Tools for ESL Teaching

Description: elllo provides graded listening activities. It also provides games and hints of academic listening. Platform: website elllo.org Possible uses: I use it as a library of listening activities and as an extension or reinforcement activities for those students who want to improve their listening. I usually put links to this website in my classroom blog.  Advantages and disadvantages: Its main disadvantage is the layout. It is neither user friendly nor very intuitive but its advantages are superior to this disadvantage. I find particularly interesting the possibility to expose the learner to different accents.

Description: Small PDF is a web which provides several utilities to work with pdf documents. It allows you to change its format or to secure it. Very useful to send documents to our students as even mobile phones can read pdfs.  Platform: Web pag e

Description: Bet you didn't know are a collection of short videos related to a lot of cultural issues: Halloween , Easter , Saint Patrick  or even historic characters like Rosa Parks . Platform: Most of the videos can be found on Youtube . Possible uses: Due to their short length (around two/three minutes), they are fantastic to trigger a number of speaking lessons as well as interesting videos in case you need to fill the very last minutes of a class.  Advantages and disadvantages: The main disadvantage that I have found is that there are no subtitles available, therefore sometimes the understanding on the part of lower level students can be difficult. 

Where to find it?   Lyrics training Description: This website allows you to practice your listening skills by means of music videos. Either by dragging the words to the gap or by writing it completely, learners have to complete the lyrics. It also provides a karaoke version of the songs.  Requirements: Internet connection. Possible uses: It is a motivating way to practice listening. As well it helps the teacher to have a time filler with no previous preparation. Advantages and disadvantages : songs are a great and motivating way to expose students to the language, therefore, I find lyrics training as a great tool for practising one of the most difficult skills for them. Nevertheless, I find that its use in class (only with one computer per group) is rather difficult to make use of it. In case of using it in class it is also advisable to revise the content of the music video in advance.

Where to find it? Trading Card Creator Description: This flash application allows to create trading cards for different types of characters and events. The writing is guided by means of different questions that allow students to make a complete card.