Content

Site Name/URL

Description

Levels

Review:

vocab

Wordsurfing

http://www.wordsurfing.co.uk

This site features a vocabulary learning strategy called “Wordsurfing”.   The strategy involves recording new words and attaching known related or connected words beside them.  When a new word requires translation, a sample sentence using the word is recorded instead of connected words. Teachers and students can download a notebook template, word lists and vocab tests for all levels.  Links to other recommended practice sites grouped by level are provided from the homepage.  Schools have a listing in which the can be included.  There are extensive lists of links to other education sites with resources. 

All

Overall Rating: 

3 on scale of 0-5 (0 = not useful, 5 = very useful)

Jo's comments:

focus on strategies, lots of external links, for EFL context, articles for teachers; not interactive (you print out booklets and worksheets)

Kristi's comments: 

I like the wordsurfing strategy.  Getting students to make connections between new and old vocabulary seems like it will encourage use of new words more quickly.  The student or teacher would have to really adopt this strategy and return to the charts consistently. 

The word lists suggested are predetermined and out of context.  This might make the words less memorable and or meaningful to learners.  They might be more typically British English words, but I’m not sure.

I don't think this is really an online practice site, but rather a resource for students or teachers to learn about and incorporate this strategy. 

Lori's comments:

Very user friendly.

Gail's comments:

Interesting concept.  I like the idea of word association.  That's a good way to remember and expand one's vocabulary.   It's also important for students to write their own sentences.

I like how they include the chart. 

Question:  Will the students look back at the chart?  In reality, when I studied French, I never did.

I like that there are tests available.

It provides so many links that it's a bit unwieldy.

The games are fun.

Gwen's comments:

Of the four sites assigned I preferred Word Surfing because:

+Many good well thought out resources and selected links.

+No sign or need to open an account (the links sometimes lead to separate login procedures)

-(?)There is an overwhelming amount of material.  I would prefer to send a student to a specific activity or they many get lost on the site.

vocab,

gram,  listen,

pron

Free English

http://www.free-english.com/english/Games.aspx

This site offers some ESL Games in addition to links to ESL Pro’s software and TOEFL and TOEIC practice tests. The ESL Games require a log in.  There are about 5-6 different games for both Grammar and Vocabulary.  The graphics are like cartoons with some funny sound effects

All

Overall Rating: 

1 on scale of 0-5 (0 = not useful, 5 = very useful)

Jo's comments:

14 interesting interactive games; links to TOEFL practice tests; has a translator menu to view site in numerous languages! password and email needed; no ads

Kristi's comments:

While the games are amusing, they don't offer a very large range of topics.  It is hard to figure out what is being practiced without reading the fine print. The site is more about promoting the software developers products.  The site didn't work

well in Safari or Firefox.

Lori's comments:

The instructions and blurbs may be difficult to understand for beginners

Gail's comments:

So-so site.  I had a hard time opening activities.

Need to log-on.

I think the other sites are better.

I didn't like the homepage.

Gwen's comments:

+The software and lessons here seem to be well thought out and are visually pleasing.

-You need to open an account. 

-promise of free software is sent to the email of those that sign up. With the explanation that it is overstock or out dated material from manufacturers

+once signed in the games are very well put together and fun to play. 

-the site is not Firefox friendly

-a commercial site with free material.

- Many links redirect you to the "commercial face" of the site

-divisions by levels not clear

vocab, cog. devlpmt

Tower of English

http://towerofenglish.com

This site has both Vocabulary and Grammar categories.  The start page for each provides a long scrollable list of recommended sites and games.  For Vocabulary, the sites seem to focus on interesting features of English like homonyms, anagrams, oxymorons, spoonerisms, etc.  The grammar page lists and links to games with brief descriptions and their challenges.

All

Overall Rating: 

1 on scale of 0-5 (0 = not useful, 5 = very useful)

some creative word games like Boggle; the Puzzles page is mostly brainteasers, not strictly vocabulary but use limited vocabulary in context; ads and popups

Kristi's comments:

The vocabulary links would be good for generating an appreciation of how English can be fun to play with.  The grammar links seem pretty random.  I would prefer to have a topical list of grammar points addressed in each particular game.  There is no indication of the level for which any of the activities are intended.

Lori's comments:

The grammar explanations are very long and

wordy. Only confident students will be able to navigate this site.  On the whole, it’s not student friendly. Teachers can get good ideas of activities to do in class.

Gail's comments:

The homepage is easy to read and visually appealing.

I practiced one of the business games – a meeting situation where I clicked on what I thought were appropriate responses.  If I were right, the meeting cont.  If I were wrong, I was given an explanation.  It was an interesting exercise and fun.  Perhaps it felt a bit stilted and I’m not sure if the student would be able to apply the knowledge to real life after the game ended. 

One negative is that the situations are in British English.

It links you to sites out of The Tower of English (biography.com)

Gwen's comments:

+The site is basically a collection of sites linked and organized by key words.

-The key words are a little too mixed for my taste: Listening, Movies, Poetry, Pronunciation, Business  

+ There is a newsletter to sign up for to include new sites. 

- a lot of clickable junk internet on the site,  "smilies", flashing etc through out the pages,  lotto banner on front page, "congratulations you won" ...definite downer

- many of the links ask for an individual sign in process.

