EFL online resources

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EFL resources & tools – planning lessons – teacher development

EFL resources & tools:

 Cambridge Dictionary Online: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
A talking dictionary, with British and American pronunciation – also includes separate
British, American and Business English dictionaries.
 Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary online:
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/
Similar in format to the Cambridge Online Dictionary, with British and American
pronunciation tool.
 SnaPanda: Free English-English dictionary for Android (and soon iPhone)
(www.snapanda.com)
 Forvo: http://www.forvo.com/languages/en/
A talking dictionary with different accents and male/ female pronunciation.
 Speaking phonemic chart
http://www.onestopenglish.com/skills/pronunciation/phonemic-chart-and-app/
 The phonemic typewriter. NB You’ll need to use a Unicode font! http://www.e-
lang.co.uk/mackichan/call/pron/type.html
 Phonetizer http://www.phonetizer.com/
this translates text into phonemic script
 “Just the Word” http://www.just-the-word.com/
finds collocations and alternatives/synonyms for you.
 Phrasal Verbs and Advanced Vocabulary – tools and books from author Steven Collins
for advanced adult learners: http://www.learnenglishadvanced.com/
 Busuu – language learning community: http://www.busuu.com If your students want a
site to practise their English outside class, this one includes a facility for chat with other
ESL learners from round the world.
 Livemocha – large online learning language community: http://www.livemocha.com/
There is a cost to join.
 Gymglish: http://www.gymglish.com/intl/en/
Personalised English lessons through daily e-mails. Free 7-day trial available.
 English 360: http://www.english360.com/
A web-based learning platform for teaching business English and ESP; teachers create
and deliver blended and online courses. You can test the application for free, and you
start paying when you add students to the platform.

Planning lessons:
 The British Council http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/
Includes a wide range of free teaching materials, including a large section on
UK Culture: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/uk-culture
 Cambridge ESOL Teacher Support: https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/
Free resources - you can search for resources by skill (e.g.speaking) and/or type of exam
(e.g. IELTS) which you may be helping students to prepare for.

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  One Stop English: http://www.onestopenglish.com/ Lots of ideas and materials, for
different levels and including Business English. You need to subscribe to this site to get
full access – about 40euros per year.
 BBC – several websites for English learning resources:
BBC Learning homepage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/
BBC Learning English – teachers site:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/teach/
BBC Learning English:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/subjects/english.shtml
BBC World Service Learning English site:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
BBC World Service homepage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/
Radio news programmes
BBC News site with some video reports: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
BBC video and audio reports site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/
 English Addicts: Daily English lessons based on international news with a focus on
international English www.englishaddicts.com
 Using English: http://www.usingenglish.com/
 The British Library accents and dialects archive:
http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/
 Teaching Resources: http://teachingr.webs.com/apps/links/
Lots of free activities, ideas and resources
 Lesson Stream: http://lessonstream.org/ A range of lesson plans using video clips such
as music videos.
 WordPowered: Using short stories, film and poetry: http://www.wordpowered.org/
 YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/ use the search engine to find videos on anything!
 Test Simulator: TOEFL and TOEIC preparation via an exact simulation of the test
www.testsimulator.com

 Flo-Joe: http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/ A helpful site if you are teaching the Cambridge ESOL
exam suite.
 English Club: http://www.englishclub.com/teach-english.htm
 ESL Base: http://www.eslbase.com/
 English Banana: http://www.englishbanana.com/free-worksheets-from-english-banana-
com-books.html Downloads of worksheets from coursebooks, including a “Big
Grammar” book. Free copy licence on most of the material.
 English Grammar Online 4U: http://www.ego4u.com/
 Voice of America: http://www.voanews.com/learningenglish/theclassroom/home/
American English and Culture

Teacher Development:
 TESOL France: http://www.tesol-france.org/index.php
A support organization for the professional development of English teachers. Includes a
resources page for teacher information and development, and events listings. Aims to
keep teachers up to date with what is going on. Annual subscription around 49Euros.
 International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL)
http://www.iatefl.org/

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 International support organisation to link, develop and support English Language
Teaching professionals throughout the world. Annual individual subscription around 55
euros.
 The British Council Teacher Development site:
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teacher-development
Teacher development support with a global perspective.
 Cambridge ESOL Teacher Support: https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/
 One Stop English – ideas for professional development activities:
http://www.onestopenglish.com/support/methodology/professional-development/
professional-development-collaborative-teaching-in-efl/-esl/146471.article
 ESL Base: http://www.eslbase.com/
Teacher training information, jobs, language schools directory and culture advice
 Nik Peachey is an enthusiastic blogger about ELT and technology. You can find him on
Twitter or here http://quickshout.blogspot.com/
 Professional networking sites like: 'Linked In' and 'Viva Street'
 Twitter has an EFL discussion forums
 Create a personal webpage: you can set up a free, easy, one page webpage for yourself
on 'about.me'.
 Business cards – create for free at vistaprint: www.vistaprint.co.uk or www.vistaprint.fr