7 Websites for ESL Students

Great Sites for Students

Students often ask how they can improve their English skills. I suggest reading English material. But, they have different interests, not many like newspapers and all of them spend a lot of time surfing the net.

So, I put together links to 7 sites that inform, entertain and build language skills.

Photo by Jaqueline Arashida

1. TED

If you want to be smart, hang out with smart people. That’s why TED is a great site. Watch videos by some of the innovative people on the planet. Many videos have a transcript, a handy tool for ESL students who want to improve their listening skills.

2. The Gutenberg Project

Who doesn’t like free books? And free audio books? Download both at the Gutenberg Project. There are 33,000 titles plus links to another 10,000 titles.

3. Answers.com

There are lots of online dictionaries. This one is an enormous reference library at your fingertips. The Britannica Video Library has an awesome collection of short videos on subjects ranging from history to travel.

4. National Geographic Channel

National Geographic makes learning beautiful. This outstanding collection of pictures, articles and videos is way more than geography. ESL students build language skills and general knowledge on lots of subjects with something for everyone.

5. How Stuff Works

Are vampires real? How can I download a video from YouTube? Get answers to these and thousands of other questions at this fact-filled site. Spend time reading this stuff and you’ll increase your vocabulary power and maybe find answers to the world’s most perplexing questions.

6. Quizlet

Learn words with digital flashcards. Enter a vocabulary list; the website makes flashcards and a test. There are also vocabulary-matching games. It takes a little time to set up but it’s a good way to teach yourself important words.

7. Post Secret

Do you want to read about people’s regrets, fantasies and hopes? They are all here in this simple site with postcards from people sharing their deepest secrets. Spend a few minutes reading the cards and you’ll learn unusual slang, as well.

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