Insites for younger learners

by Enda Scott

There are an increasing number of websites suitable for younger web users, providing both fun and potential for language exposure. Many of these sites have been designed for native speakers but they can easily be taken advantage of by learners of English.

For very young kids there are several sites related to famous cartoon/TV characters which can be used for their simple language content. www.pingu.com for example has a range of simple activities based around the well known children’s character. www.bobthebuilder.com is a similar site including a range of easy to use activities from colouring to simple spelling. www.kidstime.co.uk is another attractive site with a collection of games and activities which kids will easily manage while the BBC has an online version of their TV programmes for kids at www.bbc.co.uk/cheebies

There are also a large number of sites specifically designed as teaching aids for native speakers but which can also be taken advantage of by learners of English. www.enchantedlearning.com is an American based site with lots of information on a range of topics. Particularly interesting are the pages devoted to dinosaurs and those related to flags and geography. There is also a good picture dictionary. www.abcteach.com provides material to practice anything from mathematics to reading. More specifically designed as a resource for TEFL/ESL teachers of younger learners is www.bogglesworld.com, which is an excellent resource site for teachers and students. www.funtrivia.com and www.funbrain.com are a source of endless puzzles, games and teasers many of which will be suitable for lower levels and younger learners. More challenging and for higher levels is kids.mysterynet.com which provides a collection of mystery stories and asks for your involvement in their solution. Finally, www.learnenglish.org.uk is a British Council site with an enormous range of material for learners including an area of the website especially designed for kids.

These are just some of the sites that will provide ideas, worksheets or online activities which may be of use to teachers working with kids and young teenagers; more sites are available at www.tesol-spain.org/resources/kid.htm and if you know of others, do let us know.