Outside Tools and Resources
We have found other online resources that are very helpful for beginning English levels. These may not be as flexible or open as the H5P exercises or readers, but they might be a good fit for many contexts.
Additional Resources List
Vocabulary Spelling City
PCC has provided students with access to premium accounts to use Vocabulary Spelling City, a third-party website that teaches vocabulary, spelling, and phonics through games and online activities. Instructors create a teacher account and then can copy existing themed word lists drawn from TeachABC English or generate their own word lists.
With a premium account, teachers can set up student accounts and give them individual usernames and passwords. Teachers can then issue assignments that specify word lists and activities. After students complete the assigned activities, they can continue to use the word lists in other games. These activities are flexible and can contract or expand to fill the time available. Word lists can be shared with other teachers.
Without a premium account, teachers should be able to work with word lists and share them with students, but students will not have their own logins or the ability to track their progress.
ClassKick
ClassKick is a free third-party website that allows instructors to design activities similar to a collaborative whiteboard space with options for typing, drawing, audio recording and work with images. Instructors who are new to ClassKick can watch an an introductory video here.
Students do not need to create accounts; instead, the teacher creates an account and then gives a direct link or class code to students in order to access individual assignments.
These ClassKick activities have been used along with the Digital Workbook materials in the past. As ClassKick continues to evolve, they may or may not continue to be accessible.
Module | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | How to use ClassKick (same for all levels) http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVxQI9hQTtWxmib-6i7vDw | How to use ClassKick (same for all levels) http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV3178enQieG1INQ3UquJg | How to use ClassKick (same for all levels) http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVxQI9hQTtWxmib-6i7vDw |
2 | Introductions, Phonics, Alphabet, Spelling http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVvQLKptSeKwi0ZY714lQw | Alphabet, vowel/consonant; a/an http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV31_GgaSmmkTrwuiIRQXw | Interview classmate about present activities; report http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV6WiFLeS5KLQHWKdoUIEg |
3 | Numbers, How Many, There is/There are http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVxRFdNmR16WX82h34w21g | Numbers, Ordinal Numbers, There is/There are http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV323QD6SliSBAoGYw4QsQ | Interview classmate about past activities; report http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV6W5Ib8R-i3zjTQCxY4sA |
4 | To-Be Verb; Subject Pronouns; Feelings http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVxSPU-oRbKKoChFm6BTIA | Pronouns, To-Be Verb http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV33DjK0SRi01XZ_Fa13CQ | Interview classmate about future activities; report http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV6W_OKoQiqBe_8iSrylTA |
5 | Pronouns, Family, To-Be Questions and Negation http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVxXKbqSQ7y9Z7ABxvogpQ | To-Be Verb http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV33LKtKSECiMcz3Ojn0vA | Create family tree; report http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV6XFyO2Q5GvUdOtXRivHw |
6 | Pronouns, To-Have Questions and Negation;. Home/kitchen http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVxvzdVWS6u4DfZl58KMPw | To-Have http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV33cqZjQc2wSQb9ZtWpuA | Design dream house or room; report http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV8jZWmNQJWlaRr54Ror4w |
7 | To-Be, To-Have with Food and Colors http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVxwM2_zTrGfV7RCRgwmZw | To-Have and Adjectives http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV33f3vlTo6RXcdczhlHCA | Find a recipe & photo of your favorite dish; report http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV8ja40XTDajSje4DwhDSA |
8 | To-Be, To-Have, Seasons, Time, Date, Colors http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVxwTT9pQ_eBWoyFZEk1iA | Time, Calendar, Demonstrative Pronouns http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV4GdrxwSe6JPN0DBsgx0A | Scavenger Hunt: bring back photos, report http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV8jcpZDQoqwqq44gmIunQ |
9 | Review Verbs; Daily Routines http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVxwwla4QdCdNJfXa89jiA | Review http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV4Glcr5Qiuo7zLsZOO-rQ | Report on Holidays http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV8jiwS-QX6rK-ndnTH_tA |
10 | Weather; Review http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AVxxMjBqSCqAISG-7l0mEw | Weather, Review http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV4Gjz-ASWmqjyUq4nhOog | Give a Weather Report http://app.classkick.com/#/assignments/AV8jkEH7QRmT2ChOrUQUMA |
Padlet
Padlet is a free, interactive, multimedia sharing space that could be used for communal show-and-tell activities, etc. The teacher could pose a prompt, and students could reply with text, images, video, audio, links, etc. Students can then leave comments on each other’s posts or simply give a thumbs up or emoji. Padlets can be archived and revisited. Students do not need to create accounts.
We love using Padlets to get students sharing content with each other and commenting on each others’ posts. It can be a great way to document their learning and interests throughout the term.
Readworks
ReadWorks is a free third-party website that can be used for sourcing reading material. A curated reading list for Level 3 students features an informational text and a literary text for each module, frequently connected to the overall theme of the module. Each reading includes an image, the text, an audio file, selected vocabulary support, and a short set of comprehension questions. Students do not need to create individual accounts; they use a single classroom ID and password. Instructors or tutors can quickly grade responses that are not automatically scored and then give feedback.
Teachers follow the instructions on ReadWorks to set up a classroom and roster, and then they choose texts for assignments. Then instructors give students their classroom code and password to complete the assignments. They are organized by module. In our in-person class, each module aligned to one week of class. They were chosen to align (or at least complement) the grammar and other activities from that week’s class. The types of texts include informative and literature genres.
ReadWorks Selections
Module | Title | Lexile Level | Length in Words | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Grandpa and Me | 560 | 204 | lit |
1 | People Need Computers | 410 | 87 | info |
2 | Symbols of the United States | 550 | 207 | info |
2 | Which Shopping Bag Is Best? | 510 | 79 | lit |
3 | A Trip to the Store | 390 | 97 | lit |
3 | All About Money | 330 | 97 | info |
4 | The Flu And You | 480 | 197 | info |
4 | Whom Does He Look Like? | 460 | 95 | lit |
5 | Maria Recycles | 440 | 70 | lit |
5 | Garbage in the Ocean | 420 | 88 | info |
6 | The Making of the United States Constitution | 400 | 174 | info |
6 | Carl's Garden Problem | 340 | 106 | lit |
7 | A Visit to the Farmer's Market | 450 | 199 | lit |
7 | Fruits Have Seeds | 340 | 100 | info |
8 | What You Need to Play Soccer | 480 | 113 | info |
8 | Margo's Idea | 500 | 106 | lit |
9 | The Moon Journal | 470 | 147 | lit |
9 | The Science of Taste | 500 | 172 | info |
10 | Happy Holidays! | 470 | 206 | info |
10 | Catch That Clock! | 550 | 119 | info |
Extra | It's Raining, It's Pouring! | 530 | 274 | info |
Extra | Breakfast Time | 490 | 171 | lit |
Extra | A Clean Park | 220 | 233 | lit |
Extra | No Problem! | 130 | 97 | info |
Extra | Martin Luther King Jr. | 470 | 94 | info |
Extra | What Is a Law? | 400 | 86 | info |
Additional Sites
- ESL Literacy Readers from Bow Valley College
- Excellent materials for emerging readers.
- Audio narration of short texts with engaging pictures.
- Canadian context.
- www.teachabcEnglish.com
- “abc English is a curriculum for adult English learners that teaches basic English communication and reading skills, starting from the abc sounds.”
- Includes extensive materials for phonics, literacy learners, pronunciation, vocabulary, and more, for free.
- Texts are for sale, but the site includes free previews.
- By Jennifer Christensen
- Quizlet
- Not 100% open, but mostly free resource for creating, using, and practicing flashcards