Resources for Classroom Teachers—Beginning English Language Learners
The following resources are ideas for classroom teachers to assist beginning English Language Learners.
These are ideas for independent or peer-assisted activities that can be utilized when the student is in
the general education classroom and the ESL teacher is not available.
1. Resource: The Classroom Teacher's ESL Survival Kit #1 and #2 by Elizabeth
Claire and Judie Haynes
Source: Eardley Publication, 1-888-296-1090
2. Resource: Oxford Picture Dictionary on CD-ROM
Source: Oxford University Press
Notes: There are no serious limitations to the older, less expensive edition
if you are trying to save money.
3. Resource: Harcourt Reading Series—ESL Manuals or Below Level Manuals
Source: Current Adopted Series
Notes: These teach similar material at a lower language level and include a lot of illustrations.
4. Resource: Explode the Code Series
Source: www.explodethecode.com
Notes: Books A, B, and C are helpful for kindergarten students. Explode the Code for ELL and other
Explode the Code books are helpful too, depending on the student’s level.
5. Resource: Comments for Report Cards and Notes Going Home by Audrey Clifford Lang
Source: www.dedicatedteacher.com/estore/product/csd0868eb
Notes: This is a helpful resource for general education teachers who have students whose parents
speak only Spanish. Each school should have a copy that was purchased in years past.
6. Resource: Bilingual Books for Check-Out Library
Source: www.bilingualbooks.com , www.capstonepress.com, or www.scholastic.com keyword:
bilingual books
Notes:
7. Resource: starfall.com website
Notes: This site can be used for independent work.
8. Resource: Leap Frog Pads Cartridges and Books
Source: www.leapfrog.com keyword: classroom products
Notes: Tools for phonics as well as more advanced stories are available. Ex. All Around Me
Storybook Series, Leapster Story Explorers, Tag School Reader
9. Resource: Peers
Notes: Oxford Picture Dictionaries (see reference above) and magazine illustrations can be used to assist
the ESL student in enunciating the names of pictures correctly. This has been successful with K-5
students as well as Level 1 language acquisition students through high school.
10. Resource: Easy English News monthly newspaper
Source: Elizabethclaire.com
Notes: Beneficial for middle and high school students. Appropriate for
Level 2 of language acquisition.
11. Resource: Geo Safari—Smart Talk
Source: Educational Insights, 1-800-995-4436, www.educationalinsights.com
Notes: This is a free-standing electronic device with headphones that just
needs to be plugged in. Includes three boxes of developmental cards. Specific units can be assigned.
12. Resource: Grammar Chants
Source: Oxford University Press
Notes: These jazz chants are enjoyable and effective for language
development. Headphones can be utilized if you want to assign them as an
independent activity.
13. Resource: Best Sight Word Book Ever!
Source: Key Education Publishing Company
Notes: This is a resource for learning site words that has been used
successfully with primary students but may also be appropriate for older
students at a beginning level of language acquisition.
14. Resource: Language Master
Source: Super Duper Catalog
Notes: This is a machine for which you can purchase sets of picture cards.
The child slides the cards through the machine and can hear them pronounced.
Headphones are available, so this can be used as a center.
15. Resource: Easy and Engaging ESL Activities and Mini-Books for Every Classroom by Kama Einhorn
Source: Amazon
Notes: Reproducibles
16. Resource: Sound-It-Out Phonic Puzzles
Source: Lakeshore
Notes: These puzzles include blends, diagraphs, and vowel combinations.
17. Resource: Basic Skills Puzzles
Source: Didax Educational Resources
Notes: This is appropriate for working on compound words.
18. Resource: Picture Word Lotto
Source: The Learning Journey International
Notes: “Match It” activities include spelling, foods, counting, upper and lowercase letters, and
transportation. “Lace It” activities include farm animals.
19. Resource: Recipe for Reading Workbooks: Workbooks 1 and 2
Source: Educators Publishing Service, Inc.
Notes:
20. Resource: Versatiles Phonics
Source: ETA Cuisenaire www.etacuisenaire.com
Notes: Focuses on initial and final consonant sounds, blends and digraphs, short and long vowels,
R controlled vowels, sight words, word families, prefix, suffix and roots
21. Resource: Smart Talk
Source: ETA Cuisenaire www.etacuisenaire.com
Notes: Unit with word cards and headphones. Cards are read and then students are asked questions.
22. Resource: Radius Audio Learning System for ELLs
Source: ETA Cuisenaire www.etacuisenaire.com
Notes: Audio CD unit with interactive content vocabulary cards—also includes blackline master activity
booklet
23. Resource: Books for All Learners
Source: www.iseesam.com
Notes: Lower levels or ELL editions are helpful for extra reading practice.