For our first task, we had to create a 60-second recording using Flipgrid, in which we spoke about the innovative school that we chose in class. My first impression of Flipgrid is that it is a relatively straightforward tool to use. I like that users can record a video directly from the app and that they are given the option to redo the video as many times as they want before sharing it. The fact that it can be used directly from people's phones makes it the kind of task or assignment that should not only appeal to students, but also be easy for them to use. In a sense, it seems like a more formal or educational version of TikTok.

 

In terms of use in the English classroom, it would be a good way for students to carry out a brief speaking exam; because they can re-record their video as much as they want, it could encourage them to practice their presentation and put their best foot forward, especially if they are told that the marking criteria will accordingly be a bit more demanding than in a live presentation. From a teacher's perspective, the utility of Flipgrid is that in could make speaking exams easier to mark: teachers can view the clips as many times as they need to in order to fully evaluate each student's contribution, and they have the chance to provide the students with more detailed language feedback than they perhaps would in the context of a traditional live speaking presentation.

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