Information Technology Blog:- With the ever-growing importance of globalization, individuals who can teach English to foreign language speakers are in high demand. Those looking to earn TESOL certification online may find that the Internet is awash with other valuable resources, as well. When you search online for EFL teaching resources, you find a host of different websites promising worksheets, essay topics and other types of materials. You may not have time to go through pages of search results to differentiate the good from the not-so-good. If you’re looking for teaching resources, start with this list of five high quality websites and apps to supplement your teaching.
5 Good Websites for EFL Teachers
From conversation starters to in-depth resources on EFL pedagogy, these websites give you good starting points:
. This website, which is a project of the Internet TEFL Journal, offers questions on any imaginable subject that can help you to start in-class conversations. You can also use the questions as writing prompts, or you can put students into pairs to converse about the topics. Feel free to tweak the questions to your locale and customize to your students’ interests.
English Grammar. This website is an exhaustive collection of information about grammatical quandaries including specific topics, like spelling and punctuation, and more general topics, like essay and creative writing. Students can upload their writing into the free grammar checker to catch some spelling and grammatical errors. Teachers can download lessons and get information on topics such as “The Subjunctive Mood in English.”
Cambridge English Research and Methodology Booklets. These downloadable Cambridge English booklets cover topics from teaching methods to grammar. It’s not a website for light reading, but you’ll find academically sound principles for designing your teaching approach, curriculum and classroom environment.
EFL Classroom. Join a large community of EFL teachers that share their insights and resources on EFL Classroom. You can create your own profile page and then share your materials with over 30,000 other people. Website creator David Deubelbeiss curates a huge amount of content including webinars, worksheets, videos and other resources. Although the site looks a little overwhelming at first, give yourself some time to navigate it and familiarize yourself with it. This website is a treasure trove of both community interaction and terrific teaching ideas.
Dave’s ESL Cafe. Dave’s is the go-to website for EFL job postings and tips for landing good teaching jobs. The forums are great places to meet other EFL teachers and to learn from both their victories and their mistakes. If you’re curious about a certain employer, then float a question in the forum. You’ll quickly find out whether you want to take the job look for other options.
5 Apps to Enhance Your EFL Teaching
Mobile apps allow your students to take their English lessons wherever they go. To start your app search, download these five gems:
TEXOL —Teach English Abroad. This Android app from the American TESOL Institute helps you to earn your TESOL certification and gives you access to numerous ESL resources, including teaching videos.
Planbook Touch. Planbook Touch is a lesson planning app for iPad that allows you to ditch your paper planner for good. You can upload paper files or design your Planbook directly on your iPad. The plans are beautifully formatted, so they look extremely professional when presented to administrators. You can also use Planbook on a PC or Mac.
TESOL 2014. If you plan to attend the TESOL 2014 conference in Portland, Oregon, in March 2014, then download the official Android convention app for the conference schedule, list of presenters and exhibitors, your own personal conference planner and a floor map.
VoiceThread. VoiceThread for iOS allows students to start conversations based on pictures, documents or other items that they upload. It integrates with Blackboard and other learning management systems, so it’s ideal for teachers who already use these tools. Students can write or record verbal responses to the items that other people post. Think of it as an academic social network for EFL students.
Dragon Dictation (iOS). Students can speak English sentences into Dragon Dictation and then edit them for grammar and spelling directly on their mobile devices.
