Ideas and resources for parents of ESL/ELL students
These reviewed resources offer information so share with parents of ESL/ELL students. Some are resources parents can use at home with children to reinforce language skills. Others include suggested activities ESL/ELL learners can begin in school and share with parents. Be sure to read the "In the Classroom" suggestions for ways these reviewed resources can build language skills both at home and at school.
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Online Voice Recorder - 123apps
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): blended learning (16), communication (136), fluency (24), preK (255), speech (66), spelling (95)
In the Classroom
Have students practice spelling words orally, record speeches, practice reading fluency, and much more using Online Voice Recorder. After recording, allow students to listen to the playback and reflect upon the quality of their work. Do before and after recordings of students to share with parents during conferences to demonstrate reading progress. Have students record weekly summaries for what has happened in your class to share on your class website or blog (you will have to upload the files). Record weekly or daily homework assignments and share as a voice recording on your website. Save file space by replacing old files with new ones. Online Voice Recorder would be an excellent resource for recording and sharing more complicated directions for projects and assignments (adding you voice intonation and cues!). Your weaker readers and ENL/ESL students may do better with a combination of written AND auditory directions. Provide the link on your class website for students to use at home for additional practice in spelling, reading, practicing reports, and more. Share this site with parents at Back to School Night. Have students write and record audio book reviews others can play on iPads in the school library. If you have gifted students in your classroom, this tool is simple enough for even the youngest to be able to record audio mini-dramas portraying a historic figure, poetry readings, and more. Be sure to show them how to NAME and download the files to the local computer! Anything they can say out loud can become a creative project recording. Don't forget about recording musical performances or practices.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Newsela - Matthew Gross
Grades
2 to 12Incase you're wondering - Newsela features current events stories tailor-made for classroom use. Click "Products" on the top menu and slide down to browse content in subject areas (social studies, science, etc.). Stories are student-friendly and can be accessed in different formats by reading level. Use Newsela to differentiate nonfiction reading. Newspaper writers rewrite a story four times for a total of five Lexile levels per story. All articles have embedded Common Core-aligned quizzes that conform to the reading levels for checking comprehension, customizable assignments, writing prompts, and annotations. An account is required to use Newsela, both for teachers and for students, but students sign up using a teacher or parent-provided code rather than an email address. Click the Resources tab at the top to find guides and short webinars. Teachers can create classes and assign reading-level specific articles to individual students or download printable PDF copies of the article in any of its reading-level versions. There is no outside advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (143), differentiation (84), guided reading (32), independent reading (85), news (229), reading comprehension (143), remote learning (61)
In the Classroom
Achieve two goals here: help students improve their reading comprehension and keep them current with what is happening in our nation and the world. When assigning articles, choose to have the class read at one reading level, or choose individuals and set the reading level for them. There are five categories from which to choose. You may want to set up different articles at different learning stations on the computers in your room. Have the students rotate daily through the stations, completing one or two a day until they have completed all five articles. Since Newsela is cloud based, even absent students can complete the missed work easily. If you and your students are teaching and learning remotely, or you have a blended classroom, Newsela will work perfectly for those! Teachers of gifted students can use this site to accelerate or enrich reading for students. Find each student's individual levels for reading nonfiction. Teachers of Learning Support and ENL//ESL students will love this alternate way for their students to meet nonfiction/current events requirements.Comments
This is an excellent article. Thanks for sharing this information. Please keep sharing content like this.Cassandra, IL, Grades: 0 - 12
This is an excellent site and allows differentiation while everyone is reading the same text.Renee, NC, Grades: 0 - 5
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News in Levels - newsinlevels.com
Grades
K to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): differentiation (84), guided reading (32), multilingual (66), news (229), reading comprehension (143)
In the Classroom
Add this website to your classroom computers, websites, and newsletters for parents of ENL/ESL students or beginning readers. This tool is especially helpful at the beginning of the year, as you are learning students' reading levels. Use this tool to differentiate in all primary classes. Although this site was created for English Language Learners, it could still be used by all students including gifted and learning support. Differentiate for your advanced/gifted students in elementary, while meeting Common Core standards of Informational Text. Use these news articles as informational text meeting your Common Core goals. Assign students of different levels the same story at the appropriate level or build skills by sharing the same story as a class. Challenge groups to compare the stories in pairs. Have students create a visual presentation of the story. First have students create a rough draft of their comic using Printable Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here. For Level 1 readers have them create their final comic using ToonyTool, reviewed here, for Level 3 readers use Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TextProject - TextProject, Inc
Grades
K to 9tag(s): commoncore (75), literacy (110), multilingual (66), reading comprehension (143), reading lists (80), reading strategies (98), vocabulary (237), vocabulary development (90), word study (58)
In the Classroom
If you teach reading or are an ENL/ESL or resource teacher for students with special needs, you will want to bookmark this site! Take advantage of all of the free downloads on the site, including forms, checklists, lessons, and reading passages. Share this site with parents to help them understand the process of learning to read and finding materials for their student. Share this site during professional development sessions when discussing reading instruction and alignment to Common Core Standards. Be sure to sign up for TextProject's monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all new additions to the site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Making Books with Children - S. K. Gaylord
Grades
K to 10tag(s): artists (77), book reports (27), creative writing (121)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plan to do final projects on research of a variety of topics. This is a great find for gifted students or ESL/ELL students since it is so varied and flexible. Challenge students to make books as an end of unit project in science, social studies, and math. Have a bookmaking contest in your classroom. Have students make creative books rather than a traditional book report. Share this site together with art teachers. Share this site with parents to use to create books at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Activity of the Month - Dr. Jean
Grades
K to 1This site includes advertising.
