1145 esl-ell results | sort by:

Alien Punctuation - BBC
Grades
1 to 4Although this site uses British English, this activity is useful to practice American English. At the time of this review, all words were common in both forms of English.
tag(s): punctuation (43)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate this activity on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Then, create a learning center for students to use this website, or provide individual laptops or computers. Be sure to provide headsets. Use the three difficulty levels to differentiate for your students. You may want to list this website in your class newsletter and on your class website so students can practice punctuation at home.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Kung-Fu Sentences - BBC
Grades
1 to 2The website also features a "full screen" option, printable worksheets, engaging sound effects (with an option to turn the music off), and animations. Although this site uses British English, this activity is useful to practice American English. At the time of this review, all words were common in both forms of English. Be aware: the animation of this activity can be a bit distracting. The site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): grammar (212), punctuation (43), word order (5)
In the Classroom
Use the three difficulty levels to differentiate for your students. Share this website with your class on an interactive whiteboard or projector and show the students HOW to use the program. Then, create a learning center for students to use this website, or provide individual laptops or computers. Be sure to provide headsets. Why not split your class into two teams and make this activity a class competition. Have students create their own Kung-Fu Sentences (minus the "karate kid") using WORD or good old fashion paper and pencil.You may want to list this website in your class newsletter and on your class website so students can practice creating sentences at home.
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Matching Word Golf - BBC
Grades
1 to 4This site offers three levels of difficulty. The website also features a "full screen" option, printable worksheets, engaging sound effects (which can be turned off), and animations. The site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): grammar (212), synonyms (37), vocabulary (321)
In the Classroom
Synonyms can be tough for young learners. Use this site to make synonyms simple. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to share this website with your class. Use the three difficulty levels to differentiate for your students. This site is ideal to use with younger ESL and ELL students, and any class learning about synonyms. Create a learning center for students to use this website, or provide individual laptops or computers. Be sure to provide headsets. Why not print off the worksheet for additional practice or enrichment.You may want to list this website in your class newsletter and on your class website so students can practice at home.
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Travelling Pronouns - BBC
Grades
1 to 3The website also features a "full screen" option, printable worksheets, engaging sound effects (which can be turned off by clicking "music OFF"), and animations. Although this site was created by the BBC, at the time of this review, all words included were used in both British English and American English. The site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): grammar (212)
In the Classroom
Pronouns can be tricky! Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to share this website with your class. Use the three difficulty levels to differentiate for your students. This site is ideal to use with younger ESL and ELL students, and any class learning about pronouns. Create a learning center for students to use this website, or provide individual laptops or computers. Be sure to provide headsets. Why not print off the worksheet for additional practice or enrichment.You may want to list this website in your class newsletter and on your class website so students can practice pronouns at home.
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Pirate Spelling - BBC
Grades
1 to 5The website also features a "full screen" option, printable worksheets, engaging sound effects (which can be turned off), and animations. The site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): spelling (168)
In the Classroom
Use the three difficulty levels to differentiate for your students. This site is ideal to use with younger ESL and ELL students. Create a learning center for students to use this website, or provide individual laptops or computers. Be sure to provide headsets. Why not print off the worksheet for additional practice or enrichment.You may want to list this website in your class newsletter and on your class website so students can practice spelling at home.
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LingQ - LingQ
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): podcasts (57), vocabulary (321), vocabulary development (124)
In the Classroom
Establishing membership requires an email account. Check your school policies about accessing/sharing student email on school computers. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. You will want to join and explore the site before assigning students to use it so you know how to navigate.Assign specific "lessons" for your ESL or world language students, but be aware that the free version does not permit you to monitor progress on student accounts.Therefore you will want to use this as a practice site more than a formal assessment tool. Demonstrate the navigation on your projector or interactive whiteboard before assigning students to work independently. If you have mp3 players available, you can load a listening assignment for students to "take out." Be sure to include this site on your teacher web page for students to access both in and outside of class for further practice. Refer your ESL students to this page if they are impatient to become fluent quickly.
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Word Girl - PBS Kids GO!
Grades
K to 4tag(s): antonyms (26), sentences (51), spelling (168), synonyms (37), verbs (39), vocabulary (321)
In the Classroom
Why not introduce a word activity on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Complete the "Captain Huggy Face's Freeze Frame Game" as a class. Then create a learning center using this website and allow students to view the interactive stories and play the games during your language arts block. And don't forget about the ready-to-go lesson plans. Use these plans to help simplify the complexities of the English language (synonyms, antonyms, onomatopoeia, etc.). Be sure to list this site on your class website and in your class newsletter so students can have some Word Girl fun at home. at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Multicultural Literature for Children - Children's Book Press
Grades
2 to 6tag(s): creative writing (165), poetry (219), writing (365)
In the Classroom
Try these activities in a mixed class containing some ELL and ESL students. Sometimes, their slightly different take on language results in beautiful creations. Save this site in your favorites and try one of the suggested activities as part of your poetry unit.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Adolescent Literacy - adlit.org
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): authors (120), independent reading (129), reading strategies (51)
In the Classroom
If you need ideas to get students reading for fun and to help develop their confidence, try this site. Highlight this on your class website so parents can try the activities with their older students. When doing author biographies, share this site with your class using an interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to check out the "Classroom Strategies" link for even more literacy ideas.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Field Trip - HUD
Grades
1 to 3tag(s): communities (37)
In the Classroom
Use this during your unit about neighborhoods and community. Share the site on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Then either set up a social studies computer station or have students explore on individual computers. If you plan to visit the library or town hall, preview it with a visit to this site. Have your students draw other community buildings and explain their functions by using a map or go floor by floor, as in the library visit. You could even create a class wiki "tour" using digital pictures. You might want to list this site in your class newsletter or on your class website for parents to share with their students.ESL and ELL students learning names for community locations will appreciate this site for helping things come alive. Use this site to increase and strengthen vocabulary. Ask students to compare these locations with parallel offerings in their home communities.
