What ESL Materials Do You Suggest for International Students?

QUESTION:

Area of Concern: English Language Arts

Submitted by: Principal

Grade Level: High School

Competency: Below Level

My school has about 35 International students from Asia. English is not their first language. In the past we’ve used books and translations of books to help them adjust to high school. As these kids are all digitally oriented, this year we want to try using software instead of books. Also, I don’t need beginning level material. All the students passed a test to attend our school. They do have some degree of understanding of English. What ESL materials do you suggest for International students?

ANSWER:

Thank you for contacting Merit. Merit’s skill building tutorials are a great option for ESL students. The programs break concepts down into understandable parts. Built-in hints and tips support students while they work. Progress is automatically stored in an easy-to-use management system.

The three programs to focus upon are Paragraph Punch, Reading Skill Builder, and Grammar Fitness – Intermediate.

Paragraph Punch guides learners step-by-step through the writing process. The program help students organize their thoughts and then write clear, concise paragraphs. Pre-set writing prompts of common human interest engage learners. Many teachers have reported to us the program makes students think in English.

Reading Skill Builder helps improve reading fluency. The program has high interest passages with targeted questions on specific areas such as main idea, author’s purpose, and inferences covering from a 3rd through 8th grade U.S. reading level. Students work at their own pace and advance when they demonstrate readiness.

Grammar Fitness is a fun way to master commonly confused and misused English grammar concepts. The program covers from high-beginning to advanced English grammar concepts.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

What ESL Materials Do You Suggest for International Students?