While many different English as a Second Language (ESL) websites can be employed to help learn English, selecting the right site and resources can still prove challenging for many students. The ample resources online can be a great benefit if utilised effectively and cover a wide range of lessons and lexicon-based tools dependent on the end-use plan for each given individual. For example, activities that help with grammar, punctuation, and pronunciation will appeal more to those beginning their ESL journey, or younger learners, while those looking for advanced training will likely explore a more academic vocabulary range-based tool.
However, many sites prioritise quick membership sales over component transparency despite the wealth of ESL tools and resources to select from online. Failure to achieve a core purpose of making user-friendly interfaces is a common complaint within the ESL website community, while these sites also quickly bog down novice users in more complicated material while skimming over basic yet essential knowledge. The opposite end of this spectrum is equally common, with many sites sticking to the proverbial simple cloth and failing to challenge their user’s burgeoning language skills over a more extended testing period.
As a result, Text Inspector has compiled a list of 7 useful websites for ESL learners of varying levels. Although not every site listed here covers a complete range of skills, many users often progress through several of these ESL sites as their competency increases. Here are our seven most valuable websites for ESL Learners, as well as their features detailed.
#1 – Starfall
Starfall is a website for young learners who have just started their ESL journey. Their curriculum runs from preschool through to year 3, with the difficulty of each course adequately increasing through the years without scaling too fast in terms of challenge. Starfall also provides consistently engaging content for young users, from songs to game based reading comprehension, ensuring it ranks as a quality destination for ESL learners aged 0-3.
#2 – English Media Lab
English Media Lab is another excellent ESL website that targets a more varied age range of learners and therefore garners a higher level of long-term appeal. The site functions as a mammoth list of activities for all ages, from quizzes to videos, which are in-depth and excellently fleshed-out learning resources that place real-world applications at the forefront of their thinking. For example, the section for adults has areas on common colloquial English expressions that scale in difficulty, meaning English Media Lab can be a valuable resource for any teacher or student looking to hone their skills at multiple competency levels.
http://www.englishmedialab.com/
#3 – International Children’s Digital Library
For ESL learning in a more traditional package, the International Children’s Digital Library (ICDL) provides thousands of books, all in English, for people of all ages to peruse. This extensive collection ranges from fiction to nonfiction and includes several plays and picture books for younger learners. Yet perhaps the best feature of the ICDL site is that all these aforementioned materials are hosted on their server, which means one subscriptions grants access to a vast trove of literary materials. These materials range in difficulty, with ICDL hosting Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol alongside basic ESL comprehension-targeted nursery rhymes. Simply put, this website is a brilliant place for any English learner or teacher to find an excellent array of great learning materials at a great price.
http://en.childrenslibrary.org/
#4 – ESL Video
In ESL learning, videos can be a highly beneficial tool in simplifying the learning process for both auditory and visual learners. ESL Video stands alone in this regard, with the site’s purely video-based and interactive materials covering a wide range of language topics. There are five tiers of difficulty to the videos, ranging from beginner to advanced, so users can select which one they are most comfortable with before moving through the ESL Video tiers that pick apart all manner of everyday interactions from interviews to singing in tandem with music videos.
#5 – Learnenglishkids
This site is another example of stellar English learning, this time backed by the British Council. One of the most varied options on this list, Learnenglishkids, includes songs, videos, short stories, poems, and other engaging resources designed to cater to a mix of learning styles and ages. This sheer variety makes it an excellent choice for children who have short attention spans, with many of the site’s videos designed for bite-sized learning delivery. Learneglishkids also offers tactile resources, including printing, crafts, and online games, all designed to hold continued engagement from younger learners who may struggle with purely auditory or visual instruction.
https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/
#6 – English Interactive
English Interactive represents one of the highest standards of ESL-based tutoring currently online. The site’s affable and approachable video conferencing teams allow for a more personalized form of learning, which may greatly benefit those looking for a more hands-on approach to their ESL journey. Although more expensive than other options listed here,
English Interactive does still represent extraordinary value for money, and the site offers trial periods and different interactive lesson samples for its prospective customers to try.
https://www.englishinteractive.net/
#7- FluentU
FluentU is another example of visual learning, albeit with differing approaches to the aforementioned ESL sites. FluentU utilises many different types of filmed media, from movie trailers to inspiring talks, before sculpting this content into personalized lessons tailored for each customer. Not only is this an incredibly malleable, reactive, and personal way of learning, but students are also able to choose their topics from the FluentU course lists to suit their individual learning needs. FluentU simply represents the most agile ESL learning resource in the current market, which combines colloquial knowledge with an informative and engaging curriculum that will enhance any advanced student’s ESL journey.
https://www.fluentu.com/schools/
Enhance Your ESL Journey With Text Inspector
In summary, this ranking feature provides several fantastic starting points for those looking to breathe life into their ESL journey or begin a brand new one. For those considering an ESL website from this list, it is now easier than ever for users to ascertain which of these sites is the correct resource using Text Inspector.
For a streamlined selection experience, users can check each of these ESL sites’ materials via Text Inspector’s Analyse Text feature to ensure that they are at the right level for their learning requirements. Furthermore, Text Inspector can help teachers adapt the materials from these websites to any given curriculum’s requirements, making the creation of learning materials a fluid, tailor-made process at any competency level. Put simply, Text Inspector provides a clear benchmark for any given ESL websites’ learning level, allowing its users to make an informed decision whenever they consider an ESL website’s subscription model.
Try Text Inspector now at https://textinspector.com/
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