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Better At English - betteratenglish.com
Grades
3 to 12This site does have several appropriate advertisements. There are also a few questionable links on the site (for example, "Uncensored English"), so be sure to supervise WELL.
tag(s): idioms (45), listening (87), slang (15), vocabulary (321)
In the Classroom
You will need headphones or speakers if you choose to assign students to listen to the podcasts individually. This site is excellent for enrichment or special topics. Include it on your teacher web page (with a disclaimer regarding content) for students to access both in and out of class. Use this site with intermediate and advanced level ELL and ESL students to help them improve their knowledge of English slang and idioms. If you are into video, consider creating your own student vodcasts about idioms and sharing them via TeacherTube ( reviewed here) and on your class wiki.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Better at English Videos - betteratenglish.com
Grades
2 to 12Teachers will need to set up videos to be used in class (and supervise WELL) to control student viewing. There are some questionable links on this site including "Uncensored English" and "Sick Videos." There are also advertisements on the top and right side of the website. This site is slow to load at times, so opening the site before you are ready to use it in class may save you some time. If your school blocks YouTube, consider accessing this site and choosing videos at home , using a tool such as KeepVid reviewed here to download the videos from YouTube.
In the Classroom
Use specially previewed and selected videos to make vocabulary lessons come alive. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to share with the entire class. Be sure to preview and have the video before the class sees it. Encourage your students to make their own videos or vodcasts of items you are studying in class. If teachers are unsure of how to use the videos, check the for teachers section. Check this site frequently to see what's new. List this site on your class website (with a disclaimer regarding content), for ESL and ELL families to explore together at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Up and Down Words - Merriam Webster
Grades
3 to 10tag(s): grammar (212), idioms (45), puzzles (203), spelling (168)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use this site for vocabulary enhancement and understanding of idioms. Speech and language teachers may want to use it to teach word combinations, as well. Students can easily play this game in pairs. Since teachers can also print the blank activity, you can use it for a desk activity or homework assignment. After students get used to this idea, have them make their own word ladders on the interactive whiteboard, as a sequence of animated PowerPoint slides, or collaboratively as a graphic organizer using an online tool such as Gliffy or Mindomo.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Concentration - Clifford The Big Red Dog - Scholastic
Grades
K to 2tag(s): alphabet (86), phonics (70), sound (105), sounds (69)
In the Classroom
Share this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students take turns navigating the website. Then create a learning center using this website (or better yet, have students work on individual computers). Be sure to provide headsets! Use this site with your youngest ESL, ELL, and special education students to help them better understand the English language. List this link in your class newsletter or on your web page for students to use for additional practice at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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KidsWWrite - Kalamalka Institute for Working Writers
Grades
1 to 10tag(s): creative writing (165), writing (365)
In the Classroom
Share samples of students' writing on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to preview for content inappropriate for your classroom. Have your students create cover art and write stories, book reviews, or poetry to submit to this site. Of course you will want written parent permission before submitting student work to this online magazine. Students should submit their work without identifiable names and location, according to your school policy.If your school prohibits using blogs to post student writing, this is a middle ground alternative to get their works in front of a wider audience.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Polite English - English Portal.com
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): grammar (212)
In the Classroom
Use this site for ESL and ELL students, or even basic grammar review in a regular language arts class. Help students learn "survival language," such as greetings or saying thank you. Save this site as a favorite on your classroom computer(s) so ESL/ELL students can add new expressions to their present knowledge. Send this site home (or list it on your website) so your international families can benefit from it.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ESL HQ - ESL HQ
Grades
1 to 6tag(s): clip art (9), flash cards (46), printables (38), vocabulary (321)
In the Classroom
This site is a time saver when you are looking for pictures around a certain theme for your ESL and ELL students. Select whatever pictures you like and create worksheets, games, and flash cards. Have students review the pictures and vocabulary with each other after you demonstrate the activity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nina Loves To Name Things - Scholastic
Grades
K to 2In the Classroom
Create a learning center about sorting and naming using this website. Allow students to practice at this individually or to make their own "sorting" groups from clip art on PowerPoint slides. This is also a great site for younger ESL, ELL or speech/language students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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YourDictionary - LoveToKnow Corporation
Grades
K to 12tag(s): thesaurus (24)
In the Classroom
Send students to this site to look up those difficult words. ESL and ELL students can use this site to practice the pronunciation of new words. Be sure to mark this site as a favorite or share on your teacher web page for easy access.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Word World - PBS Kid
Grades
K to 2tag(s): alphabet (86), phonics (70), preK (288), sound (105), sounds (69), spelling (168), writing (365)
In the Classroom
Treat your students to an "animal of the week." Each animal adventure challenges students with new language skills. Use an interactive whiteboard or projection screen to share this website with your class. Then make the site a center in your classroom. Provide this link in your class newsletter or on your class website so students can practice language skills at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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