Good Online Resources for ELL Teachers
- ESL Gold
- FluentU
- Study Zone
- Internet TESL Journal
- The Learning Network
Great websites for ELL teachers provide those educators with activities and ideas they can use as they work with students. English language learners (ELL) are students between the ages of kindergarten and high school who need help understanding the English language and developing both written and verbal language skills. Teachers can both use online resources as they teach and as they come up with new ideas for the classroom.
ESL Gold
ESL Gold is a comprehensive website that includes everything an ELL teacher might need. The site allows teachers to view resources based on both the age(s) of the kids they teach and the skill levels of those students. It breaks those resources down into categories too: reading, listening, vocabulary, grammar and speaking. Teachers can pick what they want to do with their students and get a list of activities that are suitable for the lesson at hand. ESL Gold is free to use and does not charge a fee for any of the information it provides.
FluentU
FluentU takes the idea of online learning and creates a digital world that functions as a university for students. This site is unique because it includes resources similar to those students would view in the real world. Some of the videos that are available on the site are videos taken from news stations and programs. The site translates those videos and shows students how each word and action in the video corresponds to the translated word. Students can view the site online and download an app to use the resources on the go. ELL teachers will find activities they can do with their students and quizzes that test those students.
The Study Zone
The Study Zone is a website created by the University of Victoria and its English Language Center ESL Lab. Unlike other sites that only focus on one key area of the English language, this site breaks the language down into areas such as grammar and vocabulary. Those who teach young students will find simple lessons that show students what different words mean in two different languages. Those who work with older students will find more challenging activities and quizzes that test students as their understanding grows.
Internet TESL Journal
One of the top websites for ELL teachers is the Internet TESL Journal. This site features a full archive of the journal all the way back to 1995 and a dedicated projects section. The projects section includes various projects that are suitable for all ages including Conversation for the Classroom. This section includes hundreds of conversation topics that cover everything from celebrating holidays and how to act in the classroom to raising kids and breaking the ice among students. ELL teachers can use the site to find quizzes on English vocabulary and grammar too.
The Learning Network
The New York Times created The Learning Network as a way to help ELL and similar students understand the news of the day. The site essentially takes the top news stories each day and breaks the stories down for students with limited understanding of the English language. It also offers activities and lessons based on those stories that teachers can use to make learning the language more fun. The site changes regularly to reflect the top stories every day.
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ELL teachers can work with students new to the country who have little to no English language skills and those with a more advanced understanding of the language. They need resources designed for the skill levels and the ages of their students. Each of these five great websites for ELL teachers offers the activities and lesson plans that students need to improve their language skills.
