10 FREE Literacy Sites for your Multilingual Learners
Make sure to share them before summer!
It’s almost summer. We all know that our students, especially Multilingual Learners, can lose some of their gains if they don’t continue engaging in learning. This includes engaging in their home languages (talking with family members, reading books, writing in a journal, and watching programs). Strengthening their primary languages will give them the foundation for learning a new language.
Engaging in English is also important. I will share some free online resources that can help with language acquisition and practice. I hope that you’ll go through these with your students before the end of the school year so that they can use them.
TEN terrific sites that provide a variety of tools, tips, and materials:
Summary: Engaging lessons, videos, quizzes, and practice activities for learners at all levels. The site includes sections on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and more.
Summary: A gamified language learning platform offering courses in English from various native languages. It includes speaking, listening, reading, and writing exercises. There are both paid and FREE options.
Summary: Audiobooks, short stories, news articles, and songs designed to improve reading and listening skills. Texts come with audio support and comprehension activities.
British Council Learn English Teens
Summary: It is a great resource because it focuses specifically on content for teenagers, including videos, games, grammar and vocabulary exercises, and reading and writing practice.
Summary: Did you know that the Khan Academy also offers resources for Multilingual Learners? The site includes grammar lessons and reading practice.
Voice of America (VOA) Learning English
Summary: The site offers news stories and lessons in common US English, with leveled options for broadcasts and transcripts. It covers a range of topics, including current events, science, and culture.
Summary: This site is great for social studies content. It offers simplified news articles written at three different levels of difficulty, aimed at helping language learners in their Zone of Proximal Development improve their reading and listening skills.
Summary: What an amazing ebook library! The sources include elementary grades, early readers, newcomers, and Spanish-speaking folks wanting to read together. For elementary teachers, you can share this with community members and parents who want to contribute to their child’s reading development. They will be able to read and listen to audio in both English and Spanish.
Summary: The International Children’s Digital Library offers digital books in many different languages. Most are PDF-formatted picture books, with some chapter books. The founding organization promotes respect and understanding of diverse cultures and languages by providing access to the best of children’s literature from around the world.
Summary: What a fun find! This site was created by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA Foundation). It’s super popular for a reason. Their website offers recorded picture book read-alouds by well-known actors. The best feature for multilingual learners is that the stories are presented as YouTube videos, so students can view subtitles in many languages.
These resources provide a mix of structured lessons, interactive exercises, and current content to support Multilingual Learners in developing their literacy and content understanding in engaging and meaningful ways.
Have you used any?
What are your favorites?
Do you know of others?
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