English Language Learner (ELL) Resources

General Teaching Ideas Resources For Students Forums News & Research Family & Community Engagement

The number of students with limited proficiency in English has increased significantly in recent years. Here are a variety of resources to help educators with English Language Learners.

General

Accountability for College and Career Readiness
Education Policy Analysis Archives (EPAA) report on the "Accountability for College and Career Readiness: Developing a New Paradigm".

Colorín Colorado
Colorín Colorado is a free web-based, bilingual service that provides information, activities, and advice for educators and Spanish-speaking families of English language learners.

ESL Gold
ESLgold provides thousands of free information and resources for ESL/ELL. All materials are organized by skill and level for quick and easy access.

Everything ESL
This site includes Lesson Plans, Teaching Tips, Resource Picks, and a question answer section to help teachers with English Language Learners.

Hazel Rose Markus | Being Human
Hazel Rose Markus is a social psychologist who studies how an individual's sense of self is shaped by culture, as well as how individuals influence the cultures they live in.

Lanternfish
Worksheets, Flashcards, Lesson Plans, Jobs and a Forum for the ESL and TEFL Teacher.

Learning the Language
Education Week's blog about news and policy regarding the education of ELLs.

Many Things
This web site is for people studying English as a Second Language. There are quizzes, word games, proverbs, slang expressions,a random-sentence generator and more.

One Stop English
Onestopenglish is packed with resources for English language teachers. There are free resources or you can pay for a subscription to get access to even more.

Three Factors for Success in Using Technology to Support At-Risk Students
This Alliance for Excellent Education webinar explores three important variables for success in using digital learning strategies to better support at-risk students.

USBE's English Language Learners Web Page
ESL endorsement information for Utah educators and additional strategies and resources.

WIDA ELP Standards
The World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Consortium's ELP Standards for grades PreK - 12.

Teaching Ideas

Applying STEM In Middle School - Science And Engineering
Here are some tips to applying STEM to your middle school lessons. We use a brain safety challenge as a lesson example, but the tips and strategies can apply to any lesson.

Casa Notes
Casa Notes is designed to allow teachers to quickly make, and customize, typical notes that are sent home and then translate them in to Spanish.

Exploring Predictions: Middle School Science Lesson
Complete middle school science lesson. Exploring Predictions has students making, testing and reflecting on predictions in a physical science lab.

For Educator - Colorín Colorado
Useful information, strategies, activities, and resources for all teachers of ELLs, whether you are an ESL teacher or a content area teacher with one or two English learners in your class.

Incorporating Engineering Design Process In STEM Lesson
Here's a STEM lesson that may fit perfectly into your classroom. The Edible Car project incorporates the engineering design process into a fun lesson.

Lesson Plans - Everything ESL
Content based ESL lesson plans for beginning through intermediate students.

Scaffolded Lesson/Unit Plan Template (doc)
4th Grade Science

Stuff for Teachers - Dave's ESL Cafe
A collection of resources for ESL/ELL teachers including Idea Cookbook with a lot of teaching tips, forums, and a place to post your resume.

Teach Fractions with Manipulatives
Use manipulatives to build understanding of fractions.

The Big Brain: A Cooperative Learning Protocol
Discover a new way to get the most from students working in groups. With the Big Brain Protocol, you give students a structure for working in groups.

Understanding Language - Language, Literacy, and Learning in the Content Areas
Understanding Language is devoted to improving education for English Language Learners in light of the new Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

Watch Educational High School STEM Lessons
Students get college and career ready with rigorous STEM experiences

Webcasts - Colorín Colorado
Webcasts offer an exciting new way to learn about teaching ELLs. Each webcast features a 45-minute video program, which includes recommended readings, suggested discussion questions.

Resources

bab.la dictionary
Bab.la offer translations in many different languages, ranging from colloquial and regional expressions to more technical or field-specific vocabulary.

bab.la Games
Online word games targeted to those learning a foreign language and the ESL/ELL learner.

Foreign Language and ESL Games
Online word games targeted to those learning a foreign language and the ESL/ELL learner.

Google Translate
Translating short phrases can help you communicate with your ELL students.

Infographics for Change
Ways to enhance Civic Engagement lessons. During a Theory of Change lesson, instructors have students build infographics to help them learn.

Inquiry Sessions As Form Of Professional Development
A different type of professional development. The inquiry model is a way for teachers to collaborate and discover ways to improve their practice.

Merriam-Webster Visual Dictionary
The Visual Dictionary Online is an all-in-one reference. Search the themes to quickly locate words, or find the meaning of a word by viewing the image it represents.

For Students

bab.la vocabulary
Bab.la online language learning flash card vocabulary lessons. You can use premade flash card lessons or create your own.

Common Errors in English Usage
A comprehensive list of the most common English language errors.

English Vocabulary Words and Phrases
See, hear, and say new words in English

ESL Partyland
Students will find quizzes, conversations, videos and more to help them learn English.

Explanations, Examples, and Exercises
If you need some help with grammar, listening, or reading, you can look through hundreds of pages of explanations, examples, and exercises.

Learning Strategies
Reading learning strategies that include resources such as tips for Practicing reading and reading comprehension techniques.

Literacy Center
For children who do not speak English as a first language, the Literacy Center provides an excellent environment for practicing basic pre and early reading skills.

Phrases for Conversation
ESLgold provides sample phrases for use in conversation.

Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab
This ESL listening Web site created by Randall Davis helps ESL/EFL students improve their listening comprehension skills through practice with self-grading quiz pages.

Real English
Real English is a completely free site for learning English. Original videos with interactive lessons. Community of teachers & students learning together.

Stuff for Students - Dave's ESL Cafe
A collection of resources for ESL/ELL students including a help center, idioms, phrasal verbs, pronunciation, quizzes and a student forum.

USA Learns
A free website for adults to learn English and prepare for U.S. citizenship.

Forums

Ask Judie - Everything ESL
Ask a question to Judie Haynes, an ESL teacher from New Jersey or share your thoughts and ideas.

One Stop English Forum
You can use this space to share your ideas, questions and tips on English language teaching with colleagues and experts from all over the world.

Student Discussion Forums - Dave's ESL Cafe
A virtual meeting place for ESL/EFL/ELL students and teachers from around the world!

Teacher Discussion Forums - Dave's ESL Cafe
A virtual meeting place for ESL/EFL/ELL students and teachers from around the world!

News and Research

English Language Learners | Harvard Graduate School
For many adults, trying to learn English can be challenging, as Heidi Larson, Ed.M., and the Ed School students she mentored last year found out.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed by President Obama on December 10, 2015, and represents good news for our nation's schools.

Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education
A unique partnership between a government education agency and a teachers' union has positive outcomes for education reform.

Family and Community Engagement

Engaging ELL Families: 20 Strategies for School Leaders
Imagine that a new immigrant family has moved into the neighborhood your school serves. What services does your school and district offer that would make this family ...

Engaging Families and Communities to Bridge the Word Gap
Critical resources for families, caregivers, and early learning providers.

Family Engagement: Resource Roundup
Explore tips, strategies, and resources to help improve the connection from home to school and expand parent involvement.

Promoting Involvement of Recent Immigrant Families in Their Children's Education
March 2002 - Promoting Involvement of Recent Immigrant Families in Their Children's Education. (Shari Golan and Dana Petersen)

Student Success through Parent Engagement
Families in Schools believes that when schools engage families, families get involved and student achievement increases.