tag(s): crafts (54), literacy (110), poetry (189), preK (255), seasons (36), songs (44)
In the Classroom
This site is excellent for enrichment. Share this link on your teacher web page and/or in a parent newsletter for those who trying to encourage the habit of reading and handling books.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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English Club - Englishclub.com
Grades
2 to 12In the Classroom
Check with administrators to be sure policy allows for students to create their own web pages attached to this site, to participate in chats with other students and teachers, and to be a member of a conversation forum. You should also obtain written parent permission. To fully register with the site you need a valid email address. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. 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. If you have a number of ESL/ELL students, make a shortcut to this site on classroom computers or share it on your class web page to use it as a center. This site's activities would work well for individual or pairs of students in a lab or on laptops.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Clever Crazes for Kids - Building Healthy Lives Foundation
Grades
K to 8tag(s): game based learning (170), multilingual (66), preK (255), STEM (263)
In the Classroom
Add games found on Clever Crazes for Kids to others shared on classroom computers. Encourage students to participate in games by earning points. Have students document and extend their learning by sharing screenshots of accomplishments and by screen recording student reading sessions to demonstrate progress. Use Seesaw, reviewed here, as a digital portfolio to document progress and share student learning with parents.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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My Immigration Story - R. Ramos Y Sanchez
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): immigration (64), migration (44), writing (315)
In the Classroom
Have your ESL/ELL students share their stories here (with permission from parents) when doing a biography writing unit. Have all students search for stories of immigrants whose ethnic background resembles their own. Have each student choose one story to read about and share a quick multimedia project with the class, such as a simple online posters using PicLits (reviewed here). Use stories from this site as a writing prompt for a poem or essay about an aspect of immigrant life, asking students to put themselves in the immigrant's shoes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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English - Pronunciation Lesson - EmbedPlus
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): pronunciation (33), vocabulary (237), vocabulary development (90), word study (58)
In the Classroom
As an ENL/ESL teacher you can use this site in your classroom or post it on your class website for student practice. If YouTube is blocked at your school, have this site posted on your webpage for parent and student use at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sway - Microsoft
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): communication (136), digital storytelling (141), Microsoft (84), multimedia (43), slides (45), visualizations (11)
In the Classroom
Use Sway as an alternative to Prezi or PowerPoint presentations. Sway is perfect for use in your BYOD or 1:1 classroom. Use during your presentations to increase student engagement and interaction. Check understanding of your ENL/ESL students by having them respond or pose questions throughout the presentation. Enhance student learning and understanding by sharing with students for them to use during their own presentations, inviting other students to comment and answer questions. During Open House night with parents, demonstrate how Sway provides interaction. Use Sway during professional development presentations to invite discussions from colleagues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lingo Hut - Lingo Hut
Grades
1 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): flash cards (43), multilingual (66), vocabulary (237), vocabulary development (90)
In the Classroom
Sit ESL/ELL students in pairs at classroom computers to get extra review for survival vocabulary and phrases. This site is perfect for the classroom where there is one or more English language learners. This would be like having a personal tutor. Be sure to put the URL on your class website so students can work at home, too. It would be a good idea to get parents involved, if they are learning English, too.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Oxford Owl Reading - Oxford University Press
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): independent reading (85), preK (255), reading lists (80), reading strategies (98)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce one of the free online books on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Then encourage students to use it individually or in pairs. Refer your ENL/ESL and learning support students to this site for extra, assisted reading practice.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Parent-Teacher Conference Tip Sheets - Harvard Family Research Project
Grades
K to 12tag(s): parent conferences (24)
In the Classroom
Use these tip sheets as suggested on the site. Prepare copies for parents, principals, and teachers well before conference meetings. Include a link to parent tip sheets on your class website or include with class newsletters. Be sure to include copies for other professionals such as counselors, and ESL/ELL, Learning Support, Speech/language clinician, or Gifted Education teachers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Literacy Connections - Educators Circle, LLC.
