HOW TO USING HOT POTATOES FOR LEARNING

  

  What Is Hot Potatoes?

Hot Potatoes is a free software used to create interactive language-learning exercises.
Teachers use it to make digital tasks such as:

• Quizzes
• Matching exercises
• Crossword puzzles
• Gap-fill/close tests
• Multiple-choice questions
• Jumbled-sentence activities

In simple words:
 Hot Potatoes is a tool for making online exercises for students.

It is especially useful for English teaching, CALL, and e-learning.

 

2. The Six Modules in Hot Potatoes

Hot Potatoes has six main tools:

1. JQuiz – multiple-choice, short answer, hybrid quizzes
2. JCloze – gap-fill (fill in the blanks) activities
3. JMatch – matching exercises (word–definition, picture–word)
4. JMix – jumbled sentence/paragraph arrangement
5. JCross – crossword puzzles
6. The Masher – to combine exercises into a full unit/module

 

3. How to Make Learning Materials Using Hot Potatoes

Here is a simple step-by-step guide:

 

✅ Step 1: Download and Install Hot Potatoes

• Search Hot Potatoes download
• Install the program (Windows only, but can run on Mac with extra tools)

 

✅ Step 2: Choose the Type of Exercise

Open Hot Potatoes → choose one module:

• JQuiz for quizzes
• JCloze for fill in the blanks
• JMatch for matching
• JMix for jumbled sentences
• JCross for crossword puzzles

 

✅ Step 3: Enter Your Questions or Content

Example for JQuiz:

1. Open JQuiz
2. Click Insert Question
3. Write the question
4. Add answer choices
5. Mark the correct answer

Example for JCloze:

• Paste a paragraph
• Select words → click Gap to turn them into blanks

 

✅ Step 4: Add Feedback (Optional but Useful)

You can add:

• Hints
• Correct/incorrect messages
• Explanations

This helps students learn from mistakes.

 

✅ Step 5: Customize the Look (Optional)

You can change:

• Fonts
• Colors
• Background
• Buttons

 

✅ Step 6: Save and Export

You can export as:

• Web page (HTML) → students can open it in browsers
• SCORM → for LMS like Moodle
• Local file → to use offline

👉 The most common output is HTML, which is easy to share.

 

4. Examples of Materials You Can Create Using Hot Potatoes

1. Vocabulary Matching (JMatch)

• Match words with meanings
• Match images with vocabulary

2. Fill-in-the-Blank Text (JCloze)

Use for:

• Grammar practice
• Listening (students listen then fill gaps)
• Reading comprehension

3. Multiple-Choice Quiz (JQuiz)

Perfect for:

• Testing understanding
• Reviewing lessons
• Self-study tasks

4. Jumbled Sentence Activity (JMix)

Good for:

• Sentence structure
• Writing practice
• Grammar order exercises

5. Crossword Puzzle (JCross)

Use for:

• Vocabulary review
• Spelling practice