Google alerts is a very cool idea! I have email updates on my phone, so this would help me keep current on a news article based in a Spanish-speaking country or a Website update. I could receive the alerts on both my teacher email account and via my cell phone. It looks fairly easy to start the alerts. I have marked it on my to-do list for when the Spanish department meets again. This way we could share sites and get the updates and have more tools to help teach. I typed in some searches and the results were okay. Nothing caught my eye as of now, but I'm going to keep looking.
Google translate is a good tool to use. For those that are not learning Spanish and would just like to have something translated quickly, I would recommend this tool. If you're going to post or print the translation, you need to run it by someone who is fluent in the language first. The tool is just a machine and therefore can have very crazy errors that could be embarrassing, insulting, or just down with wrong. For those learning Spanish (i.e. my students), Google translate is a tool equal to that of your dictionary. If you're learning the language, a translator such as this is only going to get in the way of your progress in learning the language, it will not help it. Also, it merely translates the words; it doesn't interpret them or explain the multiple meanings of the word(s). A $7 dictionary does though.
That being said, Google translate is a pretty good tool when used for the correct reasons.
Hello, I wanted to say hi since I saw you today but felt rude that I did not actually say anything to you since I was busy with my advisor. Hope the rest of your summer is wonderful. If you want to keep in touch I am also on facebook. melanie reese-bernson
ReplyDeleteTake care and great work. ;)