Wordle, Tagul, TagCrowd and Tagxedo

Word Clouds and Word Artwork are a fun way to spice up your classroom whether it be on a bulletin board or a webpage. Many teachers use blogs and webpages to keep in touch with their students, even if they don't teach on line. These tools are a fun way to spice up your webpage, and can often be printed out to spice up your bulletin boards.

Basically, these sites will allow you to use an URL or copy and paste in text to create a word cloud. The sites very on their usability and method of delivery of your finished product, but in the end all have their Cool and Mediocre points. The three best sites I have found and used are Wordle.net, Tagul.com and TagCrowd.com.

The Cool:

• All of the sites allow you to add your own text via copy and paste or linking a url.


• Tagul will allow you to add text by uploading a file


• Wordle and Tagul will allow you to re-shuffle your text, change the fonts, colors and themes until you get what you like


• Tagul and Tagxedo will allow you to form your text into shapes like hearts, stars, triangles and circles


• Tagul and TagCrowd allow you to link Tabs, and add hyperlinks to the text


• Tagul and TagCrowd allow you to use an embed code to link it to your blog (other than Wordpress) and webpage.


• Tagxedo will allow you to download a picture of your creation or (and I am so into this, but haven't tried it yet) buy merchandise with your word creation on it. (I have my heart set on a t-shirt with the ALA banned and challenged book list collage on it)

The Mediocre:

• Wordle




• To get your picture you will usually need to do a screen shot and then paste and crop it in either Word or PowerPoint


• Your school's web-filtration system, like mine, may allow you to see the site, but not see what is created. It works fine for me at home, but I can never use it at the school which stinks.




• Tagul




• Asks you to sign up for an account and only allows you to create 20 word clouds before paying for more. --To get around this and create multiple word clouds you can take a screen shot of your creation before you save it and waste one of your 20.


• The set up is slightly more complicated than the others and my be confusing to users with only an average knowledge of computers and HTML




• TagCrowd




• Will not allow you to re-shuffle your cloud to change the fonts and colors


• Doesn't put your text into neat shapes or fonts, basically just lists out your most commonly used words.




• Taxedo




• Requires you sign up for a free account (not that bad, I know, but I had to put something here, right?)


• Requires you pay for the cool shirts, mugs and mouse-pads you can make with your word art....I understand it, but still wish I could get a freebee for pumping their site ;)

The Examples:

To create each of these examples I used the URL for this blog. I have also used it with student writing samples, my syllabi, school announcements and just about anything else that you can find in writing. The examples below are linked to their parent sites, but again are just screen shots as Wordpress for one reason or another won't post the images when an embed code is used.

Wordle:






Tagul:



TagCrowd:




Tagxedo