Multiple Skills
ESLGold
This website has an array of links, resources, and activities related to learning and teaching listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, pronunciation, and more. The website can be used to supplement classroom instruction or for independent study. However, the website is fairly busy with content and advertising. Users can use the search feature to find specific videos and content. The instructional videos would work well for presenting content for learners in a flipped classroom.
ManyThings
Although the website is undergoing changes, it has a wide selection of listening and reading texts on topics such as American History, American stories, and more. Vocabulary games, pronunciation practice with minimal pairs, and read-along activities are useful for independent study. While the website has numerous listening texts, many have no accompanying activities such as comprehension checks, discussion prompts, and quizzes for use in class or home. Hopefully with a little patience, navigating the website will be better in the future.
Grammar and Writing
Grammar Bytes
The website provides grammar exercises, videos, and explanations useful for classroom activities as well as independent study. Handouts make it convenient to print resources for classroom use. A new feature of the website is that it offers a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) which tracks learners’ grades and progress. The website is free of advertisement and simple to use; however, navigating the site could be easier. Also, the quiz feedback uses odd pictures and comments that slow done moving through the material.
Guide to Grammar and Writing
This is a fabulous website with a wealth of information, explanations, PowerPoint presentations, and quizzes for learning and teaching grammar in conjunction with writing skills. The index organizes the content by 6 main categories including word and sentence level; paragraph level; and essay and research paper level. This site is especially useful for instructors new to teaching writing skills. Despite having an index and drop down menus for searching content, it’s easy to lose track of where you found something. Nevertheless, it also includes a useful section called the Principles of Composition.
Listening
Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab
This website provides numerous short listening texts ranging from easy to difficult. Each audio clip includes pre-listening, listening, vocabulary, and post-listening activities, and the lessons can be used to supplement an integrated skills class. Tutorials are provided for how to use the activities in the classroom or as independent study. Because transcripts are provided for the listening scripts, the website is also useful for teaching grammar in context. Unfortunately, the site lacks both extensive and authentic texts, and the interface could be more user-friendly.
VOA Learning English
This website provides high-interest news stories and topics for English language learners to develop listening, reading, and vocabulary skills. The website has three proficiency levels and provides transcripts of the listening texts. Additionally, learners can click on a word and get a Miriam Webster Dictionary definition. The stories lend themselves to classroom discussion, yet topics should be chosen with learners’ background in mind. The website works well for independent study, but learners may need guidance for best independent study practices.
Pronunciation
Rachel’s English
Rachel’s English provides over 400 free, short videos designed to help English language learners improve pronunciation. The videos are divided into four categories: the voice; sounds; intonation, linking, rhythm, and stress; and conversation. Although originally designed for independent self-study, the informative videos would probably be more effective in conjunction with instructor feedback in a conversation or pronunciation course. A learner may have difficulty navigating the ample materials. Private lessons and a book may be purchased through the website.
Phonetics: The Sounds of American English
This website is beneficial for instructors or English language learners interested in learning about the sounds of English. Diagrams and a short video illustrate the features of consonant and vowel sounds including place and manner of articulation, whether consonants are voiced or voiceless, and the tongue position for front, back, and central vowels. Although the website offers no practice and minimal examples, the videos are useful for illustrating the tongue, mouth, and lip position of each sound. Whether new to teaching pronunciation or just in need of a review, the website provides terminology and description related to the characteristics of each sound. The website now has links to downloadable apps.
Teacher Resources
The Internet TESL Journal
This website provides numerous resources for English language instructors including ESL articles, lesson plans, conversation questions, and games and activities for the classroom. The articles cover a wide-range of ESL topics and a search feature allows the articles to be easily located. A drawback is that the journal hasn’t published new articles since 2010. The conversation page’s question prompts are arranged topically and are ideal for warmers or for speaking practice. However, the questions should be screened for appropriateness for use with each particular group of learners.
readwritethink
The website provides reading and writing resources for teachers and parents such as lesson plans, videos, and professional development material. The website is geared toward K-12 learners, and the lesson plans are easy to search by categories such as grade, lesson plan type, theme, and learning objective. According to the website, lesson plans are aligned with the IRA/NCTE Standards for the English Language Arts as well as individual state standards. Although the lessons are categorized by grade level, these may not correspond with the abilities of English language learners.
