The Reading / Listening - Vocabulary App - Level 4

The children's TV show Sesame Street and IBM have teamed up to make a new vocabulary app for kids. It is the first vocabulary app to use IBM's artificial intelligence (AI) software. The app finds a child's vocabulary level, and then the AI gives the child new vocabulary. The app personalizes learning. As the child uses the app more, it makes sure he or she has understood the new words before giving more.

IBM collected 18,000 multiple-choice tests given to kindergarteners. The researchers said its test results looked good. They said the kids learned and used words like "amplify" and "camouflage," which are usually learned at a later age. Sesame Workshop said the next generation of learning tools and educational technology are a great way to learn inside and outside the classroom. It said: "We're excited to explore it further."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Vocabulary App - Level 5 or  Vocabulary App - Level 6

Sources
  • https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/07/sesame-workshop-and-ibm-team-up-to-test-a-new-a-i-powered-teaching-method/
  • http://kidscreen.com/2017/06/07/sesame-and-ibm-watson-test-vocab-app-in-us-schools/
  • https://techdigg.com/2017/06/07/ibm-and-sesame-street-join-forces-to-tackle-education/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. The children's TV
  2. teamed
  3. make a new vocabulary app
  4. the first vocabulary
  5. artificial
  6. The app finds a child's
  7. As the child uses
  8. understood the new
  1. vocabulary level
  2. the app more
  3. app
  4. words
  5. up
  6. for kids
  7. show Sesame Street
  8. intelligence

Paragraph 2

  1. 18,000 multiple-
  2. its test results looked
  3. used words
  4. usually learned at
  5. the next
  6. learning
  7. educational
  8. We're excited to explore
  1. tools
  2. like "amplify"
  3. generation
  4. it further
  5. choice tests
  6. a later age
  7. good
  8. technology

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The children's TV show Sesame Street and IBM (1) ___________________ to make a new vocabulary app for kids. (2) ___________________ vocabulary app to use IBM's (3) ___________________ (AI) software. The app finds a child's vocabulary level, and then (4) ___________________ the child new vocabulary. The app personalizes learning. (5) ___________________ the app more, it makes sure (6) ___________________ understood the new words before giving more.

IBM collected 18,000 multiple-choice (7) ___________________ kindergarteners. The researchers (8) ___________________ results looked good. They said the kids learned and (9) ___________________ "amplify" and "camouflage," which are usually learned (10) ___________________. Sesame Workshop said the next generation (11) ___________________ and educational technology are a great way to learn inside and outside the classroom. It said: "We're excited (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Thechildren'sTVshowSesameStreetandIBMhaveteameduptomakea
newvocabularyappforkids.ItisthefirstvocabularyapptouseIBM'sartif
icialintelligence(AI)software.Theappfindsachild'svocabularylevel,a
ndthentheAIgivesthechildnewvocabulary.Theapppersonalizeslearni
ng.Asthechildusestheappmore,itmakessureheorshehasunderstoodt
henewwordsbeforegivingmore.IBMcollected18,000multiple-choic
etestsgiventokindergarteners.Theresearcherssaiditstestresultslook
edgood.Theysaidthekidslearnedandusedwordslike"amplify"and"ca
mouflage,"whichareusuallylearnedatalaterage.SesameWorkshopsa
idthenextgenerationoflearningtoolsandeducationaltechnologyarea
greatwaytolearninsideandoutsidetheclassroom.Itsaid:"We'reexcite
dtoexploreitfurther."

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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