Free Online Game for Food Donations and Language Learning

 

Correct answers for Free Rice quiz items generate food donations paid for by sponsors, whose banners appear on the web page. The level of difficulty automatically adjusts up for correct and down for incorrect answers.

Though on one occasion an inappropriate banner appeared, the non-profit site owners had written, "We are quick and careful to remove inappropriate content, if it is reported to us via email at wfp.freerice@wfp.org with 'Report inappropriate content' ... in the subject line" (http://freerice.com/about/faq). So I reported that inappropriate banner.

There are English, French, Italian, and Spanish versions of the game on the same site, with more quiz categories for English than for the other languages. There also is a Korean version on a separate site:

• http://freerice.plaync.com/ 

Registration is separate for the two sites, but not necessary to play; it will enable you to track your contributions on one site or the other.

Reference

World Food Programme. (2014). Free Rice 2.0 [online game]. Retrieved
          June 5, 2014, from http://freerice.com

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Grammar section of Course Links grows

Thanks to tips from a number of students who took part in Mr. W's class last year, the grammar section of the Course Links link list in the sidebar of the Writing Studio Blog has doubled in length. I've added a link to the home page (index) of the Grammar-Quizzes site, along with a deep link to a FANBOYS page there.

I found those pages after reading students' raves about learning to write paragraphs and theme posts using the connecting words (coordinators) from which the mnemonic FANBOYS comes:

Screenshot only (no active links)

• For,
• And,
• Nor,
• But,
• Or, 
• Yet, and 
• So.

If you know of any other useful websites for learning how to use grammar in writing, please feel free to point them out in comments on this post.

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Videos, quizzes, transcripts, and notes

Below is a sample video-based listening comprehension quiz drawn from the Real Canadian Songbook. After listening to the song, and taking the quiz, you can check your answers against the transcript, and read the notes to find out more about "culture, grammar, slang, or pronunciation" (ESL Video Quiz, Quiz Instructions, sidebar).



This quiz is in the Low Intermediate category. If you'd like something less or more challenging, try quizzes in other categories ranging from Beginning to High Intermediate. On the ESL Video :: Free ESL/EFL Video Activities for English Students website, there also are different kinds of music and other kinds of videos to choose from, for example:

• How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

I can hardly wait to go back for more!

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