English Language Learners

Updated on March 8, 2017

These websites and apps that have games and lessons to help kids and older students learn English as a Second Language (ESL).  Some have interactives and videos for English Language Learners (ELLs).  A few have teaching resources for teachers to English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).  These acronyms are often used interchangeably, but all refer to students learning to speak, read, and write in the English language when it is not their their first language.

Interactive Visual Dictionary of English

This “dictionary” provides several scenes with related vocabulary and sentences.  Students can choose from several activities to listen to the sentences and reinforce learning through word search, crossword puzzles, and identifying the hidden words in each scene.  The scenes incude…

eComputerlab

eComputerlab offers a collection of links to high interest activities for secondary middle and high school English Language Learners. They include skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening and cover six levels of proficiency, which correspond to WIDA levels 1-6.…

Learn English by Doing It

Learn English by Doing emphasizes physical movement in response to commands, so students association movement with the English words. There are exercises to quiz them on vocabulary, but the primary emphasis is on action. The content is basic beginner English.

ABE English

Minneapolis ABE has links to lessons for English language learners from levels 1 to 6 in reading, writing, listening, pronunciation and vocabulary in a broad range of subjects. Although intended for adult learners, most lessons are appropriate for K-12 students…

ESL Resource Center

The ESL Resource Center has free lessons and exercises in grammar, reading and writing, vocabulary & idioms, spelling, pronunciation and listening.

Academic English Cafe

Academic English Cafe serves up a list of daily specials to help you improve your English, discover great books, and inspire your writing.  There are more than 60 integrated online reading, listening and writing lessons, vocabulary quizzes and games, test…

LearnEnglish Kids

Find games, songs, stories and lots of activities to help elementary age students learn English. Colorful graphics, engaging themes and amusing songs will keep kids coming back for more. Note that voices and syntax are in British English.

Interesting Things for ESL Students

From site:  This web site is for people studying English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL). There are quizzes, word games, word puzzles, proverbs, slang expressions, anagrams, a random-sentence generator and other computer assisted…

ESLgold.net

The site provides a thousand pages of free information and resources for both teachers and students. All materials are organized by skill and level for quick and easy access. Most useful to middle and high school students are the sections…

English as 2nd Language

There are a variety of resources for English language learners.  Take lessons on the site, learn grammar rules, spelling rules, build your vocabulary, and learn idioms and expressions.  Lessons consist of conversation transcripts and quizzes. You can subscribe a free…

ELLLO

ELLLO, English Language Listening Lab Online has a collection of over 1,000 listening activities for studentsMost listening activities come with an audio file, transcipt and interactive quiz. ELLLO offers a variety of listening activities that each target a specific listening…

English

This site, authored by award-winning ESL teacher, Larry Ferlazzo, is packed with resources links for ELL/ESL teachers. Although it has not been maintained since 2012, most of the resources are still relevant and useful.

Little Explorers Picture Dictionary

From site:  2,483 illustrated dictionary entries! Each word is used in a meaningful example sentence. Most entries have links to a related web site. Just click on an underlined word (or its accompanying picture), and you’ll link to a related…

Connect with English

From site:  A video instructional series in English as a second language for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; 50 fifteen-minute video programs and coordinated books… Through the story of Rebecca, an aspiring singer on a journey across…

ESL Glossary

Glossary of terms used in the ESL profession. This glossary includes terms related to English, ESL, EFL, grammar, TESOL, TEFL, pedagogy, and jobs. Your suggestions for new terms or better definitions are welcome.