I have found three connected websites from the British Council which are absolutely great both for teachers of English and also for students as they are learning to speak English as a foreign language. To be able to use these ICT resources you will need a computer with an internet connection and a web browser. It is also possible to download files so that they can be viewed offline.
The websites are divided into three parts; one part for children which is called “Learn English Kids” (http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/), one part for older students called “Learn English” (http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/) and one part for teachers called “Teaching English” (http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/). Everything on these sites is free of charge and on all the sites you have an option to become a member. Therefore you do not need to do anything to be able to start learning or teaching English with the assistance of these sites. All sites encourage the students to both listen and interact in various ways.
On the site “Learn English Kids” there is plenty of fun for the children such as games, craft downloads, songs and short stories that they can enjoy at the same time as they learn a new language. There are a wide range of topics to choose from like time, witches and wizards, animals, family, dinosaurs, football and much more. The site is divided into ‘games’, ‘listen and watch’, ‘read and write’, ‘make’ and ‘explore’. The children can choose to become a member of the site and are then able to enter competitions, make comments and create their own characters. Teachers and parents are also encouraged to become members so that they are able to watch videos and read articles regarding learning a language. There is also a parent’s forum where parents can share their different ideas. For teachers, there is a section with information on how you can use the site in the classroom. A special section on the site, “Little Kids”, is aimed at very young children, where you can find nursery rhymes, play games and do crafts.
The “Learn English” site caters for older students. This site also contains games, stories, grammar exercises and listening activities. The site is divided into ‘listen and watch’, ‘grammar and vocabulary’, ‘fun and games’, ‘business and work’ and ‘IELTS’ (the International English Language Testing System). To make it easier to find out where everything is there is a search facility and a site map. If the student chooses to become a member, he or she can get help with their English and be able to comment on the site.
The last site of the three is the “Teaching English” site which is a co-operation between the British Council and the BBC. For the teacher, there is an abundance of activites, tips and other inspiration. As a teacher you will find lesson plans with activities, procedure and worksheets to download as well as teacher development and teacher training material. The site is divided into ‘teaching resources’, ‘teacher development’, ‘training courses’, ‘articles’ and ‘community’ (forums and networks). The articles that you find range from methodology to pronunciation and vocabulary. On this site you can also become a member so that you can contribute in the various discussions on the site.
As I mentioned previously, I think these sites are brilliant as there is so much to discover. They are also free providing you have access to a computer and the internet. I especially like the children’s site which my children found very easy to use. This site is also very colourful and inviting so that the children really want to work on it. My own children love it!
//Maria Jeffs
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