Interactive ESOL links

Originally used as a diagnostic tool for Level 2 ESOL at the beginning of term - a short 'quiz' created in Google forms about The Runner poem submitted by Jean Morten (2023) You don't need to log into Google to complete it but if you do you can make a copy and adapt it for your own learners, and your own email address to collect responses, etc. 

Editor's notes

We at MESH (Migrant English Support Hub) run the LEYH (Learning English in Yorkshire and the Humber) website, as well as its sister site Learning English Plus, which includes a staffroom and resources section. We have started producing our own resources which are locally referenced to Yorkshire and the Humber, but which are useful nationwide too.

The Science of Reading blog is well worth a look - especially the Tuesday Teaching Tips.

For example, the entry for Tuesday April 25th included a useful morpheme chart & a lovely idea of pulling out & deeply analysing specific vocabulary over a period of several days (in this case the word 'siphon'!). 

I've been recommending this resource to many learners and potential learners of ESOL and even English Functional Skills.

It allows learners to submit some typed in text for a particular task (for free) and then get feedback.  They may need some help understanding the feedback, if they're not sure about grammatical terms,  but many of my learners have found this very useful.

I have started to give it out at the beginning of term for students to get extra writing practice outside of the classtime.

I hope you and others find it useful.

Helen IB

This resource from the Comic Relief Red Nose Day website would make a nice quick E1-2 English/ESOL onscreen writing task. The PDF has type-in boxes but could also be printed. Learners think up their own events (perhaps through paired discussion or small group discussion?) and then each completes poster, writing/typing in complete sentences as appropriate for level. (I.e. simple sentences for E1 and a mix of simple and compound sentences for E2).

Wonderful interactive game where learners have to put 10 jumbled up sentences back together again.

The theme is  "expressing opinions" (either in writing or in SLC) and is aimed at L1-2 Functional English /ESOL. Also very useful as general practice with sentence structure, using punctuation to aid understanding, etc.  

This is a Padlet page with recordings and worksheets at E1 - L1. (Password:esol) It facilitates listening development both in class and at home, giving exam practice and ear training/decoding practice through a variety of different listening activities. Worksheets can be completed partly in class and partly at home or entirely as homework. Learners can access the recordings via a mobile phone, tablet or computer.

This website provides a large number of free, high-quality resources for games, activities, projects and conversation in the ESOL classroom. You can search these resources by the language topic which you are teaching. It also includes interactive language games and vocabulary images.

*Editor's note*

A really useful site. Love the vocabulary image generator and the online concentration game generator - both are great for teaching vocabulary.

Free resources for low-level ESOL learners from Tinder Foundation, the BBC and the British Council. You need to register, but once you have there are loads of resources and training modules.

Editor’s note
I’ve only taken a quick look but this does indeed look excellent. Lovely printable flashcards and great, very clear videos.

This is a Quia online quiz based on this website about New Year traditions around the world.

I usually get the students working in pairs on 2 computers, one with the website and one with the quiz. It’s a fun thing to do in the first week back.