Netwatch - Professionally Speaking

Resources

This issue’s NetWatch responds to teacher requests for ESL resources. Past editions of NetWatch and additional sites for some topics can be found online at the Archives.

by Lynda Scarrow

ESL tools for the classroom

A World of Resources

www.eslresources.ca

Canadian Made

Ontario teacher Magda Kalinowska has created a simply designed, easy to navigate site pointing to a number of ESL resources geared to the Ontario curriculum and broken into different learning levels. You’ll want to check out Canadiana and teacher links in particular.

Teach Children ESL

www.teachchildrenesl.com/

easy to navigate

This lovely web site – maintained by teacher volunteers – proudly announces free resources for teachers and no registration required. It’s the only site I’ve seen that offers socially conscious ESL materials, such as environmental education worksheets. You’re also invited to submit your own lesson ideas for posting.

Crossword Puzzles

www.manythings.org/cs

puzzle master

Approximately 215 puzzles cover nouns, verbs, opposites and so on. They are well designed and provide good visual feedback. See an image associated with the word you’re trying to solve, get one letter and check for errors.

Free Flash Cards

www.eslflashcards.com/

multiple flash cards

Nicely designed flash cards cover a broad range of topics and are available in three sizes. Choose the ESL Flashcards link at the top of the page, scroll down and click again to download and save the PDF file. Additional links lead to Google directories.

Using English

www.usingenglish.com

resources at your fingertips

This well-stocked site has lots of ESL handouts, worksheets and other teaching tools. It includes a news feed, extensive glossaries, articles and resources. You can register for free access to more info and forums, but you do have to answer a lot of questions. You may want to skip the downloadable software – it doesn’t work properly when you try to install it.

Everything ESL

www.everythingesl.net

ask the pro

Created by 27-year veteran ESL teacher/author Judie Haynes, this site offers tips, lesson plans, discussion topics, answers to your ESL questions and an extensive list of web sites specifically for elementary students.

MES English

www.mes-english.com/

esl for younger students

Designed particularly for kindergarten to Grade 6 students, but also good for beginning high school students, this site includes colouring sheets, stickers, flash cards, games, worksheets and a language-resource room. MES-Kids at the bottom of the page leads to a few simply designed vocabulary games.