Here are just a few of the literacy resources available for free online! Many of
them teach life skills as well as reading skills and include pertinent information
that may interest your students and staff!
I also encourage you to check over the Resources by Subject Area CD that I
distributed at the start of the year. It included a category for Special Needs and
ELL Learners, which has listings of easy to read, image-heavy sites from different
subject areas (science, history).
Please visit these sites and let me know if any of them might be useful in class.
Then I can better select additional resources!
-Vitoria
California Adult Learning Activities
The purpose of this site is to help adults improve basic skills like reading
and spelling using real-life stories on topics of interest to adults. There is a
separate section for teachers and adult educators that can be accessed by selecting
the For Adult Educators link at the top of the homepage. The stories are based on
real life situations of interest to adults. Many came from television news stories.
Each online video has a basic story version in text, a full story text version, and
activities such as:
Literacy Works Videos Online with engaging news stories in print, accompanying videos,
vocabulary exercises, word selection exercises, multiple choice questions, sequencing tasks and
abridged versions of each! See picture below! Go to the story archive for many options!
http://literacyworks.org/learningresources/index.html
Skillswise adult literacy and numeracy website at the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/
English for All is interactive Web site that offers 5 stand-alone videos (online) each
containing four 15-minute programs. Each video focuses on a different life skills set
and includes basic vocabulary, questions, and printed materials for students who are just learning
to read.
While it is intended for ELL students, it can be used for students who need to practice language
skills, listening skills and practical vocabulary.
http://www.myefa.org/login.cfm?fuseaction=learnmore2
Tima Magazine for Kids Online (there are kid-friendly sites provided by many other publications
and media sources like CNN! This is just one example!
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/
Family Literacy Curriculum from Fairfax offers a variety of print materials for lessons that
encourage interactions and learning.
http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu/publications/famlitcurric/
Eglossary to see and hear words
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmsc/content/eglossary/index.html
Image clipart for Language Learners
http://tell.fll.purdue.edu/JapanProj//FLClipart/
EnglishSpace is a free Internet resource for students and teachers of English as a Foreign,
Second or Additional language. In EnglishSpace, students can learn English with the computer,
with their friends and with their teachers. It costs nothing to join EnglishSpace and all the lessons
are free! In EnglishSpace there are puzzles, games, exercises and projects to help you practice
your English skills.
http://www.englishspace.ort.org/launchpad/Index.htm
Listening Comprehension Audio Lab with audio interactions (dialogue of real life daily
conversations and exercises based upon them).
http://www.esl-lab.com/
CBC Ottawa also offers videos online that address many interesting topics such as Maple syrup
production, a marathon runner’s experience, etc.. Each has a Before, During and After You
Listen set of questions and activities.
http://www.cbc.ca/ottawa/esl/lessons.html
Language Learning - Watch and Listen at the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/index.shtml
Story Archives at Literacy Net – Once again for literacy instruction and language learners! It
includes the video, the story, an abridged story and activities.
http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html
Guided Reading Resources
Sample Lessons at Scholastic
http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/guidedreading.htm
http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/
Anticipation Guides, Activities, Vocab in Context
http://208.183.128.8/read/guidedr.html
Online Reading Programm with 30 free books (for fee otherwise)
http://www.readinga-z.com/
Comprehensive List of Resources and Readings
http://toread.com/
Guidede Reading Advice and Resources
http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/guided_reading.html
Overview of Gudied Reading
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/english/guided_rdg.html
Reading:
Instructional Philosophy and Teaching Suggestions
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000600.shtml
Carol Hurst’s Best Advice Regarding Guided Reading (with lit recommendations)
http://www.carolhurst.com/profsubjects/reading/guided.html
Guided Reading Lesson Format
http://www.laurens55.k12.sc.us/guided_reading_lesson_format.htm
Guided Reading Q & A
http://teachers.net/4blocks/article22.html
Guided Reading Planning Template
http://208.183.128.8/read/Teach-template.pdf
Proficient and Inefficient Readers Chart
http://208.183.128.8/read/proficient.htm
Gour Blocks Reading Center
http://www.readinglady.com/4blocks/
English Online
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/guided.html
Helping Your Child Become a Reader
http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/reader/index.html
Book Regarding Guided Reading – Government Publication Online
http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first1.html
Entire Curriculum for Compact for Reading Online and FREE
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/CompactforReading/index.html
This site is filled with fun family activities original, illustrated stories. Read-along in RealAudio!
http://www.amazingadventure.com/
Children’s Book Council Activities
http://www.cbcbooks.org/
Reading Units at Teacher’s Corner
http://www.theteacherscorner.net/reading/activities/units.htm
Phonics Worksheets
http://www.edhelper.com/phonics/Phonics.htm
Book Raps Book Discussion Exchange
http://rite.ed.qut.edu.au/old_oz-teachernet/projects/book-rap/
Children’s Books Online (portal)
http://richmond.k12.va.us/readamillion/booksonline.htm
Graphoc Organizers Online
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/page/6293.html
Little Explorer Picture Dictionary Online
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Dictionary.html
Kids Corner Real Audio Books Online (Audio files)
http://wiredforbooks.org/kids.htm
Books for Children Online
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A Pocket Full of Rhymes presents children with a relaxed environment to learn and enjoy poetry.
