Technology Tools for ELLs By Erica Hilliker & Libbie Drake

Why is technology important for ELL instruction? It provides a near endless source of sound, pictures, video, animation, and multimedia that can help situate learning within a meaningful context. It provides many opportunities for students to interact with fellow classmates or real-life audiences outside of their own classroom, city, or even country. It’s an endless source of authentic English language communication. It gives students the chance to practice English skills without worrying about the response of other classmates or even the teacher.

lingro.com Here is how it works: Enter the address of any website Select the language option you desire Click on the blue arrow The website you entered will open up in a new window. Click on any of the words in the website you want to be translated and a pop-up box will appear instantly with the translation.

http://blachan.com/shahi/ Here is how it works: Enter any unknown word into the search box at the top of the page. The Shahi Visual Dictionary, will list the definitions of the word on the right and images of the word on the left. This is a great resource for ELLs because it gives visual reinforcement of unknown vocabulary words.

bubbl.us Here is how it works: Sign-in or create a new account. In order to save or share your work you must have an account. Click the "Start Brainstorming" link in the center of the workspace. Type your central topic into the yellow bubble. This is the start of your brainstorming tree. It should contain the most general idea you're considering, since sub-ideas and sub- sub-ideas will stem from it. Hover your mouse over the bubble to add sibling or child bubbles, change colors, enlarge text, or move you bubble. Graphic Organizers are great for ELLs because they allow students to organize their thoughts and express their knowledge through words or short phrases.

http://chogger.com/ Here is how it works: Use the comic builder to draw your own comics, caption photos, take webcam pictures and add speech balloons. This is a great tool for ELLs because it allows them to use visual representations to express content area knowledge and to refine summarizing skills by identifying main ideas.

voki.com Here is how it works: Register for a free Voki Account Create an avatar. You can customize the way the avatar looks, dresses, and talks. Type in a sentence or paragraph. Push play and the avatar will read the text you have entered aloud. This is great tool for students to use when proofreading and editing their papers. It lowers the affective filter and allows ELLs low risk conversation opportunities.

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Now it’s your turn to explore!