Online Spelling Test

[Jay Dog]

Hi,

I've just been quoted a ridiculous amount of money for an online spelling package that I think could easily be written in JS.

Really I'd just like one where the pupils have to write in a specific word, let's just say I do a normal table with a picture of a number of animals in each cell, and the pupil has to spell hippopotamus or whatever. It then tells them whether they've got it right, gives them a score but allows them to 'cheat' by revealing the spelling of hippopotamus.

Is this at all feasible?

As always I really would appreciate any help on this front, many thanks.


Jason

[Beverleyh]

Hot Potatoes might be something you can use: https://hotpot.uvic.ca/

We use it on our VLE for various quizzes. It's not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but its freeware (I'm also pretty sure you can add images during quiz build phase) and I think the JCloze application could be used for your spelling test (Hot Potatoes calls it a "gap fill" exercise) - here's an example https://hotpot.uvic.ca/wintutor6/jcloze1.htm

Thinking on... when you export the HTML files, I imagine that you can dress them up a bit with manual edits.

[Jay Dog]

Thanks Bev, sorry, I'm having a thicky moment, I've copied the html but can't see the bit where I add or change the 'bank' of words. Muchos gracias.

[Beverleyh]

OK - I wasn't clear with what Hot Potatoes is... here goes...

Hot Potatoes is a desktop application that you download and install on your computer: https://hotpot.uvic.ca/index.php#downloads

There are 6 applications in the package - each suited to various quizzes, exercises or tasks.

1. JBC - multiple choice
2. JCloze - fill in the blanks
3. JCross - crossword
4. JMatch - matching up
5. JMix - un-jumble words/pictures
6. JQuiz - short answer quiz

So, you boot up Hot Potatoes, open the application you need, and build your own quiz inside a (somewhat crude looking) WYWIWYG interface. You can save a project file so that you can make edits later. When you're done building, you can export as a SCORM pack (what we use on our VLE) or as standalone web pages.

Example exercises can be found here: https://hotpot.uvic.ca/wintutor6/index.htm

And online tutorials here: https://hotpot.uvic.ca/tutorials6.php
Of the tutorials from other users, the one by Bernard Dyer is very good: http://www.frenchrevision.co.uk/hot_potatoes_tutorial/

You need to tinker about with it a bit to find the best app and export settings but its reasonably easy to get in to if you follow some of the online tutorials.

Hope that helps.