Educators use the Internet in many different ways to enhance their curriculum. They use websites as educational resources to find ready-made reproducible handouts, or to access information that they can modify to use as handouts in the classroom. They take their learners into a computer lab and help them use online resources in controlled tasks that reinforce classroom language learning activities. They also oversee individual student practice with the help of guided instruction sheets during free lab time. The Internet can play multiple roles in helping educators expand the walls of their classrooms to include a range of educational materials.

Interested in reading more about the whys, hows, and whats of using the Internet with adult literacy learners?  Surfing for Substance has an excellent website with all the tools you need-including nine sample lesson plans-to get started using the Internet in your program.

Where can ABE/ESL educators begin looking for good websites?

The Literacy List website is one excellent place to begin looking for websites appropriate to adult literacy instruction.  There are also many outstanding ESL websites that have both online activities and reproducible curriculum.  Following are a few examples.

Teacher Resources

LINCS                        

MNLINCS

Reading websites

Writing websites

Mpls ABE Online Activity List

Free Clip Art