Chat Tools

Chat Tools

Chat can be a useful in a variety of ways for langauge learners. It can allow them practice their writing skills and overcome the affective filters that can be part of using their L2 to interact with others. There no formal assignment for this Training page, but feel free to blog about any of the tools you try.

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These are some of the places that EFL learners can go to engage in real time text chat.

• Dave's ESLCafe Chat Central (registration required)
• English Forums Chat
• English Club Chat (registration required)

There are also many sites that allow you to create your own free chat room

• Todaysmeet.com
• Tinychat.com
• Chatmaker
• Chatzy

There are also a number or sites that facilate Voice Chat Discussions

• Voxopop.com (example discussion here)
• Vaestro.com
  Video Discussions
• Seesmic (example here - Can you help me learn English?)

Chatbots are automated chat tools that can be pre-programmed say certain things or  interact with users. Text to speech chatbots allow you to create a speaking character (or  avatar) Free Natural Reader Voki.com Oddcast.com (multilingual demo) Vozme.com (allows you to create an mp3 file from text) ReadtehWords.com  (allows you to create an mp3 file from text) Press the play button to right to listen to a Voki Text to Speech Chatbot.  >>>>>