Anna Gentile

EDU351

ELL Research Paper

Useful Website Resources When Working with English Language Learners

Using website resources and programs in the classroom when teaching an English

Language Learner can provide language acquisition and development for the student in engaging

and interactive ways. Many resources and websites can be used to benefit parents of an ELL and

teachers as well. Throughout this paper, research is drawn from experts David Ceron, “Online

and Local ESL Resources for Students, Teachers, and Parents,” author Lori Langer De Ramirez,

Empower English Language Learners with Tools from the Web, Laurel Schwartz, “Helpful

Online Resources for Teaching ELLs” and information gathered from the ESL/ELL Education -

Research Guides at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. These resources provide evidence to

support the impact website resources, programs can have on students, how they can benefit

teachers, and effective websites that are appropriate for classroom learning and language

acquisition.

For years there has been a steady increase in ELL students enrolled in public schools. this

means children face the responsibility and challenge of learning a new language while adjusting

to a new culture and studying school subjects. For any student, no matter their native language

and educational background, this can be very overwhelming, affecting their language acquisition

process. Mainstream teachers may also struggle to find appropriate and effective ways to adapt
and support their new ELL students. David Ceron, in his article, “Online and Local ESL

Resources for Students, Teachers, and Parents,” provides us with the statistic that by 2025, it is

expected that one in four students in the classroom will be an English language learner. Teachers

may be able to provide emotional and mental support for an ELL but depending on the student,

they can only provide so much academic support before turning to other programs, resources or

websites to reinforce the academic concepts and language acquisition. This is where the use of

resources obtained from the web can become especially helpful for teachers and school districts.

Using websites and other technological resources can be extremely beneficial for students who

are learning the English language. Laurel Schwartz explains in her article, “Helpful Online

Resources for Teaching ELLs”, websites and teacher-created videos make content more

accessible for ELLs whether they are in the classroom or at home. Schwartz also provides

research evidence that shows an ELLs learning is enhanced by interactive visual aids and easy

access to lessons that can be followed at their own pace. Not only will students begin to develop

their BICS vocabulary, but they will also increase their proficiency and understanding of the

CALP vocabulary. Another supporting factor that can benefit ELLs are the Web-based platforms

that provide a safe and anonymous space to practice their English (Ramirez, pg. 3). This can be

especially beneficial if the student arrives to their new school in the “silent period”. Using

technology resources in the classroom not only promotes language acquisition but provides a

comfortable and adaptable way for students to learn the academic curriculum with a higher

success rate. Teachers are also impacted using website resources and can increase their success

rate when creating a classroom environment that is supportive and developmentally appropriate

for all students in and out of the mainstream classroom.

 In the classroom, teachers can take advantage of website resources that provide

differentiated instruction and allows for students to take a more creative approach to their

learning. Many online teacher resources are free or inexpensive and still make learning fun and

engaging while building vocabulary and literacy skills. Teachers can assign podcasts for students

to practice their listening skills or assign language learning tasks to be done from home. Through

Web 2.0 tools, students are given the opportunity to complete their work in a controlled setting

that is nonthreatening and supportive to students taking more creative control over their

academic work. The biggest motivator that teachers can use to encourage students to take

advantage of the provided online resources is to show them it is fun! Quizzes, games and other

interactive material allows for mistakes to be made that are easily moved passed and for students

to take a more creative liberty in how they choose to understand their work. In the classroom,

teachers can implement the use of website resources by creating stations for students to rotate

through. It also helps to differentiate instruction and can be adapted to students and their level of

language proficiency. Using technology resources in the classroom not only promotes

development in the academic classroom but also provides future success in their familiarity with

the U.S. technologies used within society. Ramirez explains how students need to develop skills

in cross-cultural communication, critical thinking, creativity and innovation as well. The use of

websites and programs can also allow for academic practice and materials to be easily accessed

at home or at school. Teachers can use technology to enhance their lessons by posting pervious

lessons through a recording for later access. Listed below are website resources that can easily be

adapted into the education curriculum at home or at school.

 What is amazing about taking advantage of website resources is how it doesn’t just help

ELL students, but it can also benefit the mainstreams classroom students as well, making it an

easy tool to adapt and implement into the mainstream classroom. The Web 2.0 tool described by

Lori Langer De Ramirez in Empower English Language Learners with Tools from the Web, is

“used best when students are asked to develop, create and share their work online. It is in this

way that they are active learners, negotiating meaning and creating media for a worldwide

audience.” Ramirez describes how students can meet online to work on collaborative projects,

create blog entries, videos or even comment on other students work. Kahoot is another tool that

allows for interactive games and topic reviews that can be created by teachers. CommonLit

provides students with thousands of fiction and nonfiction reading passages that can be selected

based off title, genre, grade level and Lexile level. BBC Teach is a resource for teachers that

provides interactive lessons, materials, videos and graphics helpful for classroom assignments.

ESL/ELL Education - Research Guides at University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests other

interactive websites and resources such as Starfall, English Media Lab, International, Children’s

Digital Library and LearnEnglish Kids. They even provide links to audio recordings of lesson

plans, study guides, conversations, scripts and books. Positive factors about all the listed website

resources are that they are adaptable for students at all English levels and proficiency.

Overall, using website resources and programs in the classroom when teaching an

English Language Learner can provide language acquisition and development for the student in

engaging and interactive ways. The positive outcomes and impact the web can have on a

student’s vocabulary development and language proficiency can set them up for success socially

and when in the academic classroom. Teachers benefit from web resources as well and can
effectively provide differentiated instruction and allow students to take a more creative and

meaningful approach to their learning.

 References-

Ceron, David. “Online and Local ESL Resources for Students, Teachers, and Parents.” Public

Service Degrees, Www.publicservicedegrees.org, 14 Aug. 2020,

https://www.publicservicedegrees.org/resources/esl-ell-student-parent-teacher-resources/. 

Langer De Ramirez, Lori. Empower English Language Learners with Tools from the Web  . Sage

Publications Inc,

https://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/sites/default/files/2._why_use_web_2_0012.pdf. 

“Research Guides: ESL/ELL Education: Stats & Facts.” Stats & Facts - ESL/ELL Education -

Research Guides at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Libraries Research Guides,

https://researchguides.library.wisc.edu/c.php?g=177873&p=1170084. 

Schwartz, Laurel. “Helpful Online Resources for Teaching Ells.” Edutopia, George Lucas

Educational Foundation, 21 Apr. 2020, https://www.edutopia.org/article/helpful-online-

resources-teaching-ells/.