Instructify

BY CHRISTOPHER PANNA

If your classroom has a projector, TV, or interactive white board connected to a computer, you’ve no doubt used it to show websites to your class. If you use the Firefox web browser, you probably know about the many helpful add-ons available. The following must-have extensions will change the way you use the web in class.

Adblock Plus: As the name implies, this removes distracting ads from many web pages. Spaces that used to be filled with advertisements will appear blank, allowing your students to focus on what’s important. Once you install Adblock Plus, it will prompt you to choose a filter subscription –- go with “Easy List,” which will block the most common ads.

Image Zoom: For those times when you’re showing a picture on the screen and you need it to be larger or smaller, Image Zoom does the trick. It allows you to resize any picture right on the page on which it appears. This is especially handy for switching between full-screen and zoomed-in views of a picture.

Dictionary Tooltip: This add-on works like a fairy godmother of vocabulary, helping you instantly answer the question, “What does that word mean?” Double-click any word and a small window will appear with a dictionary/thesaurus entry. Question answered.

Pronounce: Sure, you can tell your students how to pronounce a word, unless they encounter a difficult word outside of class. With the Pronounce extension, simply highlight a word, right-click, and choose Pronounce. Don’t forget to turn on your speakers!

I’ve described the basic functions of these add-ons, but each one has further options for customization. Try them yourself and adjust the settings to your liking. If you like the way these work, check out the main page for Firefox add-ons and see what other gems you can find.