Teaching English as a Second Language: Web Sites

by Judith Maginnis Kuster - Minnesota State University, Mankato (kuster@mnsu.edu).

Internet sites designed to assist teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) provide a vast array of materials that can be adapted for many different client needs. There are literally hundreds of ESL web pages to explore. Many good sites are linked in "webliographies" -- sites that link to other web pages, such as Ohio University's Resources for English language and culture, Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe which has over 3000 links, Rong-Chang Li's ESL Site and Frizzy University Network. An exploration of such resources will lead you to many excellent materials. Visit these sites and discover ways your students/clients may benefit from them.

Online Activities

• The Comenius English Language Center provides free online activities including Fluency Through Fables, short tales with questions designed to improve reading comprehension of English, and a collection of idioms.

• The English Zone has worksheets for grammar, verbs, idioms, vocabulary, spelling, conversation, study skills, reading, and writing.

• Aardvark contains interactive English language exercises for students of English as a foreign language (EFL)

• Self-study quizzes for ESL students has a large collection of online quizzes . This is a part of The Internet TESL Journal's Activities for ESL Students, written by many teachers from around the world . The site currently has over 1000 activities!

• Taiwan Teacher contains a growing list of grammar quizzes and exercises for teachers of English as a foreign or second language. These online activities and suggestions can be easily adapted for children with language-learning disorders and adults who are re-learning language following a stroke.

• Interesting Things For ESL Students contains word games, puzzles, quizzes, slang, and proverbs. Be sure to check the vocabulary quizzes with pictures and Wordmeister.

Listening Aids

• Okanagan University College has several aids to pronunciation online for both Macintosh and PC.

• ESL Resources on the Web from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign's Lingua Center provides creative opportunities for interactive listening comprehension practice, and pronunciation resources such as Mouth Manglers which includes audio and visual practice contrasting /l/ and /r/, sh and ch, and more.

• Mortal Grammar might appeal to some junior high students!

• Caroline's ESL website contains a nice online "adjective" hangman.

• Computer Enhanced Language Instruction Archives (CELIA) contains free software for Macintosh or PC for grammar, listening, reading, vocabulary and writing.

• Kids Domain features ESL Renegades and other ESL activities.