More online resources for English language learners

Adapted from image  by kaboompics.  CC0

Here are more online resources for improving your listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills in English. Each website offers interactive exercises meant to make learning more effective and fun. They are easy to use! You can go to these sites to supplement your formal language classes, to continually improve your language proficiency in the summer (when you have no English classes), or to have something to explore when you have free time.

Learning Chocolate

Ideal for: Beginner and intermediate learners

Learning Chocolate is a “vocabulary learning platform”. Learners can memorize new words with the help of pictures, sounds, and activities. The lessons are arranged by category, and in each one, you will find words related to the category. You can click an icon below each word to hear how it is pronounced. You can also try several exercises to help you learn and memorize the words. There are match up quizzes, a fill-in type of quiz, and dictation. The activities are timed. The faster you finish the quiz, the more extra points for you! Each also has a “check answers” button so you can see how you did. You can do the activity repeatedly until you master the words. Categories include actions, body/health, food, hazard labels, and steps to Canadian citizenship and more.

Janis ESL

Ideal for: Beginner and intermediate learners

Janis ESL links you to other sites containing ESL lessons. It has various categories and topics you can choose from. You can explore vocabulary and quizzes, listening and reading activities, related grammar and conversation questions, community links, and related topics. The site is ideal for learners who like variety. It has links to so many activities for listening, reading, writing, and speaking that you will never be bored.

Bow Valley College Listening Room

Ideal for: Multilevel learners

Bow Valley College Listening Room contains short everyday conversations you can listen to, practise and discuss. Each conversation comes with quizzes to check your comprehension. You can also read the transcript of the conversation while you listen to the audio. The audio files are categorized into level 1 (beginner), level 2 (intermediate), and level 3 (advanced).

Dave’s ESL Cafe

Ideal for: Multilevel

Dave’s ESL Cafe has grammar lessons, idioms, phrasal verbs, pronunciation exercises, quizzes, slang, and student forums (these can be found on the left-hand side, under “Stuff for Students”). The lessons are great references for learners when they have grammar or vocabulary questions. The lessons have simple explanations and clear examples. If you want audio and video resources, you can explore “Podcast!” under the “Stuff for Everyone” category (again, on the left side of the page). You will see video lessons, pronunciation videos, an audio podcast page, and a tab for more audio and video resources.

ESL Literacy Readers

Ideal for: Adult literacy learners (CLB Phase I to III)

ESL Literacy Readers contains about 40 theme-based stories especially designed for adult language learners. The website will help them read, boost their vocabulary, and recognize sentence patterns. The materials are categorized by CLB phases and may be printed. When reading online, the materials can be used like a book – pages are flipped by using the directional arrows on the keyboard. There is audio so they can practise listening skills as well. Ideally, the stories should be read in a group, followed by facilitated discussion. Intermediate and higher level learners can use the stories to practise reading.

(Adapted from Internet-based resources for Adult EAL Learners seminar, developed and conducted by Lucas Skelton for the Immigrant Centre)