to deliver it to my students, so I want to share it with my student. And the way I do it is I add it to the Miro board. And it's pretty cool actually because of the format and because of the way I saved this presentation from Miro. So right now let me quickly change the screen sharing thing. So I go back to Miro. Okay, let's just start sharing. I want to show you the whole screen. Okay, so right now we are on StreamYard, but right now I've moved to Miro. And you can see that I have saved the presentation in the PDF format. So what I do is I drag the presentation here. And it appears on the Miro board. But you can see just one picture right now. But if you click on this picture, you could see that there are actually 15 of them. And to extract them, you can quickly just simply click on the extract pages. And for example, choose either all pages to be extracted or like several. For example, I want to extract pages 2 to 6. And then what happens is this. So Miro extracts several pictures from your PDF file. It's super convenient. And I suggest you using it because it's super simple to create everything on Canva because it has different designing features you don't have on Miro. And then just extract and put all of the presentation sheets, all of the presentation templates on Miro. The same way you can actually create some backgrounds. So for example, you are going to create your Miro lesson, but you don't need to create the whole presentation. You just want to use several backgrounds and that is all. So you can basically do the same thing. Just let's delete everything. So to use Canva as a tool to create backgrounds is also really convenient and super easy because there are a lot of cool backgrounds to choose. So for example, you can choose textures, forms, shapes, whatever pictures you like. But you can also create gradients, for example, or colors you like. So this is also a really useful way to create backgrounds and then add to the Miro board. Alright, so that is pretty much for today. I just wanted to quickly show you the ways I use different features, different tools when I design my lessons. And it's actually up to a teacher because we all are pretty creative people and we can think of different ways to show and deliver our lessons. But I believe that my way is really interesting and helpful. So let me know what you think. And yes, I can see that there are several questions. Okay, so Fiona, thank you so much for helping me with this pronunciation. Yeah, I think I was pretty close to the correct one, but anyways. Okay, so there is a question. Is Canva an app? Actually, it has both variants. So for example, if you are more convenient to use it from your desktop, you can quickly go to their website, canva.com, and create your profile there. And then you can also download an app for your cell phone and synchronize your profile from the desktop with the one on your cell phone. So basically you can create your presentations, pictures, and whatever you like from both the desktop and the online application, cell phone application. Okay, yeah, and as for Canva as well, you need to download it from an app store. So if you've been using Apple or Android, it is both on, you can find it on both. So it's not a problem. And as for Miro, so there are also two options. There is a cool, solid desktop version and there is also an application for a cell phone. But the cell phone is less convenient, I would say, because it has a limited number of features. And if you, for example, want to use board games like this, it won't be possible probably. But it's a great way to use a cell phone version, an application when you're on the go or when your students, for example, go somewhere and they don't have an access to the desktop version. So I usually assign homeworks with this online application and I help students to reach the contents of our lessons easily. But usually when we have lessons on Zoom, I request to use the desktop version. But it's up to you. Yeah, sometimes students, especially the younger ones, they are so flexible, they can use different tools and different gadgets so easily and they create their own ways and approaches, right? So as for today's topic, I believe that the best tools for designing online lessons are still MIRO and Canva. And you can mix and match them, like mix and play around with both of them. But there are also some other ways to create lessons. And that's a topic to discuss, like maybe even... Well, we can discuss this topic later a lot, but it's not a problem. And what I want right now is to hear from you. Well, maybe you've been using something as well and you could share it with us. Feel free to comment right now because we have a really, really nice comment section. And I want just to make sure that everyone knows that if you guys follow this link, you can get a 30% discount on all ITTT TEFL courses. So if you want to start learning and begin your teaching journey, make sure you copy this link and save it. The other way would be to scan the QR code on the left or on the right side of the screen. Okay. And right now, please just let me know if you've been using any different tools. I'm really curious because I usually try to follow up with different technical stuff and I want to know some of the best features to implement in my lessons. So for example, I know that some teachers use Notion. Do you know this tool for planning? So some teachers create beautiful and even outstanding lessons on Notion and it's another way to organize classes actually. But I believe that if you create lessons on Notion, it's a less interactive way to deliver classes. Because for example, on Miro, students can also work with you together, like simultaneously. If you create lessons on Notion, you will do everything yourself as a teacher and as a presenter and students will just passively watch and do whatever you say. I believe that Miro is the best choice from this perspective. Some teachers also use Google presentations, Google