ESLGold
This website has an array of links, resources, and activities related to learning and teaching listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, pronunciation, and more. The website can be used to supplement classroom instruction or for independent study. However, the website is fairly busy with content and advertising. Users can use the search feature to find specific videos and content. The instructional videos would work well for presenting content for learners in a flipped classroom.
ManyThings
Although the website is undergoing changes, it has a wide selection of listening and reading texts on topics such as American History, American stories, and more. Vocabulary games, pronunciation practice with minimal pairs, and read-along activities are useful for independent study. While the website has numerous listening texts, many have no accompanying activities such as comprehension checks, discussion prompts, and quizzes for use in class or home. Hopefully with a little patience, navigating the website will be better in the future.
Grammar and Writing
Grammar Bytes
The website provides grammar exercises, videos, and explanations useful for classroom activities as well as independent study. Handouts make it convenient to print resources for classroom use. A new feature of the website is that it offers a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) which tracks learners’ grades and progress. The website is free of advertisement and simple to use; however, navigating the site could be easier. Also, the quiz feedback uses odd pictures and comments that slow done moving through the material.
Guide to Grammar and Writing
This is a fabulous website with a wealth of information, explanations, PowerPoint presentations, and quizzes for learning and teaching grammar in conjunction with writing skills. The index organizes the content by 6 main categories including word and sentence level; paragraph level; and essay and research paper level. This site is especially useful for instructors new to teaching writing skills. Despite having an index and drop down menus for searching content, it’s easy to lose track of where you found something. Nevertheless, it also includes a useful section called the Principles of Composition.
Listening
Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab
This website provides numerous short listening texts ranging from easy to difficult. Each audio clip includes pre-listening, listening, vocabulary, and post-listening activities, and the lessons can be used to supplement an integrated skills class. Tutorials are provided for how to use the activities in the classroom or as independent study. Because transcripts are provided for the listening scripts, the website is also useful for teaching grammar in context. Unfortunately, the site lacks both extensive and authentic texts, and the interface could be more user-friendly.
VOA Learning English
This website provides high-interest news stories and topics for English language learners to develop listening, reading, and vocabulary skills. The website has three proficiency levels and provides transcripts of the listening texts. Additionally, learners can click on a word and get a Miriam Webster Dictionary definition. The stories lend themselves to classroom discussion, yet topics should be chosen with learners’ background in mind. The website works well for independent study, but learners may need guidance for best independent study practices.
Pronunciation
Rachel’s English
Rachel’s English provides over 400 free, short videos designed to help English language learners improve pronunciation. The videos are divided into four categories: the voice; sounds; intonation, linking, rhythm, and stress; and conversation. Although originally designed for independent self-study, the informative videos would probably be more effective in conjunction with instructor feedback in a conversation or pronunciation course. A learner may have difficulty navigating the ample materials. Private lessons and a book may be purchased through the website.
Phonetics: The Sounds of American English
This website is beneficial for instructors or English language learners interested in learning about the sounds of English. Diagrams and a short video illustrate the features of consonant and vowel sounds including place and manner of articulation, whether consonants are voiced or voiceless, and the tongue position for front, back, and central vowels. Although the website offers no practice and minimal examples, the videos are useful for illustrating the tongue, mouth, and lip position of each sound. Whether new to teaching pronunciation or just in need of a review, the website provides terminology and description related to the characteristics of each sound. The website now has links to downloadable apps.
Teacher Resources
The Internet TESL Journal
This website provides numerous resources for English language instructors including ESL articles, lesson plans, conversation questions, and games and activities for the classroom. The articles cover a wide-range of ESL topics and a search feature allows the articles to be easily located. A drawback is that the journal hasn’t published new articles since 2010. The conversation page’s question prompts are arranged topically and are ideal for warmers or for speaking practice. However, the questions should be screened for appropriateness for use with each particular group of learners.
readwritethink
The website provides reading and writing resources for teachers and parents such as lesson plans, videos, and professional development material. The website is geared toward K-12 learners, and the lesson plans are easy to search by categories such as grade, lesson plan type, theme, and learning objective. According to the website, lesson plans are aligned with the IRA/NCTE Standards for the English Language Arts as well as individual state standards. Although the lessons are categorized by grade level, these may not correspond with the abilities of English language learners.