ELL Resources

Dictionaries | Teacher Resources | Literacy | Grammar | Publishing | Spanish Sites

On-line Dictionaries & Thesauri
Dictionary Button on Links Toolbar	This is a free and easy tool that provides definitions and audio pronunciation help for words found on the Internet.
Voycabulary	VoyCabulary makes the words on any webpage into links, so you can look them up with just a click--in a dictionary of your choice. *
English/Spanish Spanish/English Dictionary	Simply type in the word to be translated. Audio is provided for many words.
Picture Dictionary	Browse by alphabet or category in five languages.
Word Helper	This PBS site has audio and visual clues for nearly 200 words.
Keyboarding Practice	Free program; download or use online; use the prepared drills or use your own text.

Teacher Resources
United Streaming	More than a digital media library, Discovery Education unitedstreaming provides teachers with the tools to incorporate fresh, vibrant digital media into student learning environments - quickly and easily. Directions for Closed Captioning
Set® Game	Use this game to develop skills for identifying similarities and differences - one of the Essential Nine strategies described by Marzano. Using Set® in the classroom What is Set® doing to my Brain?
Web 4 Teachers.Org	You will wonder how you got along without the resources this site provides; Spanish resources and a long list of links. Share this one with all of your colleagues.
PhotoStory3	Breathe life into your digital photos by adding music, narration, motion, and more. PhotoStory is a compliment to Windows MovieMaker2. Free Special Codec maybe required for media player playback. Windows XP Required
Google Earth	Want to know more about a specific location? Dive right in -- Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google Search to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips.
ELL Teacher's Resources	This site has lesson plans, teaching tips, and resources.
Graphic Organizers	Graphic organizers make content area information more accessible to second language learners.
More Graphic Organizers	This Houghton Mifflin site offers graphic organizers in English or Spanish
Colorin Colorado	Information, activities and advice for Spanish speaking parents
Eduplace	At the Houghton Mifflin Reading Web site you'll find free online resources, including great classroom activities, helpful links, and bibliographies, that support and extend the themes found in Houghton Mifflin Reading for Grades K – 6.
YAKiToMe!	Once you sign, in you can download podcasts and use the automatic text-to-speech podcast creation tool. Because of unfiltered samples, this is not recommended for students.

Literacy
Starfall	The Starfall learn-to-read program was created to meet the needs of the emergent reader by incorporating rhyming games and high-interest books. Free writing journals are available.
Read, Write, Think	ReadWriteThink offers a collection of online Student Materials to support literacy learning in the K-12 classroom. These interactive tools can be used to supplement a variety of lessons and provide an opportunity for students to use technology while developing their literacy skills.
Scholastic/Clifford	You'll find phonics fun for early readers through interactive stories.
Literacy Center	This site provides activities for learning colors, letters, numbers, words, shapes, and more.
Abridged News Stories	This CNN sponsored site provides an original news story, abridged version, and an outline. Students can view and complete literacy activities while reading the story. Online resources are also provided. This site is appropriate for MS and HS students.
I Know That	Interactive lessons which engage students across the curriculum.
Magnetic Word Board Magnetic Number Board	Great resource for doing word sorts. Simply type words (shift + left mouse click), and then your students can drag, drop and rearrange them.
Invention at Play	When asked what inspired them to become inventors, many adults tell stories about playing as children. In this virtual playhouse, you can set your own inventive thinking in motion.
Book Adventure	Book Adventure is a FREE reading motivation program for children in grades K-8. Children create their own book lists from over 6,000 recommended titles, take multiple choice quizzes on the books they've read offline, and earn points and prizes for their literary successes.
Kids Place Kids Place Games	KidsPlace provides activities by grade level and theme which support the Houghton Mifflin text. You will find kids’ games and activities for math, reading, language arts, social studies, and more!

Grammar Resources
Spelling City	This is an online spelling program that makes practicing for spelling tests fun.
Misused Expressions	This Bartleyby.com site is an alphabetical list of words and expressions commonly misused.
Common Errors	Very easy to use, alphabetical list of common errors in English.
Guide to Grammar & Writing	Click on the "index" link for easier navigation through this exhaustive site.
Idioms	This exhaustive list of idioms provides meanings and examples.
Interesting Things for ESL Students	If you're looking for word games, puzzles, quizzes, slang, and proverbs, this site is for you.

On-line Publishing Opportunities
Publish Online Book Reviews	Amazon.com provides a quick and easy way for students to publish book reviews online. Reading his/her own writing on the Internet is a great motivator for a student to produce his/her best work.
Writing Prompts and Book Reviews	This site provides opportunities to respond to writing prompts and submit book reviews using simplified forms.
My Hero	Students can create a "My Hero" web page.
Project Poster	Students can publish a project on the web with the easy-to-use Project Poster.
Titakok	Tikatok™ is where kids channel their imagination into stories – and publish those stories into books for you to share and treasure with friends and family.
Monster Exchange	Monster Exchange is designed to encourage the development of reading and writing skills while integrating Internet technology into the classroom curriculum.


Sites in Spanish
Mexico for Kids	This site about Mexico is translated into four languages.
Spanish/English Idioms	Use in conjunction with teaching English Idioms.
Literacy Center in Espanol	For children who do not speak English as a first language, the LiteracyCenter.Net provides an excellent environment for practicing basic pre and early reading skills.
Colorin Colorado	Information, activities and advice for Spanish speaking parents

Once you sign, in you can download podcasts and use the automatic text-to-speech podcast creation tool. Because of unfiltered samples, this is not recommended for students.