Docs and whatever tools they have on Google. Hello, Moses. Nice to see you again, by the way. I've been using Miro for several months already, I think from last year, when I started teaching online. And of course, the main purpose of Miro is to work online because it's an online collaborative whiteboard. But by the way, I think that some of the teachers who work in a real classroom, they can also use it on Miro. Okay, the main difference between Zoom and Miro is that Zoom is a streaming platform like you can carry out your video lessons via Zoom and Miro is a tool for placing your content there. So for example, if you carry out your lessons on Zoom and you want your student to be involved into your class at like 100%, you can use Miro and you will collaborate on Miro at the same moment, like simultaneously. But as for the video chat, you will use Zoom. Miro also has the video streaming feature, but unfortunately, it is not free of charge. So if you're okay to use the paid version of Miro, then you will be able to use all of the features they provide. But if you, for example, like myself, want to use just the free version, you will need to get creative and flexible in terms of creating like special tools. But as I have already mentioned, there are many plugins that other people create and just distribute on the Internet. And next time, next week, I will finish this topic by showing you the outcome of my game design. So if you haven't watched me from the beginning of this presentation of this stream, let me quickly show you what I have started doing on Miro for my 10-year-old student. So this is the monopoly board. I showed how to design it with Miro only, but you can also use some Canva features, like, for example, to add a background or to design nice pictures. So, and I've mentioned that there are plugins and I've been using some of them, but unfortunately today they don't work for some reason and I can't show you how to install them and how to use them in real time. I hope that next time it will be okay and I'll show you the way the game will look at the very end and how to actually play it. And I think I'll also distribute this template of the game so that you guys could use it for your own and just change it to your student's needs and then play it, okay? Yeah, here is one of the heroes I'm going to use because this student is a girl. I decided that it's a great way to offer her several avatars and one of them is going to be Moana. Yeah, I really like this cartoon and it's actually a great way to build connection and relationship with your students. I believe that this girl will really like this game. Because she's so keen on this Miro board. Sometimes I see that she plays on Miro on her own when we don't have lessons, like she adds some emojis, texts and whatever. So it's really fun. So children like this collaborative tool because it's a way to spend some free time and because we started when it was the middle of the pandemic, it was really useful because students felt like they are involved into creation of something related to English and we participated like both creators. So I did something from my side. She added something from her side. It was really fun. And the same stuff actually is about students older than 10 years. I also have teenagers and they like to work on Miro. They create rankings and achievement boards. It's also so cool because they really like to get involved. Okay, so yeah, I think I'll finish this game by Friday. It is when I have this lesson with my student. And next Tuesday, I'll show you the outcome and hopefully I'll be able to show you how to use plugins for Miro and distribute several of them because they are so useful. But as for now, I believe this is the end of today's live stream. And the only thing I want to mention, well, feel free to ask me whatever questions you like. I actually forgot to create templates for the Q&A session, but as long as it's the end of the presentation and it's the end of the main topic, let's just quickly have a chat. So if you have any questions related to lesson designs, taffle teaching, maybe teaching abroad, feel free to ask me. Let's have like 15 minutes of Q&A and we will be done for today. Okay, so again, we have this comment section. If you have any questions related to teaching, taffle, T-SOL certification, maybe lesson planning, lesson design, whatever is on your mind, please feel free to let me know. Feel free to ask me and we will finish. Okay. And one more time, thank you guys for coming. Every week, I know that some of you join me weekly and it is so good, it is so pleasant to know that some people come every week. It's always really nice to see familiar faces. And by the way, new people are welcomed as well. Okay. All right. So guys, if you have any questions, well, don't hesitate because I don't want to keep silent here. It looks strange on the live stream. And yeah. Oh, by the way, I also wanted to mention that to create the monopoly board can also be helpful to check out the monopoly rules. So I found the rules on the internet, just Googled it. And yeah, that way was easier to find out which fields I should place on the board and stuff like that. Okay. So if there are no questions, we will be done for today. I hope that this presentation was useful. I hope that this session was useful to you because I wanted to share something more related to the English classes. And designing games is also so fun. So I hope it will motivate you as well. And you will try to do something like that in your own teaching practice. And as I have already mentioned, next week I'll be back with this topic and I will show you the outcome of my game design. So because there are no questions, I think that's the time to finish. Thank you so much for coming today. And I'll see you next week. So don't forget to subscribe to our ITTT group on Facebook and you can also check out our channel on YouTube. And I'll see you next time, guys. Thank you so much and have a good week.