APE 4: TOOLS FOR EFL

 What is EFL teaching?

EFL means English as a foreign language. It refers to teaching English to people from a country where it is not the primary language. There are other terms you may encounter that are similar, such as ESL (English as a Second Language) and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). ESL generally refers to situations where someone is learning English in a country where it is spoken, such as an immigrant student.

EFL teachers help students develop all the basic English skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. They may also focus on preparing students for standardized tests or introducing them to English culture.

Why it is important to use websites in an EFL classroom?

Interactive Activities: Websites offer games, quizzes, and other interactive elements that can make learning English more fun and engaging for students. This can be especially helpful for younger learners or those who find traditional methods dry.

Authentic Materials: Websites provide access to real-world content like news articles, videos, and blogs. This exposes students to how English is used in everyday contexts, making learning more relevant and motivating.

Accessibility: Many websites are free or offer free trials, making them a cost-effective way to supplement your teaching material.

Up-to-date Content: Websites can provide access to current events and information, keeping your lessons fresh and relevant

Websites for EFL teaching

There are many great websites that offer resources and support for EFL teachers. Here are a few to get you started:

LinguaPress:

•  It offers grammar, reading resources with worksheets, games, and puzzles, all open access.

link:https://linguapress.com/index.htm

Photocopiables.com:

•  It provides interactive exercises in grammar packs and mini courses with interactive videos and crash courses for learners.

link:https://photocopiables.com/mini-courses

Using English: 

• It provides a large and growing collection of English as a Second Language (ESL) tools & resources for students.

link:https://www.usingenglish.com/

Teach-This.com:

•  It offers over 2700 printable ESL activities, games, and worksheets in PDF format with full teacher's notes and answers. The website also provides an online platform for interactive teaching and sharing resources with students.

link:https://www.teach-this.com/

Englishclub:

• A veteran ESL website with resources covering grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, listening, speaking, reading, and writing 

link: https://www.englishclub.com/ 

Kahoot!:

• An interactive game-based learning platform that allows teachers to create and share engaging quizzes and activities, enhancing student participation and reinforcing learning through play.

Link: https://kahoot.com/ 

EFL Magazine:

• An online magazine offering articles, interviews, and resources for EFL teachers, focusing on teaching strategies, professional development, and the latest trends in language education.

Link: https://eflmagazine.com/ 

Elllo:

• A rich resource website offering free listening activities and lesson plans, focusing on improving students' listening comprehension and vocabulary skills through diverse audio and video content.

Link: https://elllo.org/#google_vignette 

Internet TESL Journal:

• A comprehensive ESL website featuring articles, research papers, and teaching ideas, covering grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Link: http://iteslj.org/ 

Real English:

• A dynamic ESL website offering video-based lessons with authentic language use, covering grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Link:https://www.real-english.com/ 

EDUCAPLAY  

https://es.educaplay.comhttps://es.educaplay.com/

• Educa Play offers educational games and activities for learning English. It focuses on making language learning fun and interactive through various games, quizzes, and exercises that help students improve their English skills in an engaging way.

BUSSY TEACHER 

https://m.busyteacher.org/

• BusyTeacher provides thousands of free printable worksheets and activities for English teachers. The resources cover all aspects of English language learning, including grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, speaking, and listening. It also offers articles with teaching tips and strategies.

Website:

 ESL Library

•  ESL Library offers ready-to-teach lessons, flashcards, and resources for teachers. It covers a wide range of topics and skills, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

GAMA

https://gamma.app/

• Gamma is an AI-powered platform designed to help users create various forms of content, such as presentations, documents, and other digital assets, more efficiently and effectively. 

TWEE

https://twee.com/

• Create questions for any YouTube video in just a few seconds or Generate dialogues, stories, letters or articles on any topic and for any level

 BBC Learning English:

•  It is an educational platform that offers a wide range of free resources to learn English. The materials are designed for different skill levels, from beginner to advanced, and cover various aspects of the language, including grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and listening comprehension.

Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/

_English Banana: 

• Offers a wide collection of free resources for learning and teaching English, including grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension worksheets, as well as games and conversation activities. It also provides free workbooks, teacher guides, podcasts, audios, and educational videos. The materials are organized by topics and levels, and are easy to download and print, making them easy to use both in the classroom and at home.

Link: https://www.englishbanana.com/worksheets/#google_vignette

TEFL University:

•  It offers online and in-person courses that cover language fundamentals, learning theories, lesson planning and classroom methodologies. Their programs are flexible, designed for beginners and experienced teachers, and allow you to complete the certification at your own pace. Graduates can teach in public, international schools, language institutes or online, with internationally recognized certifications.

Link:  https://www.thetefluniversity.com/

Spechling: 

• It is a platform designed to improve oral skills in English and other languages ​​through free resources and interactive exercises. Offers listening practice, dictation, flashcards, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and quizzes. Users can listen to thousands of phrases recorded by professional actors, improving their pronunciation and understanding. Additionally, Speechling offers free, personalized language tutoring, with the option to receive feedback from language teachers. The platform can be accessed both online and offline, and syncs with mobile apps for continuous learning.

Link: https://speechling.com/tools

TEFL Toolkit: 

• The TEFL Toolkit is a tool designed to teach English as a foreign language, offering diverse resources such as interactive activities, educational games and multimedia teaching materials. Facilitates the practice of language skills through grammar, vocabulary and listening comprehension exercises, adapted for different learning levels and teaching styles. Ideal for dynamic and effective classes that encourage active participation and practical learning of the English language.

Link: https://tefl-toolkit.com/

REFERENCES:

Chen, Z., & Goh, C. (2011). Teaching oral English in higher education: Challenges to EFL teachers. Teaching in higher education, 16(3), 333-345.

Cem, & Alptekin, M. (1984). The question of culture: EFL teaching in non-English-speaking countries. ELT journal, 38(1), 14-20.