Internet Resources for ESOL
By Luci Mello – Revised 2013
Listening:
http://www.esl-lab.com
One of the most popular listening web sites for ESL, focusing on listening practice.
Check out the video portion of this web site and very short listening excerpts.
http://www.esl-lab.com/videoclips.htm
Songs:
ABC with your children: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpIhzFh0yw8
http://www.eflclub.com/2songs/wonderfulworld/wonderfulworld2.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/songs.htm
http://www.esl-lounge.com/songsab.shtml
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/music.htm
Videos:
Pod English
http://www.youtube.com/user/podEnglish
Short video lessons on several topics such telling the time, asking for directions, and job
interview. Recorded by speakers of different accents, this video series invites students to
watch, learn and try.
ESL-Lab Videos
http://www.esl-lab.com/videoclips.htm
As I mentioned before, take a look at Randall’s video clips. They are also accompanied
by listening comprehension quizzes.
(http://www.esl-lab.com/supermarket/supermarket-video.htm)
http://www.real-english.com
These are simple videos produced on the streets; presenting speakers from the U.S.,
England and other nationalities. Videos are followed by exercises on vocabulary,
language structure, listening comprehension and a lot more.
http://www.eslpod.com
These are short podcasts for you to use with ESL students. You can either play sound
files (dialogs and speeches) from the web site or download the podcast as an mp3 file.
Sound files are free; however, “Learning Guides” require subscription.
(http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=9038389#)
Authentic Movies
Movies – video excerpts
Try to find trailers and excerpts from Hollywood movies. You can play an excerpt to
present certain communication skills such as asking for directions (Forrest Gump) or
shopping for clothes (Pretty Woman). You can use DVDs from the library or Youtube.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgZ5zM0e-iU)
Speaking:
Icebreakers at ESLflow.com
http://www.eslflow.com/speakingandcommunicativeicebreakeractivities.html
(http://www.tefl.net/esl-lesson-plans/TP_Shopping.pdf)
SOZO Exchange
Several English lessons on Video focusing on pronunciation. Word of the day, episodes
and quizzes are also available.
ESL go at http://www.eslgo.com/resources/sa.html contains several kinds of activities to
make students speak.
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/speaking.html
Icebreakers and games for practicing speaking.
Reading:
http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/home.html
The Learning Resources site offers web-delivered instruction using CNN and CBS 5 KPIX (CBS Broadcasting) news stories. Western/Pacific LINCS (part of the National
Institute for Literacy's LINCS Project) and Literacyworks, uses these stories to develop
an online literacy site that benefits all learners and instructors.
Each module includes the full text of each story and interactive activities to test
comprehension. The learner can choose to read the text, listen to the text, and view a
short video clip of the story.
BreakingNewsEnglish
Short and simple news followed by a set of warm-up, reading, listening, speaking and
writing activities.
P E T T Project
Practice English Tutorials and Tests is a set of FREE online tools that have been
developed by Seminole State College's English Language Studies Department to help
ESOL students become more comfortable with the listening and reading skills used in
functional English assessments.
Writing:
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/writing.html
Simple writing activities for beginners.
http://www.1-language.com/eslwriting/index.htm
One Language ESL writing topics are useful for both speaking and writing.
http://www.listen-and-write.com
“Listen and write” combines listening and writing (the basic and controversial dictation
concept). For example, see activity at http://www.listen-and-write.com/audio/show/865.
Keith Folse's handouts
Dr. Folse is the author of 43 books. He has published articles on language teaching and
his second language research in TESOL Quarterly, CATESOL Journal, TESL Reporter,
Language Teacher (JALT), Perspectives (TESOL Arabia), Sunshine State TESOL
Journal, TESOL Matters, Nexus, and Modern English Teacher. He is a frequent
conference presenter in the U.S. and abroad. Check out the handouts on writing
activities!
“The Writing Den” at http://www2.actden.com/writ_den/index.htm has tips, word of the
day, discussions and a lot more.
EL Civics:
http://www.elcivics.com contains lessons, PowerPoint slides, etc., related to EL
Civics education.
http://www.elcivicsonline.org/ - A comprehensive web-based professional development
system including 4 professional development modules for ESOL teachers to infuse EL
Civics into the ESOL curriculum, resources and lesson plans.
http://www.cdlponline.org/
Reading with sound files and in some cases also video files followed by exercises;
developed by California.
http://www.usalearns.org
A complete self-paced online program for adult English Language Learners around the
nation for levels 1-4. Students can use it as an online resource in the classroom, in a lab
or at a home computer.
Lesson Plans and Worksheets:
http://www.elcivicsonline.org/ - A comprehensive web-based professional development
system including 4 professional development modules for ESOL teachers to infuse EL
Civics into the ESOL curriculum, resources and lesson plans.
http://www.eastsideliteracy.org/tutorsupport/ESL/ESLIdeas.htm
http://www.adultedlessons.org/login.cfm?fuseaction=login
“The Lesson Plan Builder” makes it easier for you to develop quality lesson plans that
address adult education content standards in the context of CASAS and SCANS
competencies.
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provides a customer friendly template to develop lessons for adult educators
provides sample lessons as models
allows the user to "backward design" a lesson
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provides a quick link to CASAS and SCANS competencies
stores lessons for future use
allows sharing with a group or publicly
Games:
http://www.cambridge.org/us/esl/venturesadulted/venturesarcade/
The Ventures arcade by Cambridge is a great web companion offered for free whether
or not you are using Ventures textbook. Just like USALearns, it covers pretty much most
of the curriculum standards.
http://www2.cambridge.org/interchangearcade/
Interchange textbook also has a companion. This curriculum was written to sell
internationally though (EFL/ESL). Therefore, you will not find all the curriculum
standards.
Fun with grammar, vocabulary and other English language skills.
http://www.quia.com/shared/
Professional Development for ESOL Teachers:
Professional Development for ESOL Teachers:
ELL-U
http://www.ell-u.org/
National Adult English Language Learning
Professional Development Network
Technology:
Teacher Training Videos – emphasis in language instruction.
http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/