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): alphabet (51), literature (217), phonics (50), preK (255), readers theater (10), reading comprehension (143), sight words (23), spelling (95), word study (58)
In the Classroom
Make your reading and writing workshop come alive with a wealth of resources and information at your fingertips. Help your school volunteer program or business partnership with background training to work effectively with your students. Share this one on your website as a link for parents. Periodically revisit to be sure your language arts program has the most useful and meaningful components. Gifted and ESL/ELL programs will greatly benefit from additional ideas and fun activities for whole group instruction, centers, or even homework practice.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wordsmyth Kids! - Wordsmyth
Grades
K to 5tag(s): dictionaries (48), parts of speech (40), spanish (105), thesaurus (22), vocabulary development (90)
In the Classroom
This site is a must-add to any elementary classroom's bookmarks! Demonstrate Wordsmyth Kids! on your classroom whiteboard or projector, bookmark it in your favorites, and make it directly available to students from your class webpage. Tell parents about it, too. Elementary students will enjoy defining their spelling words or content area vocabulary. Have students categorize words by parts of speech or create a list of synonyms. Have students create their own word "sticky note boards" for new vocabulary words using a tool such as Lino, reviewed here (no membership required) to create and share their sticky notes. Be sure to share this site with parents for use at home too! Speech and language and ESL/ELL teachers will love the audio possibilities and the activities related to many of the basic vocabulary groups, such as animals, etc.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Reading Bear - Watch, Know, Learn
Grades
K to 2In the Classroom
This is an excellent resource for use on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Choose from the different options when presenting letter sounds in your classroom to present letters in different formats. Create a link on classroom computers to use as a phonics center activity. Share this site with parents through your classroom website or newsletter as a wonderful way to practice and learn letter sounds at home. Use this site with ESL/ELL students. Speech pathologists and special education teachers may want to bookmark this excellent site, too.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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My Wordle - Pallav Agarwal and Pulkit Agarwal
Grades
K to 12tag(s): game based learning (170), sight words (23), spelling (95), vocabulary (237)
In the Classroom
Use this Wordle generator in various ways in any classroom for increasing problem-solving and strategy skills. When using with young students, generate three or four-letter Wordles for students to attempt with partners. Provide a list of sight words if needed to avoid frustration. When teaching older students, develop Wordles to solve using vocabulary words, weekly spelling lists, science terms, or historical characters. Provide this site to students and create Wordles to share with their peers. Include a link on classroom computers during computer centers or as an activity when finished with daily assignments. Using this site is an excellent way to include ENL/ESL students in classroom activities by creating a word from their native language. Include others in your school community or parents by developing and sharing Wordles for your school or classroom site. Your imagination only limits the possibilities of creating and sharing personalized Wordles!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CK-12 - CK-12 Foundation
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): atoms (42), cells (80), charts and graphs (169), decades (7), energy (130), equations (119), fractions (159), genetics (76), inequalities (23), landforms (37), measurement (126), oceans (147), organisms (16), periodic table (44), probability (96), pythagorean theorem (18), rocks (36), scientific method (47), seasons (36), solar energy (34), solar system (108), statistics (114), STEM (263), test prep (66), variables (14)
In the Classroom
Introduce CK-12 to your students (and parents) on your interactive whiteboard and demonstrate ways to use the site at home. Be sure to create a link to the site on your class website or blog for easy access at any time. Create an account and upload your own resources and activities to create your own flexbooks for use with students. CK-12 is available in many languages. Use this site with your ESL/ELL students as a supplement to classroom resources.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Plum Landing - WGBH Educational Foundation
Grades
1 to 3tag(s): conservation (83), earth (185), earth day (60), environment (240), game based learning (170)
In the Classroom
Capture student interest in environmental science, zoology, conservation, and ecology with Plum and her human friends! Use this site in science as a way to introduce the study of the Earth, biomes, or food chains. Share the videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Add to computers for center time. Use Plum's adventures to inspire further adventures involving the students. Use videos as a multimedia resource to supplement the science textbook. Use the adventures to inspire either narrative or expository writing. During Earth Day, students can explore your school community. Explore other science topics and modify student learning by challenging them to create comics using a tool such as Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here, or a digital storytelling project with their own images, observations, and stories using Presentious, reviewed here. Presentious allows narrating and adding text to a picture. ENL/ESL and learning support students will find this site useful with reading support, video, and demonstrations. Have students research topics mentioned in the videos for deeper understanding. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, replace pen and paper by having students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Seesaw, reviewed here. Share research and stories with other classes in your school, students' families, and on your class website or wiki.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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