Writing

  • Squidoo – Interactive Writing Tools
    This site has a wide variety of writing activities and other links that will take some of the pain out of writing for ELLs (though English only will enjoy them also). When teachers can add a tech side to any assignment, students are more likely to learn something from it.
  • People to People International
    This is another pen pal possibility through Pres. Eisenhower’s People-to-People organization. It is free and the organization does a very careful match up of your school with a willing partner somewhere in the world.
  • ePals Global Community
    ePals is a free email account for your class. THIS is a reason to write for kids. It will also make the world a smaller friendlier place.
  • Colorin Colorado – Writing
    As with all of Colorin Colorado’s material, this one is well thought out with lots of resources embedded in it.  Again, screen it and take what fits your needs.
  • Graphic Orgaizers
    Ten pages of graphic organizers for every discipline along with explanations for their use are found here.  This site is a must for any teacher who works with writing (which is EVERY teacher regardless of discipline).
  • Mashable
     The student tools offered here are excellent tools.  Students will need guidance in using them though.  I highly recommend Google Docs.  I use it to have students do collaborative writing assignments and kids love it.
  • NY Times Education Section
    If you haven’t already done so, you should consider registering for a free subscription to the NY Times Education section (The Learning Network specifically).  The lesson activities cover all age groups and the weblinks supplement most content areas. 
  • Academic Writing and Much More
    This site has academic writing, grammar, and vocabulary activities from all levels of ELLs.  It even includes APA!  My beginners like “talking” to Mike, the robot.  It was an online chat where they had to read Mike’s responses before they typed their own.  Since finding quality work for beginners can sometimes be a challenge, this is a good site to have handy.
  • American Writing Gateway
    On-line material about American writers.

  • K-5 Vocabulary
    This PDF covers grades K-5.  Vocabulary building is addressed here through the eyes of differentiation of instruction.  Many of the practical and effective strategies could also be used with older students as well.
  • Better Endings – Learning Word Roots
    One very effective way to boost vocabulary of EOs and ELLs alike is through Latin and Greek affixes and roots.  If you only give a few a week (that are visible in the lessons you are doing), you will see their standardized test scores rise.
  • TOEFL Exam Prep for High School Students
    This site is geared to high school students since the TOEFL exam is addressed here.  Not only do they do more of the same for affixes and roots, but also kids can test themselves of their knowledge of word parts and use that knowledge to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words.
  • Types of Writing
    This article addresses what types of writing should be done at each stage of language acquisition.  For those especially who are new to teaching writing to ELLs, this article offers very practical ideas.
  • News Writing
    There are several writing setups here from the very easy to the difficult.  I have used the newspaper one to have students capture key events in stories they read, but there are many more uses of it and it can be used in all content area courses/subjects.
  • Academic Writing
    This is a great source for all writing genres.  There are also worksheets to fill in any gaps in prior knowledge.  For example, if they are writing on endangered species, there is a worksheet with pictures and a word bank from which they have to group vocabulary under the appropriate animal.
  • High Intermediates and Beyond
    This is a tool for your high intermediates and beyond.  Though not as good as www.readwritethink.org, it might run a close second in preparing ELLs for high stakes writing assessments.
  • ESL Independent Study Lab -Writing
    A zillion writing activities through the internet.
  • Writing Lab
    Great site for English Teachers. Check out the Writing Resources.