*I think the site would be more interesting for teachers to use to find other resources and then give the final links to the students.  If the students are directed to the tower site there is too much junk to wade through and you may waste their time (or infect their computer)

vocab, gram

Interesting Things for ESL Students

http://www.manythings.org

This site offers a variety of online practice activities including vocabulary and grammar games and quizzes.  For vocabulary work, there are more than 40 topical lists that can students can choose from.  From each word list, the student can choose from a long pulldown list of Flash and JavaScript games to practice.  The grammar activities are organized topically, but not by level although there is a section for beginners.  There are some podcasts and listening activities available for both vocabulary and grammar practice

easy, med, difficult

Overall Rating: 

4 on scale of 0-5 (0 = not useful, 5 = very useful)

Jo's comments:

lots of interactive games and quizzes; includes slang and idioms; some vocabulary is organized by topic; many are links from Internet TESL Journal and Voice of America; maintained by EFL teachers

Kristi's comments:

I'm familiar with this site and have recommended it to students before for independent practice.  The immediate feedback features on most of the activities are helpful.  I wonder about whether some of the games are really useful for vocabulary development, for example, word drops, scrambled letters, hangman.  I think the more useful activities are things like matching words to pictures, or better yet the VOA Special English vocabulary exercises (although I wished there were links to the segments from the vocabulary exercise pages  -  I don't see how a student can find the exact segment before doing the vocab exercise).I liked the Listen and Repeat podcasts to practice irregular verbs. 

I also liked the Super Quiz Machine which draws from a large database of grammar questions, so it can be reloaded and played many times.

Lori's Comments:

**alphabetized listing of main section.

**good teacher section for useful techniques, handouts, etc.

Gail's comments:

I like the homepage - very user friendly.

I played the games, quizzes link -  the activities were quite varied, interesting and fun.  Catching the letters was a bit unusual -  especially if you're not a fast "catcher".

Some of the exercises have you answer to yourself and not on the computer.

Answers are given immediately.  This is good for self-study, but not for testing.

Gwen's comments:

- quizzes to VOA online resources don’t have links to the original article. 

+The functional warnings and advice on strategy for the games really help learners and teachers alike. 

(eg.  "The first time you play this game, you may need to wait a while for sounds to download. After you play one game, it will be faster (eg. Hints "*Start with the most commonly-used letters, "e" or "t" *Remember every word needs a vowel: a, e, i, o, u") 

+New things are being incorporated.  (See slang and idiom work that was added 6/2006)

*  material from:   a4esl.org & manythings.org

- A clear notice that copying and uploading material from the website to another web site or intranet is prohibited but linking is ok: "You do not need to ask permission to put a link to our pages on your pages. *You may link directly to any page on this site as long as you do not trap any of our pages in a frame"

+You can link to individual activities.

-some of the links lead to separate login procedures

+Non commercial, user friendly

- some of the games take a while to work -  which could be a problem with slower internet connections  

Content

Site Name/URL

Description

Levels

Review: 

Vocabulary

Literacy Net Story Archives

http://www.literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html

Site features video clips of recent CNN news stories with text and exercises including vocabulary and reading comprehension. Students can post written comments about stories to comments page.

Intermediate and above

Kristi

Grammar

English Grammar Secrets

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/

Grammar points are listed alphabetically.  Each point is briefly reviewed and a sequence of 4-5 hot potato-type exercises is provided.  All exercises give immediate feedback. 

All Levels

vocabulary

Fun with Words

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0111282

created by 6 preteens!  very cool word games, some quite creative and some integrate K-12 content; some activities are just worksheets, not interactive

not leveled, but geared toward middle school

Jo:

Variety, fun; created by kids their own age! Cool games like 'Stinky Pinkies' and 'Calculator Words' that link vocabulary to other skills and content; no ads

grammar

English Language Center Study Zone

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone

designed for college level, but also suitable for high school; contains interactive tutorials, practice exercises and quizzes; no flashy activities

5 levels: advanced beginner to advanced

No ads; very good for self-study; best thing—grammar exercises are linked to reading exercises; especially at the upper levels there is an emphasis on grammar in context, using authentic texts.

-grammar

-vocabulary

Eflnet

http://www.eflnet.com/

Good homepage—not overwhelming with text.

All grammar is listed by name and level.  Students just “click” and go.

Vocabulary by topic for all levels.

Some vocabulary/pronunciation “click on a picture and listen to the word” activities.

All levels

Lori:

User friendly and productive.  Big grammar section. 

-grammar

-vocabulary

-reading

International Cafe

www.internationaleflcafe.com

Grammar activities include common contractions & speech reductions.

Activities for idioms/slang.

Good section on learning basic communication chunks for contexts such as meeting people, professions, etc.  Also, an interesting section on reading and understanding signage.

All levels

User friendly and productive.  It has some unique activities.

Grammar

The Owl at Purdue

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/ 

All levels

- It offers a lot of practice.

- Students or teachers can print exercises.

- There were no explanations or content to the exercises for some of the grammar exercises.

- Exercises are ready made, even though they aren't creative.

Grammar / vocabulary

ESL Blues

http://ww2.college-em.qc.ca/prof/epritchard/

All levels

- It offers a lot of practice activities.

- Activities have themes.

- Offers a complete selection of grammar activities.

- Teachers or students can use it.

SAT Preparation

The sister site to http://www.vocabulary.co.il/

Gwen's comments:

*I don't think either site is very didactic but both give simple enjoyable activities that easily supplement your own  activities. 

+The printable material could be used to extend the online activities into more traditional classroom work.

+No pictures just a pleasant interface

+Sound can be turned off

-Discreet ads along the right column

Vocabulary

ESL Bears

*Like all of the sites that are basically link collections, you find yourself going to outside sites.

*The front page has banners for a hunger campaign and "answers.com" but besides that I didn't see any advertisements on the site. I didn't come across any that had blatant advertisements.

*The audios in parts of the site opened my media player instead of playing directly but that may be the way my computer is setup.  Of course being a collection of sites it seems to act differently depending on the site that is linked.