Absolutely Whootie Stories to Grow By includes fairy tales, folk tales and other great stories for
children.
BedTime Stories from The Babies Planet is a HUGE compilation of online storybooks for young
children.
Chateau Meddybemps Beantime Stories are modern stories designed for online publishing.
ChildrenStory.com has real story tellers that read aloud fairy tales using Real Audio. Follow the
words or simply listen.
Fairy Tales and Poetry from Alfy.com includes well illustrated books that are read aloud to
children and links to other online sources of text.
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Mightybook.com features read-aloud picture books, sing-along songs, video song books, poetry,
story-writing and illustrating contests and learning games designed for children ages 2-12.
Nursery Rhymes from Enchanted Learning, complete with rebus pictures for early readers.
Preschool Library from Storyplace.org includes 4 different themes with an online story, online
activity, take home story and booklist. Available in Spanish too.
Reading A-Z special preview of 28 leveled books for guided and independent reading. You can
download and print all of them out.
Reading Zone from the Internet Public Library's Youth Collection links to picture books and short
stories for young readers.
Winnie the Pooh Online Expotition Through the Hundred Acre Woods
International Children’s Digital Library
http://www.icdlbooks.org/
Storybooks Online Audio
http://www.storybookonline.net/article_list.aspx?Category=Reading
BBC Children’s Stories Audio
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/menu.shtml
Amazing Adventure Series Audio
http://www.cool4kids.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=9265
Children’s Stories Online
http://www.magickeys.com/books/index.html
Ctbertales
http://www.cybertales.co.uk/
Classics for Young People
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/%7Edkbrown/storclas.html
Aesop’s Fables with Audio
http://www.pacificnet.net/~johnr/aesop/
Bubbledome Interactive Stories
http://www.bubbledome.co.nz/bubbledome.asp?Action=Story
Dictations of Classic Stories (for ESL as well)
http://cla.univ-fcomte.fr/english/precoce/stories/storiesindex.htm
Bookpals with Streaiming Video of authors readingtheir works
http://www.bookpals.net/storyline/index.html
National Geographic Grimm’s Fairytales – Audio
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/
Classic Stories Read Aloud – Audio
http://lightupyourbrain.com/stories.html
Animated Picture Books
http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/108b.html
Storyplace at Internet Public Library
http://www.storyplace.org/
Listening Quizzes at the ESL Lab
http://www.esl-lab.com/
ESL Audio Streaming
http://www.esl.ohio-state.edu/streams/
ESL Audio Listening Skills Quizzes Online
http://www.english-test.net/index4.html
Literacy for Learners
CDLP online offers incredible news stories in print with photos and accompanying video/audio. Also includes vocabulary,
sequencing tasks, multiple choice questions, etc.
http://www.cdlponline.org/studact.html
Incredible Site at BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/index.shtml
Same types of resources here
http://home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/~teaman/vu/
Story Archives with similar resources at LiteracyNet (CNN)
http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html
Randall’s Cyber Listening Lab
http://www.esl-lab.com/
The Lingua Center has incredible interactive exercises that include audio
http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/lcra/
English Online (many topics)
http://eleaston.com/
HelpRead Freeware
http://helpread.net/
English Forum (interactive/listening, etc.)
http://www.englishforum.com/00/
Sound Portraits – Radio Documentaries
http://www.soundportraits.org/
Poetry Out Loud BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/poetry/outloud/index.shtml
TIME for Kids
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/
The Washington Post for Kids
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/education/kidspost/
English Listening (many lessons for free)
http://www.englishlistening.com/
Reading Resources
http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/web.pages/readinglist.html
California Distance Learning Project offers incredible news stories in print with photos and
accompanying video/audio. Also includes vocabulary, sequencing tasks, multiple choice
questions, etc.
http://www.cdlponline.org/
Incredible Site at BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/index.shtml
Same types of resources here
http://home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/~teaman/vu/
Story Archives with similar resources at LiteracyNet (CNN)
http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html
Learning English at the BBC (audio/video)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
Story Archives from CBS for ESL – Science/Health, etc.
http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html
The Annenberg Site has free instructional videos for every subject!
English Language Listening Online (by topic)
http://www.elllo.org/
Randall’s Cyber Listening Lab
http://www.esl-lab.com/
The Lingua Center has incredible interactive exercises that include audio.
http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/lcra/
English Online (many topics)
http://eleaston.com/
English Forum (interactive/listening, etc.)
http://www.englishforum.com/00/
Sound Portraits – Radio Documentaries
http://www.soundportraits.org/
Poetry Out Loud BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/poetry/outloud/index.shtml
TIME for Kids
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/
The Washington Post for Kids
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/education/kidspost/
English Listening (many lessons for free)
http://www.englishlistening.com/
Offers an idiom-finder and exercises based upon fables. The site includes: Vocabulary Matching
Exercises; Vocabulary Completion Exercises; Multiple Choice Comprehension Exercises; Written
Discussion Exercises
http://www.comenius.com/
Reading Resources
http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/web.pages/readinglist.html
Interactive Ezine “del Corazon” by Smithsonian
http://nmaa-ryder.si.edu/webzine/index.html