Quizlet, the online flashcard resource, is a simple but effective way to help your learners understand a variety of terms and concepts that he or she may be unfamiliar with. Learn how to use the site and create a fully customizable set of cards in minutes.
When it comes to your learner's current knowledge and future needs, there is nobody more familiar with them than you. In a previous post on using flashcards, we discussed how to create flashcards on Quizlet to help with things such as using public transportation. Let's explore this site and the flashcard method in a bit more detail.
Your learner may be coming from a background in which using flashcards is not a common way to memorize terms, as it is in much of the United States. You can explain to your learner that students often use flashcards in memorization, and give a short demonstration of how to use them. The information on the cards is totally up to you - you can create English-Spanish sets, for example, to assist with simple vocabulary acquisition (red line/línea roja). If your learner needs more than basic translation, you can take it a step further by putting the English term on one side and a list of terms to provide greater context on the other. One such card might look a little like this:
Side One: Red Line
Side Two: Harvard University, Tufts University, MGH/ Mass General, Mass General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, South Station, Amtrak,Greyhound
Your learner knows what the words each word on the card means, but might not know the greater meaning of the term "red line" as it relates to Boston. You can help add to their mental picture of "red line" by explaining what the Red Line T train is and where it goes. It's commonly used by college students at Tufts, Harvard, and MIT, and it gives easy access to Mass. General Hospital and the park as well as South Station for Amtrak and buses. This is just one example; you can discuss whatever is relevant to your learner. Names and terms like "Central Square", "Back Bay", and "shopping center" might need some additional context. They all contain words that your learner probably knows, but more than literal translation is required to grasp the full meaning of what goes on at each place. Again, the cards can really help your learner associate terms, and with Quizlet you can even add images from their search engine for further clarification.
If you are new to Quizlet, you might be a bit lost as you go about creating your first set of flashcards, but do not fear!
When you navigate from the main site to the Create a New Set page, you will be prompted to give your set of cards a name and brief description. After selecting the language (English-English, English-Spanish, etc) you can then input information into each individual card. The default set includes 5 cards, but adding or reordering cards requires only a click of the mouse. If it's your first time using the site, you will be prompted to create an account, which can be done either through your Facebook/Google accounts, or using a standalone email address.
You don't need to provide your real name, and you can disable the "Quizlet email updates" under your account settings. After creating the account, your set will then be published and becomes open for viewing on the site. You can edit your flashcards after publishing them, and it's easy to find the options for printing your cards and sharing them to social media/email.
This resource will provide you with the same simplicity as traditional flashcards but without the clutter that comes with having piles of physical cards lying around. Once your learner gets used to the flashcard method, you might even work with them to create a set of their own!
Happy tutoring!
Kris
Kristofer Pieper
Programs and Social Media Intern, English At Large
Tufts University class of 2016
ENGLISH AT LARGE
Literacy and Learning for Life
Join the conversation
When it comes to your learner's current knowledge and future needs, there is nobody more familiar with them than you. In a previous post on using flashcards, we discussed how to create flashcards on Quizlet to help with things such as using public transportation. Let's explore this site and the flashcard method in a bit more detail.
Your learner may be coming from a background in which using flashcards is not a common way to memorize terms, as it is in much of the United States. You can explain to your learner that students often use flashcards in memorization, and give a short demonstration of how to use them. The information on the cards is totally up to you - you can create English-Spanish sets, for example, to assist with simple vocabulary acquisition (red line/línea roja). If your learner needs more than basic translation, you can take it a step further by putting the English term on one side and a list of terms to provide greater context on the other. One such card might look a little like this:
Side One: Red Line
Side Two: Harvard University, Tufts University, MGH/ Mass General, Mass General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, South Station, Amtrak,Greyhound
Your learner knows what the words each word on the card means, but might not know the greater meaning of the term "red line" as it relates to Boston. You can help add to their mental picture of "red line" by explaining what the Red Line T train is and where it goes. It's commonly used by college students at Tufts, Harvard, and MIT, and it gives easy access to Mass. General Hospital and the park as well as South Station for Amtrak and buses. This is just one example; you can discuss whatever is relevant to your learner. Names and terms like "Central Square", "Back Bay", and "shopping center" might need some additional context. They all contain words that your learner probably knows, but more than literal translation is required to grasp the full meaning of what goes on at each place. Again, the cards can really help your learner associate terms, and with Quizlet you can even add images from their search engine for further clarification.
If you are new to Quizlet, you might be a bit lost as you go about creating your first set of flashcards, but do not fear!
When you navigate from the main site to the Create a New Set page, you will be prompted to give your set of cards a name and brief description. After selecting the language (English-English, English-Spanish, etc) you can then input information into each individual card. The default set includes 5 cards, but adding or reordering cards requires only a click of the mouse. If it's your first time using the site, you will be prompted to create an account, which can be done either through your Facebook/Google accounts, or using a standalone email address.
You don't need to provide your real name, and you can disable the "Quizlet email updates" under your account settings. After creating the account, your set will then be published and becomes open for viewing on the site. You can edit your flashcards after publishing them, and it's easy to find the options for printing your cards and sharing them to social media/email.
This resource will provide you with the same simplicity as traditional flashcards but without the clutter that comes with having piles of physical cards lying around. Once your learner gets used to the flashcard method, you might even work with them to create a set of their own!
Happy tutoring!
Kris
Kristofer Pieper
Programs and Social Media Intern, English At Large
Tufts University class of 2016
ENGLISH AT LARGE
Literacy and Learning for Life
Join the conversation
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