WordSpin - Special Features
What is WordSpin?
WordSpin is a program designed to help you experiment with word relationships and sentence structure. It provides an exciting way to explore language at work and discover grammatical rules.
For fuller information, please download the introduction for teachers by Chris Warren (this is an MS Word file, 31kb).
How does WordSpin work?
There are two screens:
The first screen offers a composition area and a range of word classes or units of words (these are determined by the author of the activity, so they vary in complexity). You simply drag word classes from the foot of the screen into the composition area to build up a typical sense unit.
Next, click on Spin. The program jumps to the second screen. Each word class you have used draws on a list, selects words at random from it, and prints them on the screen. The result can be hilarious; it may be grammatical - but strictly nonsense - or it can be hopelessly ungrammatical. In the latter case, you just click on Edit to modify or rearrange the word classes.
Ask the class to experiment. The idea is to build grammatically sound (but occasionally hilarious) sentences. What word class will 'go' with the others? For instance, adverbs modify both verbs and adjectives. How do prepositions work? What are the rules? Experiment and formulate!
Ideas for using WordSpin creatively:
- Impose a rule that the first sentence of a story must come from WordSpin. The logical complexities of weaving in these random elements will be both amusing and a powerful test of writing skills and author ingenuity!
- Try to make the computer generate passable poetry. Can others distinguish the random generated stuff from real examples? What are the clues? What would need to happen to the input files to make the generation of beautiful lines more likely?
Let us know what you think and share any ideas that occur to you for using WordSpin, especially for teaching aspects of literacy. Send in your comments and examples of students' work to englishonline@actis.co.uk.
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